The answer here depends on several factors. I’ve never had a car and really dislike riding in cars – I would much rather walk 15-20 minutes (if needed) to the store than have to drive – so I have no complaints.
Some sits are not accessible without a car. But there are still plenty of opportunities! Unless you’re really restricted on other search criteria, you’ll have no problem finding walkable/accessible sits.
I always use the ‘accessible by public transit’ filter on my searches… But keep in mind this checkbox can be deceiving. Some sits technically have public transport, but it’s only a bus that passes through 3 times/day and/or doesn’t run on weekends. So always double-check how much transit there is through research and by confirming with the owner before committing to a sit.
I still will accept some harder-to-reach sits as a kind of retreat. I don’t mind the isolation (as long as I sandwich it with some city time) and enjoy the break. In these situations, I usually wait to see if the owner offers to pick me up from the train station/airport before committing to the sit, as it’s particularly daunting to arrive on my own at such sits. (Many HOs do make this offer of help!)
Particularly in these cases, consider what you’ll do for groceries. How often will you go to the store? How much will you want to buy with each shopping trip? (remember, you’ll be carrying it back!) Is grocery delivery available in that area, and if so, would you use the service? When I was living in NYC, I became accustomed to stopping for groceries every 2-3 days and picking up only ~1 bag of items at a time. (This is also a good strategy as a sitter, as it helps prevent over-buying for the duration of your sit.) But if you’re used to filling a large shopping cart every time you’re at the store, then you’ll obviously have to make some adjustments without a car. (Shopping with a basket rather than a cart can help.)
It also depends on where you’re trying to travel. The UK/Europe in particular is very well-connected by train/transit. Many of these countries are filled with villages that developed pre-car… so they’re better set up for pedestrians than most US towns are. And of course, cities around the world are generally quite pedestrian-friendly and have at least some transit (though this isn’t always the case, esp in US). But some countries have less infrastructure and are more limited on available transit – so you have to consider which countries you’re hoping to travel to.
Keep in mind also that traveling without a car impacts how much luggage you can reasonably carry. At this point, I travel full-time with only a small (carry-on) hardside suitcase + a backpack (personal item). To me, it’s just too much hassle trying to deal with anything more than that (though others travel car-less with a little more luggage than me). It’s very doable to limit yourself in this way but can be a big step if you’re not used to traveling lite. (Check out previous posts on this topic: Luggage Preferences and Packing Light & Tips for travelling light(er) between sits with food supplies)
Also keep in mind what you would do during an emergency. My plan is always to rely on rideshare (lyft, uber, bolt, etc) in the event that I need to get to the vet.
So - yes, having no car creates some limits for you to work within. But it’s very, very doable and (I think) makes life easier. It just depends on what you’re looking for, though!
I would suggest asking yourself…
- do I enjoy walking, or does it feel like a bother? (10-15 minutes to reach a store/transit stop is common)
- what countries do I definitely want to travel to? what’s transit like there?
- am I looking for sits in the city, small towns/villages, or countryside?
- does any of the above grocery-shopping scenario sound daunting?
- how much luggage do I intend to carry with me to sits?
Note also that sometimes HOs have a bike that they’ll make available to you, or there are plenty of public share services in cities for bikes/scooters (including electric) if that appeals to you!