Moving to Portland (Eugene, Bend, Ashland: live, bus, train)

[Wile E. Coyote]

If you have to live without a car you need to ask yourself how much you want to have to deal with the homeless. You can live in the suburbs right on the light rail system and be downtown in minutes (and therefore deal with it when you want to instead of having to deal with it 24/7). Things are improving; but, we're not there yet. Also, if you ever want to be a homeowner I am not sure it is the greatest move at this point. If I were young I'd head to the Great Lakes states where you can still own a house and that will be an even better place to ride out climate change. If you move here and love it you may regret not being able to get into the housing market (and be poorer over a lifetime). Yes, you can move around when young, but, you are going to be delaying your life goals (and others are not delaying and eventually that catches up with you and do not want to have any regrets).

Before I moved I did an analysis of wages compared to home prices. At the time home prices were depressed and I moved to Portland with a job and bought a house 2 weeks later (so I didn't have to watch the prices skyrocket while I was sitting on the sidelines). I'm not sure where that analysis would have me move now (because I'm locked in and don't need that analysis). Why move to a high cost of living area? If you're going to do that go somewhere that you can double your salary... Like a very large metropolitan area...

[WestieWhitie]

Originally Posted by Cloudy Dayz

Why? Portland has an excellent mobile bus and light rail-based junkie storage system

There, fixed it for you.

[Jumauslo]

If you live in central Portland and work and play in central Portland, you can probably do ok on the bus/light rail system. Otherwise I'd suggest having a car. Besides, do you really just want to go just where Trimet can take you?

[StealthRabbit]

or... carshare or rent when you need a car.
Turo
https://www.portlandoregon.gov/trans...article/627619
https://www.free2move.com/en-US/pres...ase-2021-03-09
https://www.zipcar.com/portland


or...
https://driveawayhunger.org/buy-a-car/

or...
I buy my cars at Sergeants, Road One, or Speeds towing auctions sometimes less than $100. (They have auctions every week.)

[pathrunner]

Originally Posted by Jumauslo

If you live in central Portland and work and play in central Portland, you can probably do ok on the bus/light rail system. Otherwise I'd suggest having a car. Besides, do you really just want to go just where TriMet can take you?

This right here. It always amazes me when people from the East Coast or Chicago with their superior public transportation move out West and think they can do without a car. Uber and Lyft take some of the pressure off but it's very expensive.

[Cloudy Dayz]

Originally Posted by pathrunner

This right here. It always amazes me when people from the East Coast or Chicago with their superior public transportation move out West and think they can do without a car. Uber and Lyft take some of the pressure off but it's very expensive.

I believe that Portland is above Chicago on that list that I posted. I'm not sure if I agree with that, but they are both top tier cities for public transit. Nobody without a car should have a problem moving from Chicago to Portland.

Now if you are talking about the entire state of Oregon, that is another matter. Outside of Portland and Eugene, you are going to have problems if you don't have a car. I wish Oregon would create a statewide bus system, like what Colorado has. Then even without a car you could get most anywhere in the state.

[Wile E. Coyote]

Originally Posted by Cloudy Dayz

I believe that Portland is above Chicago on that list that I posted. I'm not sure if I agree with that, but they are both top tier cities for public transit. Nobody without a car should have a problem moving from Chicago to Portland.

Now if you are talking about the entire state of Oregon, that is another matter. Outside of Portland and Eugene, you are going to have problems if you don't have a car. I wish Oregon would create a statewide bus system, like what Colorado has. Then even without a car you could get most anywhere in the state.

We do have Amtrak.

https://www.amtrak.com/northwest-train-routes

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by Wile E. Coyote

We do have Amtrak.

https://www.amtrak.com/northwest-train-routes

And regional bus transportation,. Such as $40/yr unlimited Columbia River Gorge service, covering both WA and Oregon side of the river.
https://gorgetranslink.com/transit-a...-area-transit/

That's less than the cost of one tank of gas.

But not as cheap as the BoltBus ... $1 PDX to Seattle...+ Free WiFi!... Ceased during covid. Too bad, hopefully it will return.

Taking the train to Vancouver BC is a nice route. As well as Columbia River Gorge Amtrak to Spokane and on east to Idaho and Montana.

[pathrunner]

You are absolutely correct. I should have remembered how good the transit system in Portland actually is. It could be even better but it is definitely possible to get around without a car. I was thinking too much about the west in general, particularly California except for San Francisco. I lived there for many years, several without a car.

That's interesting about Colorado. Will have to look that up.

[Cloudy Dayz]

Originally Posted by Wile E. Coyote

We do have Amtrak.

https://www.amtrak.com/northwest-train-routes

Amtrak is not statewide. Where is it going to get you? Portland, Eugene and Klamath Falls? That is not statewide.

I'm talking about for example a bus route on US-101. Right now if you want to take a bus from Astoria to Brookings on the Oregon Coast, you can theoretically do it. If you want to transfer to five different transit systems. Most of which are space available and require a reservation at least 24 hours in advance. Actually I'm wrong you can't do it, even if you wanted to. I just looked at Google Transit. Apparently there is a missing link somewhere up on the North Coast. So you would have to take a bus from Astoria to Portland, then take Amtrak to Eugene, then take three more busses to get to Brookings. It would take you more than 24 hours. So 2 days to make what could be a single 7 or 8 hour bus ride.

That is not efficient bus transportation and is not likely to attract anyone except the most absolut desperate riders. The state needs to take that bus service over and provide thru bus service like they have everywhere else.

Take a look for yourself and tell me that is not complete insanity.

Astoria to Brookings - Google Maps