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Students pose in commuter t-shirts in a photo shoot for Off Campus Student Life in and around the Anderson Student Center on November 5, 2019, in St. Paul.

Commuting Resources

Parking Permits & Bus Passes

A woman smiling as she looks at her mobile phone inside of a public transit.

Metro Transit

Public transit is the most inexpensive way of getting to St. Thomas. In addition to being more affordable than parking on campus, buses also save students from the hassle of getting to campus in rush hour traffic.

a parking lot with vehicles and people.

Parking Permits

The »Æ¹ÏÊÓƵ provides multiple parking options for commuter students, on both the St. Paul and Minneapolis campuses. Like most urban schools, the »Æ¹ÏÊÓƵ has an ongoing concern with parking. More than two-thirds of our students, faculty, and staff commute to the university.

To park legally on St. Thomas property, you must purchase and correctly display a valid St. Thomas parking permit. Purchasing a permit does not guarantee a parking space, and a lack of parking is not a valid excuse for any violation of parking regulations.

Directions and Parking

Directions to our St. Paul and Minneapolis campuses.

Traffic

Planning your commute to campus and want to check out the traffic situation? Visit the MN Department of Transportation to get an updated, live look at traffic information.

Public Safety at St. Thomas offers a couple of services that are beneficial to commuters:

  • Walking Escorts: if you call Public Safety at (651) 962-5100, they will send an officer to walk with you anywhere on campus or up to six blocks off-campus.
  • Jump-starts: if your car won't start, call Public Safety at (651) 962-5100 and they can come to give your vehicle a jump-start.
  • Lock-outs: if you've locked your keys in your vehicle, Public Safety can attempt to get you in. Call them at (651) 962-5100 and they will help you get into a vehicle that you have registered in our Murphy Online system.
Summer view of a student riding her bike on University of St Thomas, south campus. A road sign displaying direction of a bike trail. A student rides his bike away from a rack full of bikes outside O'Shaughnessy Stadium.

Biking

Riding your bicycle is an excellent way to get to and from campus. It is inexpensive, and environmentally friendly; plus, a great form of exercise. No matter where you live off-campus, getting to St. Thomas and around the Twin Cities is very easy when riding a bicycle.

Bike Routes

Minnesota has miles of paved bicycle trails. No matter which direction you are coming from, you will be sure to find a bike route to use. Use the resources below to plan your bicycle commute.

Smart Trips Bike Route Maps:

Bike Racks

There are a number of bicycle racks on campus available for student use. Many are near the entrances and exits to buildings and convenient for where you want to go on campus. Be sure to only lock your bike to a bike rack.

Indoor Bike Parking on Campus

A secure bike storage locker is available the Anderson Parking Facility, and is available to all students, faculty and staff. Bike storage lockers are available on a first come, first served basis, and are accessible using a St. Thomas ID card. There is no charge to store bicycles; users will need to supply their own locks.

Unfortunately, bicycle thieves do target »Æ¹ÏÊÓƵ campuses. We recommend the U-lock bicycle lock to secure your bike.

Also, be sure to only lock your bike to a bike rack. Bikes are not allowed to be secured to trees, signs, railings or any other object other than a bike rack. Bikes not secured to bike racks may be subject to removal by Public Safety.

Walking Information

  • Walking
  • Escorts
  • Trails and Paths
  • Safety

    • Walking

    Many of our students, faculty, and staff live in the neighborhoods around our St. Paul campus and find walking to our campus the easiest way to get around. Here are a couple of resources for folks whose primary mode of commuting will be their own two feet.

    Walking Escorts

    St. Thomas Public Safety offers a walking escort program. Call them up at (651) 962-5100 to have a public safety escort come to where you are and walk with you anywhere on campus or within a six-block radius of our St. Paul campus. Their response time is ten minutes or less, and sometimes they bring a St. Thomas vehicle and can give you a ride.

    Trails and Paths

    St. Paul and Ramsey County have a number of pedestrian walking paths and trails.

    Also, feel free to check out as an online resource for planning your walking commute.

    Safety

    Overall, walking is one of the safest modes of commuting, but a little extra preparation and awareness never hurts. Here are some pedestrian safety tips from the Highway Safety Research Center:

    • Be predictable. Stay off freeways and restricted zones. Use sidewalks where provided. Cross or enter streets where it is legal to do so.
    • Where no sidewalks are provided, it is usually safer to walk facing road traffic.
    • Make it easy for drivers to see you - dress in light colors and wear retro-reflective material. It might be wise to carry a flashlight in very dark areas.
    • Be wary. Most drivers are nice people, but don't count on them paying attention. Watch out - make eye contact to be sure they see you!
    • Alcohol and drugs can impair your ability to walk safely, just like they do a person's ability to drive.
    • Use extra caution when crossing multiple-lane, higher speed streets.

    Also, Minnesota law gives pedestrians the right of way at marked cross-walks or intersections without a crosswalk marked, but before entering, the pedestrian has to ensure that the road is clear and any road users have the ability to stop. Even with the right-of-way, use caution and common sense when crossing roads. More information about Minnesota's crosswalk law can be found on .

    Walking

    Walking

    Many of our students, faculty, and staff live in the neighborhoods around our St. Paul campus and find walking to our campus the easiest way to get around. Here are a couple of resources for folks whose primary mode of commuting will be their own two feet.

    Escorts

    Walking Escorts

    St. Thomas Public Safety offers a walking escort program. Call them up at (651) 962-5100 to have a public safety escort come to where you are and walk with you anywhere on campus or within a six-block radius of our St. Paul campus. Their response time is ten minutes or less, and sometimes they bring a St. Thomas vehicle and can give you a ride.

    Trails and Paths

    Trails and Paths

    St. Paul and Ramsey County have a number of pedestrian walking paths and trails.

    Also, feel free to check out as an online resource for planning your walking commute.

    Safety

    Safety

    Overall, walking is one of the safest modes of commuting, but a little extra preparation and awareness never hurts. Here are some pedestrian safety tips from the Highway Safety Research Center:

    • Be predictable. Stay off freeways and restricted zones. Use sidewalks where provided. Cross or enter streets where it is legal to do so.
    • Where no sidewalks are provided, it is usually safer to walk facing road traffic.
    • Make it easy for drivers to see you - dress in light colors and wear retro-reflective material. It might be wise to carry a flashlight in very dark areas.
    • Be wary. Most drivers are nice people, but don't count on them paying attention. Watch out - make eye contact to be sure they see you!
    • Alcohol and drugs can impair your ability to walk safely, just like they do a person's ability to drive.
    • Use extra caution when crossing multiple-lane, higher speed streets.

    Also, Minnesota law gives pedestrians the right of way at marked cross-walks or intersections without a crosswalk marked, but before entering, the pedestrian has to ensure that the road is clear and any road users have the ability to stop. Even with the right-of-way, use caution and common sense when crossing roads. More information about Minnesota's crosswalk law can be found on .