Living in Atlanta with no car? (Alpharetta, Decatur: home, find a job, buying)

[LovelyRedd]

To the people who've lived in Atlanta for a while:

1. Do you think it's possible to live in Atlanta without a car? If so, where are the best parts to live without a car?
2. Have any people been successful with getting to work on MARTA?
3. Ultimately, would you move to Atlanta without a car if you had a job in place?

[flyonpa]

1. Maybe, Depends on where you live and where you work.
2. Yes
3. See 1.

[flamadiddle]

Atlanta is not a transit friendly city nor is it walk-able. Plan on a car.

[futureATLien]

You could, but you'd be limited to where you could work and play. Depending on friends for rides got old by my mid 20s. I moved here from up north, so I decided to get a car. I work in the suburbs and live ITP, so I'd have a 2 hour one way commute without a car. It's 30 minutes one way. Midtown is a decent area to live without a car and some parts of Buckhead. I had a friend that lived and worked downtown without a car, but grocery options are limited in the area so a car is needed for that. Not to mention, it'll be in the high 90s for the next few days, definitely don't want to be waiting for a bus or walking around sweaty in this weather.

[jsvh]

Originally Posted by LovelyRedd

To the people who've lived in Atlanta for a while:

1. Do you think it's possible to live in Atlanta without a car? If so, where are the best parts to live without a car?
2. Have any people been successful with getting to work on MARTA?
3. Ultimately, would you move to Atlanta without a car if you had a job in place?

1. Yes, I have done it. I lived in Midtown without a car before and am planning to move to Downtown to get rid of my car again.
2. Yes, many thousands do it every day.
3. Yes, as long as the job is near a MARTA (rail) station it is an easy choice.

[oobanks]

It can Definitely be done, but like previous poster stated, it all depends on where you live and work. If you work Downtown, Midtown, Buckhead, Perimeter Center, even the Decatur Area you should be ok. Mainly living anywhere in the inner Fulton, Dekalb and now Clayton County area's. Living in Cobb and Gwinett Counties without a Car my be kinda iffy being there Bus Systems are spotty at best and doesnt run on Sundays. Any other Suburban County without a Car is an absolute NO NO. Atlanta is Definitely not a NewYork, Chicago, Boston, or Even a SanFran when it comes to Transit and is really looked at differently when it comes to transit especially if your not on the Rail and just taking the Buses. I think people tend to notice that after moving here from other transit dependent Cities without a car and end up stuck in a bad sistuation or certain area they dont want to live or be. In my opinion its really best that you have a Car moving to Georgia period.

[cqholt]

1) Yes, best parts are anywhere along the MARTA lines. Having a good bike extends this reach.
2) MARTA is the 8th busiest transit system in the US. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...s_by_ridership So a lot of people successfully ride MARTA to work. My wife and I did it for 5 years.
3) Only if that job was accessible to a MARTA station or was within biking distance. Having a bike extends MARTA's reach and bikes are always allowed on bus (front racks) and trains.
It is 100% possible, except for areas OTP unless using GRTA express buses CCT and GCT are a joke and take forever. If you work close to a MARTA station, bus route, or can bike to work it is possible. The bike commuting scene is exploding in the City of Atlanta. Shopping can be accomplished on a bike with the the correct equipment, just know that you will not be buying stuff in bulk. There is a great facebook page, Bike Commuters of Atlanta, that has thousands of users that have a wealth of knowledge. Also, many stations have ZipCar locations, so if you must have a car for a reason there is always that option, as well as Uber, Lyft, and taxis.

[testa50]

I've done it. It's generally fine as long as your home/work setting supports it, but your world is pretty small without a car.

[afdinatl]

Yes. My friend from Pittsburgh moved here last year with no car. She is still here with no car. She lives in Lindbergh Center and took the bus to her job in Buckhead. Now she works in Alpharetta and takes the train to North Spring Station and a bus from there. As long as you live and work near MARTA you will be ok.

Example... living in Atlanta and working anywhere near any MARTA stop.

Dont live in say Cobb and work in Gwinnett with no car

[LovelyRedd]

Thanks for the input you guys. So I am living in Mississippi now and of course there is no public transportation here so a car is a must. I have a Bachelor's in Accounting with 2 yrs of experience, but there are no accounting jobs here and I'm just tired of this place. I tried starting up a small accounting business but potential clients are too conservative and not tech savvy. I really want to share a room with someone in Atlanta and find a job there to get on my feet. I really don't have much to lose right now. I've seen plenty of accounting jobs in Atlanta on Indeed and I just really want to take this leap. I've visited Atlanta so many times to where I don't really feel like a tourist anymore. I also know a few people who live there. I'm not really a "play" person. I would be fine with going to work and coming home lol.