Bicycle
Most buses have bike racks, and bikes ride for free, although you must securely load and unload them yourself. Remember to remove all loose items not attached to your bike – including helmets, bags and lights – and take them on the bus with you. When disembarking, always advise the driver that you need to unload your bike and exit through the front door. Folding bikes with wheels no larger than 20 inches can be taken on board, folded. Bicycles are also allowed on Metro Rail trains at all times.
LA has a number of bike-sharing programs. The following are especially useful for visitors:
Metro Bike Share Has more than 60 self-serve bike kiosks in the Downtown area, including Chinatown, Little Tokyo and the Arts District. Pay using your debit or credit card ($3.50 per 30 minutes). You can also pay using your TAP card, though you will first need to register it on the Metro Bike Share website. Download the Metro Bike Share smartphone app, which offers real-time bike and rack availability.
Breeze Bike Share Runs self-serve kiosks all over Santa Monica, Venice and Marina del Rey. Sign up online, download the Social Bicycles app, or pay on the spot, and you can borrow bikes and return to the nearest kiosk. You can rent hourly ($7 per hour), or long-term memberships include up to 90 minutes’ daily ride time. The monthly student rate ($7) is the best deal in town.
Car & Motorcycle
Unless time is no factor – or money is extremely tight – you’re going to want to spend some time behind the wheel, although this means contending with some of the worst traffic in the country. Avoid rush hour (7am to 9am and 3:30pm to 6pm).
Parking at motels and cheaper hotels is usually free, while fancier ones charge anywhere from $8 to around $45 for the privilege. Valet parking at nicer restaurants and hotels is commonplace, with rates ranging from $3.50 to $10.
The usual international car-rental agencies have branches at LAX and throughout LA, and there are also a couple of companies renting hybrid vehicles. If you don’t have a vehicle already booked, use the courtesy phones in the arrival areas at LAX. Offices and lots are outside the airport, but each company has free shuttles leaving from the lower level.
For Harley rentals, go to Route 66. Rates start from $149 per six hours, or $185 for one day. Discounts are available for longer rentals.
Freeway Logic
Angelenos live and die by their freeways and sooner or later you too will end up part of this metal cavalcade. Most freeways have both a number and a name, which corresponds to where they’re headed. To add to the confusion, however, freeways passing through Downtown LA usually have two names. The I-10, for instance, is called the Santa Monica Fwy west of the central city, and the San Bernardino Fwy east of it. The I-5 heading north is the Golden State Fwy, but heading south it’s the Santa Ana Fwy. And the I-110 is both the Pasadena Fwy and the Harbor Fwy. Generally, freeways going east–west have even numbers, while those running north–south have odd numbers. Except for the 110 that is. Hmmm…
Public Transportation
Most public transportation is handled by Metro, which offers maps, schedules and trip-planning help through its website.
To ride Metro trains and buses, buy a reusable TAP card. Available from TAP vending machines at Metro stations with a $1 surcharge, the cards allow you to add a preset cash value or day passes. The regular base fare is $1.75 per boarding, or $7 for a day pass with unlimited rides. Both single-trip tickets and TAP cards loaded with a day pass are available on Metro buses (ensure you have the exact change). When using a TAP card, tap the card against the sensor at station entrances and aboard buses.
TAP cards are accepted on DASH and municipal bus services and can be reloaded at vending machines or online on the TAP website (www.taptogo.net).
Metro Buses
Metro operates about 200 bus lines across the city and offers three types of bus services:
Metro Local buses (painted orange) make frequent stops along major thoroughfares throughout the city.
Metro Rapid buses (painted red) stop less frequently and have special sensors that keep traffic lights green when a bus approaches.
Commuter-oriented Metro Express buses (painted blue) connect communities with Downtown LA and other business districts and usually travel via the city’s freeways.
Metro Rail
The Metro Rail network consists of two subway lines, four light-rail lines and two express bus lines. Six lines converge in Downtown.
Red Line The most useful for visitors. A subway linking Downtown’s Union Station to North Hollywood (San Fernando Valley) via central Hollywood and Universal City; connects with the Blue and Expo Lines at the 7th St/Metro Center station in Downtown and the Metro Orange Line express bus at North Hollywood.
Purple Line Subway line between Downtown LA, Westlake and Koreatown; shares six stations with the Red Line.
Expo Line Light-rail line linking USC and Exposition Park with Culver City and Santa Monica to the west and Downtown LA to the northeast, where it connects with the Red Line at 7th St/Metro Center station.
Blue Line Light-rail line running from Downtown to Long Beach; connects with the Red and Expo Lines at 7th St/Metro Center station and the Green Line at Willowbrook/Rosa Parks station.
Gold Line Light-rail line running from East LA to Little Tokyo/Arts District, Chinatown and Pasadena via Union Station, Mt Washington and Highland Park; connects with the Red Line at Union Station.
Green Line Light-rail service between Norwalk and Redondo Beach; connects with the Blue Line at Willowbrook/Rosa Parks.
Orange Line Express bus linking the west San Fernando Valley to North Hollywood, from where the Red Line subway shoots south to Hollywood and Downtown LA.
Silver Line Express bus linking the El Monte regional bus station to the Harbor Gateway Transit Center in Gardena via Downtown LA. Some services continue to San Pedro.
Most lines run from around 4:30am to 1am Sunday to Thursday, and until around 2:30am on Friday and Saturday nights. Frequency ranges from up to every five minutes in rush hour to every 10 to 20 minutes at other times. Schedules for all lines are available at www.metro.net.
Municipal Buses
Santa Monica–based Big Blue Bus serves much of western LA, including Santa Monica, Venice, Westwood and LAX ($1.25). Its express bus 10 runs from Santa Monica to Downtown ($2.50, one hour).
The Culver City Bus runs services throughout Culver City and the Westside. This includes a service to Aviation/LAX station on the metro Green Line ($1), from where a free shuttle connects to LAX.
Long Beach Transit serves Long Beach and surrounding communities.
All three municipal bus companies accept payment by TAP card.
DASH Buses
These small, clean-fuel shuttle buses, run by the LA Department of Transportation (www.ladottransit.com), operate along 33 routes serving local communities (50¢ per boarding, 0.25¢ for seniors and passengers with disabilities), but only until around 6:30pm to 7pm and with limited services on weekends. Many lines connect with other DASH routes; see the website for details. Here are some of the most useful lines:
Beachwood Canyon Route (Monday to Saturday) Useful for close-ups of the Hollywood Sign; runs from Hollywood Blvd and Vine St up Beachwood Dr.
Downtown Routes (daily) Five separate routes hit all the hot spots. Route A runs from Little Tokyo to City West, Route B connects Chinatown to the Financial District, Route D travels between Union Station and South Park, Route E connects City West to the Fashion District, and Route F connects the Financial District to Exposition Park and USC. Routes A, B and D do not run on weekends.
Fairfax Route (Monday to Saturday) Makes a handy loop past the Beverly Center mall, the Pacific Design Center, western Melrose Ave, the Farmers Market/Grove and Museum Row.
Hollywood Route (daily) Covers Hollywood east of Highland Ave and links with the short Los Feliz Route (daily) at Franklin Ave and Vermont Ave.
Taxi
Because of LA’s size and its traffic, getting around by cab will cost you.
Cabs are best organized over the phone, though some prowl the streets late at night, and they are always lined up at airports, train stations, bus stations and major hotels.
Fares are metered and vary by the company. The Uber, UberX and Lyft smartphone apps are extremely popular for cheaper rides in LA.
In the city of LA, taxi rates are $2.85 at flagfall plus about $2.70 per mile. Cabs leaving from LAX charge a $4 airport fee. For details, check www.taxicabsla.org.
Taxi companies include the following:
Beverly Hills Cab A solid, dependable company, with good rates to the airport and a wide service area.
Checker Services both the airport and a large swathe of the LA metro area.
Taxi Taxi Easily the best and most professional fleet available. It’ll drive you anywhere, but can only pick up in Santa Monica.
