New Students - Parking and Transportation

UNC partners with the Town of Chapel Hill and other agencies to offer a comprehensive menu of transit choices. Chapel Hill Transit offers extensive bus service throughout the University and the Chapel Hill and Carrboro communities. All Chapel Hill Transit routes are fare-free, including the U and RU (Reverse U) routes which exclusively serve the campus from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. on weekdays. Chapel Hill Transit offers service from UNC park and ride facilities such as UNC-Chapel Hill's Franklin Street Lot and the Friday Center Lot off US 54. To use UNC P&R lots, commuting students must join UNC's Commuter Alternative Program. All students may take Chapel Hill Transit from the Town lots like the '54' lot (near the Friday Center lot), the Eubanks Road Lot (off Airport Road near I-40), the Jones Ferry Road and Southern Village lot (in Southern Village, 2 miles south of campus on US 15/501). For more information, visit the Department of Public Safety website. The University also operates a Chatham Shuttle from the UNC Chatham Park & Ride lot (on US 15/501, 4 miles south of Campus).

Chapel Hill operates a Tarheel Express service for basketball and football games and EZRider operates within Chapel Hill and Carrboro to serve persons with mobility impairments. To travel to parts of Chapel Hill and Carrboro not receiving regular transit service utilize the Shared Ride Feeder service.

The University operates P2P Express - a fare free fixed route bus service from 7 pm to 3 am, seven nights a week during Fall and Spring semesters. Pick-up/drop-off points include Ehringhaus, FPG Student Union, Varsity Theatre on Franklin Street, and South Road. During P2P Express service hours, those students not served by the P2P Express route can use the P2P Shuttle service by calling 962-7867. The Shuttle will transport students from one open University facility to another. During the evening hours, Chapel Hill's Safe Ride routes continue outside the University after other Chapel Hill Transit routes have gone out of service for the day.

Students who have a University Disability Permit or students going to or from Student Health Service can access the P2P Shuttle Service during the day by calling the P2P Dispatcher at 962-7867. The hearing impaired can access the P2P Text Telephone (TDD) at 962-7142. The P2P Shuttle service continues to operate on Saturday and Sunday between the hours of 9 am and 5 pm. All P2P services operate on those University holidays where residence halls remain open.

For further information on alternative methods of commuting to and from UNC as well as car-free access throughout the Triangle Region, visit http://www.redefinetravel.org/.

How do I get a parking permit?
All permit pre-registration is conducted through the Public Safety website, at http://www.dps.unc.edu/. Student parking permits are allocated according to a priority system developed by the Student Government. No permits are issued to commuting students residing within two miles of the Bell Tower. Applications will be processed as spaces are available and in accordance with the established priority system. A Commuter Alternative Program (CAP) permit qualifies students residing more than 2 miles from the Bell Tower for a parking decal giving access to all UNC Park & Ride lots. Students receiving any permit (CAP or other permit type) through the pre-registration process will be notified at the summer address provided on the application. Payment for permits must be received, either in-person or postmarked by the deadlines stated in billing notice. Permits will be mailed in late July.

Also, a free annual TTA "GoPass" is available to all eligible CAP permit holders. These passes also give free access to all DATA (Durham Transit) routes. Passes must be picked up at the Department of Public Safety Building or at the UNC Hospitals Parking Office.