By utilizing public transportation in Los Angeles, people can navigate public transportation in LA effectively. Los Angeles, known as one of the world’s largest motor cities, people thought renting a car was a must when travelling in the city. Uber and Lyft were the first recommended modes of transportation. But in recent years, car prices and wait times have continued to increase. Los Angeles has continued to build public transportation networks, including subways, light rail, buses, and shuttles, serving every corner of the greater Los Angeles area. Thus, LA public transit has become the first choice when travelling thee.
Navigate the Los Angeles Public Transportation
Depending on the operator, there are four common types of buses that we can choose from LA public transportation.
| Los Angeles Bus | Company | Feature |
|---|---|---|
| Metro | Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority Bus | Most routes, most frequently used, with dedicated bus lanes to avoid traffic jams |
| DASH | LADOT Buses | More community routes and cheaper fares |
| FlyAway | LAX Buses | Provides direct transportation between LAX, Union Station and Van Nuys |
Busing to Los Angeles is easy, with more than 200 bus lines and more than 15,000 bus stops.
Los Angeles Metro Bus is a bus service in Los Angeles County, California, operated by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The Metro Bus system includes 117 lines. Los Angeles Metro has the third-largest fleet in North America, with 2,320 buses.
1. Metro Bus Routes in Los Angeles
Since 2003, LA Metro bus has operated buses under three different brands:
Orange Metro Local buses: Used on traditional routes, with frequent stops in major areas around the city and tourist attractions.
Red Metro Rapid buses: Used for limited-stop routes, but express buses are available. These express trains have special sensors that keep the light green and avoid congestion.
Blue Metro Express buses: For commuter routes, which connect downtown Los Angeles with other business districts and run on several highways in the city.
In 2020, as part of the Next Generation Bus Program, the public transportation in LA was restructured, and most Metro Rapid Express routes were retired and replaced by Metro Local inner-city routes. Metro Local is now more frequent, but these routes stop at fewer stops.
In addition to the regular Metro Bus, there are special Metro Busway bus lanes. These extra-long buses have dedicated lanes on highways and surface streets. They are like streetcars, only with smaller vehicles and less frequency.
The bus lane has two Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lines serving 29 stations.
G-line (orange)
Opened in 2005 as the Orange Line, it operates in the San Fernando Valley on the bus-only lane between Chatsworth in the west and North Hollywood in the east.
NoHo Station is a transfer station connected to Metro Line B.
Line G operates 24/7 with 17 stations at approximately one-mile intervals.
J-line (silver)
The 38-mile J Line (formerly the Silver Line) starts in El Monte in the San Gabriel Valley, stops at Union Station and downtown Los Angeles, and then heads south on Highway 110 through USC and South Los Angeles before ending at the Industrial Harbor Gate.
J Line operates 24/7, serving 12 stations with additional street stops.
Running time: Most lines operate from before 5 a.m. to after 11 p.m. During peak hours, Buses run every 10-15 minutes, but you may have to wait 20-30 minutes late at night.
LA Dash Bus
In addition to the Metro bus system, the Los Angeles Department of Transportation operates the second-largest bus fleet in Los Angeles County. LADOT transportation services cover 46 routes and serve nearly 30 million passengers annually.
LA Dash Routes:
DASH is LADOT’s localized bus service system. DASH acts as a spur to the public transportation in Los Angeles for long-distance travellers. Since its launch in downtown Los Angeles, DASH has expanded to 31 routes and serves an additional 27 Los Angeles communities.
Downtown A – Little Tokyo/Josai
Downtown B – Chinatown/Financial District
Downtown D – Union Station/South Park
Downtown E – West of the City/Fashion District
Downtown F – Financial District/Expo Park – USC
LA Subway Business hours: Monday to Friday 7:00-18:30; Saturday and Sunday: 9:00 to 18:00
Fare of Dash in Los Angeles: $0.5 one-way for adults; $0.25 one-way for seniors/disabled;
$18 for a 30-day DASH ticket, 25 cents
Children 4 years old or younger are free of charge
If you don’t know how to pay for a Los Angeles California bus, a TAP card, Apple Wallet, the TAP app, or cash are four common ways to pay for La Bus and metro.
LA Bus Fare: The bus system uses a one-ticket system, and the regular fare for both subway and bus rides is $1.75.
Applicability of LA Metro Tap Card: The TAP Card is available throughout Los Angeles public transportation, offering the most convenient and flexible way to pay for travel on the metro, buses and trains. At the same time, the Los Angeles TAP card also connects to most bus lines, city buses, and passenger shuttles, including LADOT buses, Santa Monica Big Blue buses, LAX airport buses, Santa Clarita Transit, Long Beach Transit, and even the historic Angels Flight cable car. It is valid for travel on the 25 municipal transit systems in Los Angeles.
Where to Buy a TAP card: TAP cards can be purchased at metro, train, and J and G line stations vending machines. They can also be purchased and recharged online on TapToGo.net. TAP cards can also be purchased in stores. They are sold at Ralph’s, Northgate Market, and Continental Money. You can also download the La Metro app on your mobile.
2. LA Metro Map
Metro Rail has six main routes that comprise the LA metro rail map, including light rail trains and the general subway; visitors can reach many of the city’s attractions through the Los Angeles metro area. The most common sightseeing routes are the C Line (LA Metro Green Line) to LAX Airport, the B Line (LA Metro Red Line) to Hollywood, a must-see attraction in Los Angeles, and the E Line (Expo), which terminates at Santa Monica, a famous beach resort. Here are some details about the public transportation in LA, California.
LA Metro Fare: The Los Angeles Metro costs $1.75 one-way; if you buy a ticket with an LA Metro TAP card, you can use it for up to 2 hours of free transfers.
LA Metro A Line (Blue)： Downtown Long Beach Station
LA Metro D Line (Purple)： Wilshire/Western Station
LA Metro B Line (Red)： Hollywood/Highland、Universal City/Studio City
LA Metro E Line (Expo)： Downtown Santa Monica
LA Metro C Line (Green)： Aviation/LAX
LA Metro L Line (Gold)： Chinatown Station
3. Bike Share Los Angeles
Metro Bike Share is Los Angeles’ public bicycle system; riding a bike is not only environmentally friendly but also a convenient way to navigate public transportation in LA. It is great for studying in Los Angeles or living in the area for extended periods of time.
Fare of LA Bike Share:
1-Ride: $1.75/30 minutes
24-Hour Access: $5 to Start
30-Day Pass: $17/month
365-Day Pass: $150/year
All rides are $1.75 for the first 30 minutes
Los Angeles Public Transportation to LAX
Option 1: Lax Green Line Shuttle
You can take the subway at the airport. If you want to transfer to the subway, you can first take the free G-Shuttle provided by LAX Shuttle from the airport to the Aviation/LAX station on LAX green line shuttle.
The LA Metro Green Line’s aviation stop is about a mile from the international airport and has a free G-Shuttle connection. Lax G shuttle runs about every 15-20 minutes.
According to the Metro C Line (Green) schedule, limited service is available from 1:00 a.m. to 4:00 a.m. After exiting the airport, go to the blue sign LAX Shuttle—Airline Connection and wait for the bus. Then, take the shuttle and transfer to the station you want to go.
Option 2: Hotel Shuttle Bus
Shuttle buses run between the airport and hotels. If you are staying at a nearby hotel with a free shuttle; go to the departure level of each terminal and follow the red Hotel Shuttle icon to the waiting area. The ride to downtown LA takes about 30 minutes and costs about $20; to Hollywood, about $18; to Beverly Hills, about $19; and to Santa Monica, about $14.
| Union Station to LAX | LAX to Union Station | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Depart Union Station | Depart LAX Terminal 1 (Departure times for terminals 2-7 | ||||
| Patsaouras Transit Plaza | vary based on traffic conditions in the Central Terminal Area) | ||||
| 3:00 AM | 11:30 AM | 7:00 PM | 5:40 AM | 1:10 PM | 8:40 PM |
| 4:00 AM | 12:00 PM | 7:30 PM | 6:10 AM | 1:40 PM | 9:10 PM |
| 5:00 AM | 12:30 PM | 8:00 PM | 6:40 AM | 2:10 PM | 9:40 PM |
| 5:30 AM | 1:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 7:10 AM | 2:40 PM | 10:10 PM |
| 6:00 AM | 1:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 7:40 AM | 3:10 PM | 10:40 PM |
| 6:30 AM | 2:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 8:10 AM | 3:40 PM | 11:10 PM |
| 7:00 AM | 2:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 8:40 AM | 4:10 PM | 11:40 PM |
| 7:30 AM | 3:00 PM | 10:30 PM | 9:10 AM | 4:40 PM | 12:10 AM |
| 8:00 AM | 3:30 PM | 11:00 PM | 9:40 AM | 5:10 PM | 12:40 AM |
| 8:30 AM | 4:00 PM | 11:30 PM | 10:10 AM | 5:40 PM | 1:10 AM |
| 9:00 AM | 4:30 PM | 10:40 AM | 6:10 PM | ||
| 9:30 AM | 5:00 PM | 11:10 AM | 6:40 PM | ||
| 10:00 AM | 5:30 PM | 11:40 AM | 7:10 PM | ||
| 10:30 AM | 6:00 PM | 12:10 PM | 7:40 PM | ||
| 11:00 AM | 6:30 PM | 12:40 PM | 8:10 PM | ||
Tickets may be purchased at the Van Nuys and Union Station kiosks using a Visa, Mastercard, Discover or American Express credit/debit card. Cash are not accepted.
Option 3: LAX FlyAway Bus
LAX FlyAway is the airport bus included in the LA public transport. It provides access to and from LAX-Van Nuys and LAX-Los Angeles Union Station.
Route:
Downtown Union Station. Take the Red, Purple and Yellow Lines on the MRT or railroads to transfer to this station.
Van Nuys Station, located next to Van Nuys Airport. Van Nuys neighbourhood located in the north of downtown Los Angeles known for its beautiful weather and rich cultural activities.
Timetable:
Convenient from early morning until late at night, with 30-minute trips!
Price:
A one-way ticket on FlyAway is $9.75.
Tickets can be purchased 30 days in advance of the ride date.
Tickets can also be purchased with a TAP card or Metrolink pass.
Two children under 5 years of age ride free with each paying adult.
LAX Flyaway Tickets Online:
Buying Lax flyaway tickets online is very convenient.
Creating an account and purchasing a ticket allows you to print that ticket and then simply scan it at the bus fare inspector.
Option 4: LAX Airport Shuttle Service
Currently, LAX only allows SuperShuttle and Prime Time to pick up and drop off passengers along the airport. Because you’ll be sharing a ride with someone else, the fare is cheaper than a taxi, and you can get on the Carpool Lane, which is often faster than driving alone, and costs about $20 per person for a one-way trip.
There are counters at the airport, and reservations can be made in advance. There are counters at the airport, and reservations can be made in advance. Departure times are variable, with buses usually departing in 15-20 minutes.
Option 5: Uber to LAX
The downstairs of LAX is where inbound Arrival passengers enter and exit, while the upstairs is where outbound Departure passengers enter and exit. If you decide to take an Uber or Lyft, you must walk upstairs because there is less traffic. Uber and Lyft offer many airport transportation discounts and ridesharing programs, we suggest you compare prices.
Development of Los Angeles Public Transportation
In fact, LA, California, boasts the most ambitious mass transit construction program of any city in the United States. The brand-new K-Line provide the Metro system with a connection to LAX, which opened in October 2022. But that’s not all – several other major Los Angeles public transport projects are underway, including extending the D-Line to Beverly Hills along Wilshire Boulevard and Miracle Mile and expanding the L-Line to reach Montclair. The plans don’t stop there, either. There are even proposals to resurrect the downtown streetcar system and establish a gondola service linking Union Station to Dodger Stadium. With the 2028 Olympics, LA public transport infrastructure will be improved significantly. We hope this guide will be helpful in planning your public transportation usage during your visit to LA. Renting a car can be quite expensive in the rental fees, fuel costs, and parking. That’s why we recommend visitors utilise the public transportation in LA. LA spot sights are all well connected by LA public transportation systems. uhomes.com offers plenty of housing in Los Angeles near public transport stations.
FAQ
Start your budget-friendly journey by utilizing LA public transportation. The Metro Green Line conveniently connects LAX to various parts of Los Angeles. Ride and navigate LA public transportation is not only cost-effective but also a great way to experience the city like a local.
Yes, they have a free Green Line G shuttle that will take you to the Aviation/LAX Metro Rail Station in just 15 minutes. From there, you can take the Green Line metro to Willowbrook station and change to the Blue Line to reach downtown LA.
Purchase a TAP card ($2 from TAP vending machines (TVMs) located at all Metro rail, J and G Line stations or online) and either buy a pass (a one day or a seven day pass, depending on the length of your stay) or put $10 or $20 on the card.
Metro is capping its fares at $5 a day, and 7-day pass fare is $18. If you have planned to stay in LA longer, we recommended you buy a 7-day LA metro pass. For students and seniors, these caps are even lower, $2.50 a day or $5 a week as long as they use a TAP card.
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