Transport in the US — driving is the default, transit is regional

Transit cities — which ones genuinely work without a car

New York City is the only US city where car-ownership is genuinely optional even with kids — the subway runs 24/7, buses fill the gaps, and OMNY contactless lets any debit card or phone wallet pay directly at the gate. Boston (MBTA), Washington DC (WMATA Metro), San Francisco / the Bay Area (BART + Muni + Caltrain), Chicago (CTA), and Philadelphia (SEPTA) all have transit networks dense enough that many residents skip a car.

In every other US city — Los Angeles, Houston, Dallas, Atlanta, Miami, Seattle, Denver, Phoenix — transit exists but is supplementary; most jobs, supermarkets, and schools are not walkable from the nearest stop. Plan to drive or rideshare for everything outside narrow downtown cores.

Get a state driver's license

Each state issues its own driver's licence through a Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV — sometimes called RMV, MVA, or DOR depending on the state). New residents typically have 30–90 days to convert a foreign licence; the deadline is in state law, not federal. Some states (Maryland, Pennsylvania, Texas) require a written and road test even for experienced foreign drivers; others (most of Europe, Canada, Korea, Japan, Taiwan) qualify for direct exchange in many states.

Bring proof of identity (passport, visa), proof of US residency (utility bill, lease, bank statement), and proof of legal presence (visa, I-94, Green Card). For Real ID-compliant licences (required for domestic flights from May 2025), bring proof of SSN or an SSA-issued ineligibility letter.

Buying or leasing a car

Most Americans finance a car through the dealership or a credit union. Dealerships make money on financing markup as well as the sale price — getting pre-approved at a credit union (PenFed, Navy Federal if you qualify, your local credit union) before you walk in often saves $1,000–3,000 over a 5-year loan.

Used is typically much better value than new — a 2-year-old car at 30,000 miles costs 30–40% less than its new price and is statistically as reliable. Carvana, CarMax, and the certified-pre-owned programmes from manufacturers (Toyota CPO, Honda CPO, Mazda CPO) sell mechanically inspected used cars at fixed prices. Edmunds, Kelley Blue Book, and TrueCar give honest market prices for negotiation.

Without US credit history, expect higher rates (10–15% APR vs 5–7% with a good score) or a co-signer. Some lenders work with newcomers — Westlake Financial, Capital One Auto Finance, and credit unions are typically more flexible than captive lenders.

Auto insurance is mandatory

Every state requires liability insurance to register a vehicle. Minimum required coverage is low (often $25,000 bodily injury per person) and not nearly enough for a serious accident — most carriers recommend 100/300/100 ($100k bodily injury per person, $300k per accident, $100k property damage) as a sensible minimum. Comprehensive coverage (collision + theft + weather) typically runs $100–200/month with a clean driving record.

Geico, State Farm, Progressive, and Allstate are the main national carriers. The Zebra and Insurify aggregate quotes from many providers in one form. Rates depend heavily on ZIP code, credit score (in most states), and driving record. Bringing a clean foreign driving record can sometimes lower the rate — ask about international driving-history transfer.

Gas, tolls, and parking

Gas (petrol) prices vary 30–50% between states. California, Hawaii, and Washington are the most expensive; Texas, Oklahoma, and Mississippi the cheapest. Most pumps are pay-at-the-pump with debit/credit; some still require pre-pay inside. Costco, Sam's Club, and warehouse-club stations are 15–30¢/gallon below local averages.

Toll roads are common in the Northeast, Florida, Texas, California, and Illinois. Most accept transponder-based passes (E-ZPass in the East, FasTrak in California, SunPass in Florida, TollTag in Texas) at discounted rates plus pay-by-plate for everyone else. Pay-by-plate adds a 25–50% surcharge — get the local transponder if you drive frequently.

City parking can be brutal. NYC, San Francisco, Boston, DC, and central Chicago routinely charge $40–80/day for garage parking; street parking has tight regulations and aggressive enforcement. Apps like ParkWhiz, SpotHero, and Premier Parking pre-book garages at 30–60% discounts.

Intercity travel: rail, bus, and flights

Amtrak runs the Northeast Corridor — Boston, Providence, NYC, Philadelphia, Baltimore, DC — at usable frequency and competitive speed. Acela is the fast premium service; Northeast Regional is the cheaper standard. Outside that corridor, Amtrak's long-distance trains are scenic but slow and unreliable; intercity coach (Greyhound, FlixBus, Megabus) is typically faster and cheaper.

Domestic flights are the default for trips over 4 hours. Delta, American, and United run hub-and-spoke networks; Southwest is the largest low-cost carrier (with no checked-bag fees on its first two bags); JetBlue, Spirit, Frontier, Allegiant, and Sun Country round out the lower-cost market. Google Flights is the best meta-search; book 2–3 months ahead for the best fares.

Rideshare and ride-hailing

Uber and Lyft cover almost every metro and most mid-sized cities. Surge pricing during peak demand can multiply fares 2–3x — check the price before booking. UberX is the standard service; UberX Share (formerly Pool) lets you share the ride with strangers for a 25–40% discount.

Tipping is expected — 15–20% is the norm; the in-app tipping prompt makes it easy. For airport runs, dedicated airport-shuttle services (SuperShuttle, GO Airport, regional providers) and the local rail link (where one exists) are often cheaper for solo travellers.