Automobile & Transportation

Buying a car

If you are going to buy a car, you must have the following:

• An Oregon driver's license: If you have a license from another state, you have a minimum of 30 days to obtain an Oregon driver's license. For more information about obtaining an Oregon driver's license, visit the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) website.
• Liability insurance: Oregon State law requires that you have liability insurance on your vehicle. This insurance covers physical or property damage that you or your car may do to another car and/or person in the event of an accident. Your license will be suspended if you do not have liability insurance.
• A parking permit: If you will be parking your car on campus, you will have to purchase a parking permit from the University. If you do not have a parking permit, it is extremely difficult to find legal parking on or near campus. You can purchase a parking permit at Campus Safety.

Insurance

You can choose from a variety of insurance companies. Some companies have agents in the Portland area. Some companies do business only online and over the phone. Ask a friend or visit an online search engine for auto insurance companies that provide service to drivers in the State of Oregon.

Public Transportation

Portland is blessed with a good public transportation system enabling students without automobiles to easily commute throughout the Portland area. For long distance traveling the Amtrak train station and international airport are conveniently located and accessible by bus or the MAX light rail system from UP.

Trimet Bus, Streetcar, and MAX light rail

UP is served by two bus routes, the Number 35 and the Number 44. Both of these routes provide students with direct service to downtown or to the Rose Quarter transit center. You can board the Number 44 bus on Willamette Blvd just behind Shipstad Hall at the main entrance to UP. The stop for the Number 35 bus is located on Portsmouth Ave, across from the Chiles Center and Lund Family Hall. (Campus Map) You can purchase a partial or full day pass with exact change on the bus, or you can pay digitally using the hop fastpass app. Bus schedules, routes, and an online trip planning tool can be found at the Tri-Met website.

Greyhound Bus and Amtrak Train

If you would like to visit other cities around the United States you have the option of traveling by plane, train, or bus. The Greyhound Bus is currently the main bus line in America, and often services smaller towns which are not accessible by train.

In comparison, trains are usually faster, more comfortable, and about the same price as buses. However, the passenger train system is limited in the United States, and you may find at times you may need to take both the bus and train in order to reach obscure locations. Amtrak is aware of this complication, and when planning a trip to a destination in which you must take the bus for a limited distance Amtrak will schedule and include this in your reservation.

For more information about times and routes visit their websites linked above.

Greyhound Bus Station
550 NW Sixth Avenue
Portland, OR 97209
503.243.2310

Amtrak Station
800 NW Sixth Avenue
Portland, OR 97209
503.273.4865

Questions?
503.943.7367, iss@up.edu