The sheer scale of LA - its detractors call it "nineteen suburbs in
search of a city" - means that it really is difficult to get around
without a car. Even though the traffic is often bumper-to-bumper, the
freeways are the only way to cover long distances quickly. If you're
driving yourself, avoid traveling at rush hours and phone ahead for
directions whenever possible. Otherwise, try to relax on the fastest
alternative, express buses .
Some people are surprised to find sidewalks in LA, let alone pedestrians,
but within districts such as downtown, Santa Monica, Pasadena, Beverly
Hills and central Hollywood, walking is the best way to explore.
Public transportation
Hampered by construction scandals and budget cuts, LA's long-anticipated
Metrorail train system was envisioned to cover the whole of Los Angeles
County, but is currently made up of only three lines, each distinguished
by color. Centering on.Hampered by construction scandals and budget
cuts, LA's long-anticipated Metrorail train system was envisioned to
cover the whole of Los Angeles County, but is currently made up of only
three lines, each distinguished by color. Centering on the Seventh
Street Metro Center Station, the Red Line stretches from Union Station
through Hollywood to North Hollywood in the San Fernando Valley. The
Green Line goes from Hawthorne to Norwalk along the Century Freeway, and
the most complete route, the Blue Line , connects downtown through Watts
to the Pacific Transit Mall in Long Beach. Tickets cost $1.35, or 75¢ at
night from 9pm-5am, and trains run every five to fifteen minutes (and
more infrequently at night).
Car-less Angelenos are still most well served, however, with buses ,
most of which are run by the LA County Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA
or "Metro"; ), still sometimes abbreviated to its old name, the RTD. For
information, phone 213/626-4455 or 1-800/COMMUTE, or show up in person
at 515 S Flower St, downtown (level C of Arco Plaza; Mon-Fri
7.30am-3.30pm), 5301 Wilshire Blvd (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm), or 6249 Hollywood
Blvd (Mon-Fri 10am-6pm). Buses on the major arteries between downtown
and the coast run roughly every fifteen minutes between 5am and 2am;
other routes, and the all-night services along the major thoroughfares,
are less frequent. At night, be careful not to get stranded alone
downtown waiting for a connection.
The standard single fare is $1.35; transfers cost 25¢ more, but must be
made within an hour; express buses , and any others using the freeway,
are $1.85 up to $3.85. A monthly pass costs $42, slightly more to
include express buses, with weekly passes for $11 and a student pass for
$30. Smaller DASH buses run five routes around downtown, and a Hollywood
service weekdays and Saturdays (25¢ flat fare).
You'll be hard pressed to find an available taxi cruising the streets,
so call ahead; among the more reliable companies are the Independent Cab
Co. (tel 1-800/521-8294), LA Taxi (tel 1-800/200-1085) and United
Independent Taxi (tel 1-800/411-0303). Fares include a base charge of
around $2; add $1.60 per mile and tack on another $2.50 if you're
getting picked up from LAX.
Major LA bus routes (MTA)
From downtown to : Burbank Studios #96 Exposition Park #38, #81 Forest
Lawn Cemetery, Glendale #90, #91 Huntington Library #79, #379 LAX #42,
#439 Long Beach #60 Orange County, Knott's Berry Farm, Disneyland #460 (express).
From downtown to :
Burbank Studios #96
Exposition Park #38, #81
Forest Lawn Cemetery, Glendale #90, #91
Huntington Library #79, #379
LAX #42, #439
Long Beach #60
Orange County, Knott's Berry Farm, Disneyland #460 (express)
Pasadena #401, #402
San Fernando Valley #424, #425, #522
San Pedro #445, #446, #447 (all express), transfer to LADOT #142 for
Catalina terminal
Santa Monica #20, #22, #320, #322, #434 (express)
Venice #33, #333, #436 (express)
To and from downtown :
Along Hollywood Blvd #1
Along Melrose Ave #10, #11
Along Santa Monica Blvd #4, #304
Along Sunset Blvd #2, #3, #302
Along Wilshire Blvd #20, #21, #22, #320 (limited stops, but faster than
#20)
From LAX to :
Downtown #42, #439
Getty Center/San Fernando Valley #561
Hollywood #220 (then transfer to #4 at Santa Monica Blvd)
Long Beach #232
San Pedro #225
West Hollywood #22
Cycling
Cycling in LA may sound perverse, but there are great coastal bike paths
between Santa Monica and Redondo Beach, and nice routes at the Orange
County coastline, Griffith Park and Pasadena. More disturbingly, the LA
River route is only intended for daring cyclists who don't mind the
sight of broken glass, mounds of trash and grim industrial vistas.
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