[chris_different]

Hi everyone!

I'm going to be moving to connecticut in a couple of months and I'm looking for an area with good public transportation.

A little info - I'm 24, don't own a car, and am not really looking for an area to be very "nice". I kinda like some of the dirt of the city.

Mostly an area with good live music, bars restaurants, etc.

I'll be staying in terryville at first with some relatives. Nice, quiet place, but not for me. I'll have a car to borrow for a couple months, and if need be, I can pick up a beater car to tool around in for a couple months (one of my relatives is a mechanic, and he already told me he knows a few ways to get me a "temp" car).

Basically, after living in SoCal for so long, spending half of my life in my car (and only half of that time it was moving) and not being able to walk anywhere, I'm not interested in driving for a while. The bus doesn't bother me, and I love walking.

Thanks for all the info. This place is invaluable.

chris

[skytrekker]

New Haven might certainly fit your needs by offering culture, sophistication and some urban grit. Hartford certainly the same- with the west end close to just about everything.

Nearby West Hartford is another great choice.

Commuting here is a totally different animal then southern California- the Hartford area has moderate traffic- that will be far more benign then the major population centers of California.

[jjbradleynyc]

I'd also suggest you take a look at New Haven, a smaller city (big for CT) of around 125k, but feels bigger. It has much grit, much culture, many bars/restaurants, and a lot to do overall. It also has some great neighborhoods that evoke "classic America".
Another option would be Bridgeport--a super gritty city that has seen much-better days. There is a lot of urban blight, grit, and sketchy areas. It has Metro North running through the middle of the city--so access to and from NYC is no issue. I'm not sure about their bus service though. Take a look before moving there though--I'd suggest Black Rock for a single person--or maybe downtown--although downtown has some work to do.

[reason180]

Some resources:

CTTransit - Connecting the Community


GBTA [Home Page — Welcome]


MTA Metro-North


Shore Line East is Connecticut's Commuter Rail Service Between New Haven and New London

[chris_different]

Thanks so much!

I had looked into new haven and it looked pretty cool.

I've had people tell me it's pretty bad crime wise. I'm from San Bernardino, CA, which isn't too great either. How do they stack up?

[skytrekker]

As for crime stats both places are significantly above the national average.

It is best to avoid many areas of New Haven- I suggest you also look into North Haven- not far off from New Haven- with easy quick public transportation into New Haven.

Also Milford- which has a nice waterfront- nice cafes and shopping- and easy Public transportation into New Haven- both Milford and North Haven have crime rates significantly below the national average- both are very safe.

[danam]

If you are looking for a city with a lot to do Stamford or Norwalk might be a good choice. Stamford has a lot of great restaurants and the train to New York.

South Norwalk might also be an option. The area has been gentrified and there are a lot of fun bars and restaurants to go to and some shopping. Metro North also has a stop in South Norwalk so you can pick up the train and go into the city.

As far as grit is concerned, both cities have it, but also have a lot of culture. I would prefer Stamford just because it is closer to NYC, but Norwalk is a lot of fun too.

[WILWRadio]

Yes, either Hartford or New Haven should suit you. The Hartford bus system is pretty decent for a metro area of 1.3 million people. I used to use it when I lived in West Hartford and it was pretty easy to get to most of the inner ring suburbs and all city points during the day. And there are several routes that run well into the late night if you need to catch a bus to and from a night spot.

You may want to look at living near Farmington Ave. in either Hartford or West Hartford because the bus that runs to West Hartford Center runs until around 12 MN or perhaps a bit later now. That way, if you want to enjoy the nightlife downtown you can still get a bus home after 10 PM on most nights.

[goldenband]

Just to second what WILWRadio said, living near Farmington Ave. is probably the best way to grab a bus in West Hartford.

I do think that the "main" part of West Hartford -- from Main to Prospect, from Asylum to Park -- is a little bit underserved. In particular, there's a conspicuous lack of north-south buses except for the one on Main St., which is a hassle for students at the University of Hartford who live in WH east of Trout Brook. However, the area is very walkable and bikeable, so it's not a huge minus.