Q: What's the best way to get around on campus?

Getting around campus does not have to be a challenge. Although there is a lot of space to navigate, there are plenty of ways to get around quickly and easily.

One of the most popular ways to get from here to there is on the bus.

Service is provided by the Champaign Urbana Mass Transit District, and is free to students through a service fee charged each semester, said Tom Costello, assistant managing director for MTD.

Campus bus routes serve most class areas as well as many nearby residential areas, such as dorms and apartments. Service on these routes runs at 5 to 10 minute intervals, Costello said.

Buses are popular with students when walking to a destination becomes too time consuming.

Not all areas on campus are directly served by campus buses. Some of these include popular student apartment areas, such as those north of Green Street in Champaign and east of Lincoln Avenue in Urbana. For many students living in these areas, biking is a popular option.

Numerous bike paths criss-cross campus. Some are separated by bike lanes on roads, while others run along sidewalks.

Either way, their frequency, as well as the number of bikes chained up around campus, are a testament to biking's popularity.

Cars, the method of transportations many students are most used to, can be an expensive proposition on campus.

Parking rates in University parking lots for the 2009-2010 school year are running at $480 for an August-May pass and $540 for an August-August pass, according to the University Parking Department Web site.

However, there are other options for those who would like a car on campus without paying to bring their own.

The Zipcar program allows students to borrow a car for a period of time to run errands or take a quick trip off campus, said Morgan Johnston, transportation demand management coordinator for the University.

Users pay an annual fee of $35, and then an hourly fee of $8 or $66 for a full day of driving, Johnston said.

"We're hoping people don't bring as many cars down ... this is also the first time we'll have incoming freshmen with the program in place, so we hope they take advantage," Johnston said.