Getting Around San Marcos: Free Bobcat Shuttle, Trips to Austin and Should You Buy a Car?

“How do you live in America without a car?” — nearly every parent asks. For San Marcos and Texas State University the answer is simple: in your first year you don't need one.

Bobcat Shuttle — free for students

TXST runs the Bobcat Shuttle with multiple routes covering campus and the major student apartment complexes around town. Buses run continuously on class days (some routes into the evening), free with your student ID. A real-time tracking app tells you exactly when the next bus arrives.

Housing tip: before signing an apartment lease, check that the complex is on a shuttle route.

Getting to Austin and San Antonio

• Intercity bus/rail: connections link San Marcos with Austin at low fares — great for weekends.
• Carpooling: Vietnamese and international students often share rides to Asian markets in Austin or San Antonio and split gas.
• Uber/Lyft: readily available; a few dollars in town, about $40–60 to Austin.
• Airports: Austin (AUS) and San Antonio (SAT) are both about 45 minutes away — convenient for flights home.

Biking and walking

The TXST campus sits on a hill, so walking doubles as exercise — but downtown San Marcos is compact, 10 minutes on foot from campus to restaurants and the square. Bikes and e-scooters are common; every building has bike racks.

Should you buy a car?

From year two, once you know the area and need to reach internships in Austin/San Antonio, many students buy a used car (about $6,000–$12,000). Add insurance for international students (~$100–$200/month), gas, campus parking (~$200+/year) and maintenance. You will need a Texas driver's license — F-1 students can take the test after obtaining an SSN or an SSN ineligibility letter.

The Vietnam Office's advice: use the shuttle and carpool in year one, focus on studies and settling in; decide on a car once you know your real needs.