TransportationCenter for International and Cultural Education

Traveling around Saint Peter and Minnesota can be difficult, because public transportation is not as good as many of you are used to in your home countries. There are some options, which are outlined below. Hopefully you will be able to explore more of Minnesota and the United States at some point!

Transportation around Gustavus. The Safe Rides Mobile Escort Service, provided by Gustavus Campus Safety, travels a fixed route, stopping at designated locations, from 7 pm until 1 am every night during the academic year. Look for the yellow and black Safe Rides signs at the designated pick-up points. To speak to a Safe Rides dispatcher, call 7000 (or 507-933-7000). After 1 am, call Campus Safety at 8888 (or 507-933-8888) to request a medical or walking escort. Find more information on our Campus Safety website.

Transportation in Saint Peter. Minnesota River Valley Transit (MRVT) is a bus that can take you to many locations in Saint Peter. There is a scheduled route (M-F from 10 am to 6 pm) that stops at Gustavus Three Flags. Or, you may call (888) 880-4696 to schedule a ride (M-F from 7am-8pm and Saturday from 9am-7pm), for a cost of $3.50. You may pay cash (exact amount only) or you may buy reduced price tickets through Gustavus Campus Activities (Information Desk, Campus Center, lower level). Gustavus Student Senate sponsors a free Gus Bus on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday evenings to designated places in Saint Peter.

Transportation to Mankato. Minnesota River Valley Transit (MRVT) can take you from Family Fresh Market to the River Hills Mall and the Mayo Clinic/Hospital/Mankato Clinic in Mankato on some weekdays and Saturdays. You can make a reservation by calling (888) 880-4696. Go to MRVT Saint Peter - Mankato Route for more information. You may pay cash (exact amount only), or you may purchase tickets through Gustavus Campus Activities (Information Desk, Campus Center, lower level). There are several taxi services in Mankato that could also be an option, though more expensive than MRVT.

Transportation to Minneapolis/Saint Paul International Airport. Land to Air Express is a bus that goes between Saint Peter and the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport several times a day. Students get a discount by buying tickets through Campus Activities (Information Desk, Campus Center, lower level). You should call Land to Air Express (507-625-3977) or go to the Land to Air Express website to make a reservation for a specific date and time. If you are traveling at the beginning or end of a Gustavus break, make sure to plan in advance, as Land to Air can be busy during those times, and Campus Activities can be closed during breaks. Land to Air Express will pick you up at Gustavus 3 flags, if you have made a reservation and requested that. Otherwise, the Land to Air Express will only stop at the Saint Peter Food Coop in downtown Saint Peter. Coming back from the airport, the driver will drop you off at Gustavus 3 flags if you ask the driver.

Transportation in Minneapolis and Saint Paul. Land to Air Express can take you to the Hawthorne Bus Station in downtown Minneapolis. Go to Land to Air Express Highway 169 Connection for more details. You can get around most of the Twin Cities on Metro Transit light rail or buses. From the airport and from the Hawthorne Bust Station there are light rail to Downtown Minneapolis and the Mall of America on Metro Transit.

Traveling from Minnesota to other locations in the United States. There are some bus (Greyhound, Jefferson Lines, Megabus) and train (Amtrak) services from Minneapolis or Saint Paul to other parts of the U.S. Jefferson Lines goes through Saint Peter twice a day. Greyhound stops at Gustavus occasionally. Those buses are infrequent, so are normally not good options for a day trips from Saint Peter to Minneapolis or Saint Paul, and back.

Renting a vehicle. There are many rental car places at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. Lager’s Inc., a car dealership in Saint Peter, has a small number of rental vehicles. You can call Lager’s at 931-4070. To rent from Lager’s, you must be age 21 or more, have car insurance or buy it from them, and pay a deposit with a credit or debit card. Gustavus is working towards partnering with a company to provide some vehicles on campus for students to rent, in the near future.

Friends with vehicles. Some of you may have friends with cars that are willing to give you a ride. Most people are not very willing to let others borrow their car. If you do, you must have a valid driver’s license and insurance, or check that your friend's car insurance will cover you. Your International Friendship Family may offer to take you places, and you are encouraged to take advantage of opportunities to travel with them. But your friendship family is not responsible for providing transportation.

Gustavus sponsored trips. Sometimes Gustavus Campus Activities or the Campus Activities Board sponsors trips to the Twin Cities or elsewhere for a sporting event, a day at the Mall of America, or other activities. You can check at the Information Desk, Gustavus-L, and the Gustavus Campus Activities or the Campus Activities Board websites to learn about upcoming trips. Gustavus Community-Based Service & Learning sponsors some off-campus engagement opportunities, including Habitat for Humanity service learning trips over spring break. Students are not allowed to use the Gustavus vehicles unless it is a trip sponsored by a recognized student organization.

Biking, skateboarding, walking. These are good options at Gustavus and in Saint Peter. Downtown Saint Peter is only about one mile from the Gustavus campus. 

Emergencies. Gustavus Campus Safety can help you in an emergency. If you are sick or injured in the evening or on a weekend and cannot go to Gustavus Student Health Service, you can call 8888 (or 507-933-8888) and ask Campus Safety for a ride to the Saint Peter Hospital Urgent Care.

Driving. Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services has information about driving in Minnesota. You are required to have a valid driver's license to drive in Minnesota. Driving without a valid license is a criminal offense. You may use an international driver’s license for up to 60 days, but if you are here longer than that you are required to get a Minnesota driver's license. A Minnesota driver’s license is valid in other states.

Applying for a Minnesota Driver’s License.

1. Provide documentation of your immigration status. Bring your passport, Form I-94 (can download on I-94 website), I-20 or DS-201, and your social security card or Gustavus transcript.
2. Knowledge (written) test. Can be taken at the Nicollet County Courhouse (call 507-931-6800 to schedule) in Saint Peter on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month from 10 am to 10:30 am. Can also be taken in Mankato (2161 Bassett Drive / call 507-344-2799 to schedule). The knowledge test contains multiple choice and true or false questions that evaluate your knowledge of Minnesota traffic laws and road signs. You can take the knowledge test as many times as it takes to pass, but only once per day. You can download and review the Minnesota Driver’s Manual to help you prepare for the knowledge test.
3. Vision test. This is a screening to determine whether your vision meets minimum standards. You should wear your glasses or contacts if you need them to drive.
4. Instruction permit. If you do not have a valid driver’s license from your home country, you must have an instruction permit for a period of practice driving, before taking the road test. The instruction permit is valid for 1 year of practice driving with a licensed driver who is sitting in the front passenger seat and is 18 years of age or older. You must have the instruction permit for 3 months (if you are 19 years of age or older) or 6 months (if you are less than 19 years of age) before you can take the road test.
5. Road (driving) test. Call 344-2799 to schedule a road test at the courthouse in Saint Peter. Normally the road test is on Tuesdays and Thursdays. You must provide the vehicle. You may borrow from a friend or friendship family. Bring your instruction permit, proof of insurance for the vehicle you are driving, your passport, I-94, I-20 or DS-2019 and social security card or Gustavus transcript. You will be tested on the rules of the road and your ability to drive safely under normal traffic conditions. The examiner will evaluate your awareness of risks and your reaction to them. You will be evaluated on your ability to use good observation at intersections, when changing lanes, and in other situations. You will be asked to parallel park. If you fail the road test, you may retake it after at least one week. When you pass the road test, you may get a Minnesota driver’s license.

Driving instruction. There are some driving schools in Mankato that are available for a fee. There may be others. We do not have a recommendation for a driving school. You should research them to decide what is best for you. See Safety & Respect Driving School, Superior School of Driving, or Mid-Southern Driving School.

Seatbelts. Minnesota law requires the driver and all passengers to wear a seatbelt. If you do not, you may be fined.

Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is a serious criminal offense, that can also impact your immigration status.

Insurance and Registration. If you own a vehicle you must have insurance coverage for that vehicle and register the vehicle. You can register the vehicle at the Saint Peter Courthouse. You can read a Minnesota Department of Commerce Auto Insurance Guide. You must always carry proof of insurance coverage and registration when you drive, even if someone else is the owner of the vehicle. If you are not able to present proof of insurance and registration to a law enforcement official upon request, you may be issued a citation and be subject to a fine and a suspension of your driver’s license. It can be a risk to borrow a vehicle from someone else or loan your vehicle to someone else. If you do, you should first make sure that the owner of the vehicle and the driver of the vehicle is covered by insurance. 

Winter driving. Many students are not used to driving in Minnesota in winter. Please use extra caution! You must drive much slower if there is ice or snow on the road, and keep more distance between your vehicle and any vehicle ahead of you. Often there are slippery spots when you do not expect them. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety recommends that you keep a winter survival kit in your vehicle. Some recommended items include: shovel, container of sand or salt, warm clothing and footwear, red flag for your vehicle’s antenna, blanket or sleeping bag, quick energy foods and water, tow chain and tire chains, road flares or reflectors, jumper cables, candles and matches or a lighter, first aid kit. It is also a good idea to have a cell phone for emergencies. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety recommends that if you become stranded while traveling in cold weather you should do the following: Stay with your vehicle (most deaths to stranded motorists occur when they get out of their vehicles, become lost, and suffer prolonged exposure to cold). Stay calm and wait for help to arrive. Turn on your hazard lights. Attach a red flag to your radio antenna. Set out flags and flares, if possible. Bring clothing, blankets and other survival supplies inside the vehicle. Keep the exhaust pipe clear of snow and debris. Run the engine and heater until the vehicle is reasonable warm, and then turn it off. Repeat this process as long as fuel is available, or until you are rescued. Run the engine for ten minutes each hour to charge the battery and warm the interior. It is safest not to travel in a winter storm.