Before moving to Arlington, my biggest concern was transportation. I wondered if there were buses, if there was a subway connection, and if it was possible to live without a car. To cut to the chase: Arlington is a city where living without a car is difficult. This is both a drawback and a defining characteristic of the city.

Arlington is one of the largest cities in the U.S. without a fixed-route public transportation system. There are no buses, subways, or trams. Instead, since 2017, there has been an on-demand ride-share service called Via.

Now known as Arlington On-Demand, it covers a 99 square mile area and can be used for $3 to $5 per person. The service operates Monday to Friday from 6 AM to 9 PM and Saturday from 9 AM to 9 PM. It is also connected to the DFW's Trinity Railway Express, which can be used for travel towards Fort Worth or Dallas. While it's not perfect, it's certainly better than having nothing.

If you have a car, the highway access is good. I-30 and I-20 run east to west through Arlington, while SH-360 serves the north-south axis. It takes about 20 to 30 minutes to reach downtown Dallas via I-30, and about 15 to 20 minutes to Fort Worth via I-30 west. However, during rush hour, especially on days when there are Cowboys or Rangers games, the roads around the stadium can get heavily congested. This is a reality that's hard to avoid while living in Arlington. Those living near AT&T Stadium need to time their trips to the grocery store on home game days carefully.

Due to its car-centric nature, the parking infrastructure is well-developed. Statistics show that 39% of Arlington's downtown area is parking space. This paradoxically contributes to lower walkability. Still, the convenience of the city's layout, wide roads, and quick access to highways make it a satisfying environment for those with cars. Knowing the characteristics of a city without public transport makes living in Arlington much easier.