How to Get to Los Angeles

Short answer: fly into LAX, take the FlyAway bus to Union Station for Downtown or a rideshare from the LAX-it lot for anywhere else. If you'll rent a car, pick it up on the day you leave the city centre, not on arrival.

LAX

Los Angeles International handles almost all long-haul flights. It sits near the coast in the south-west, roughly 30 to 60 minutes from most hotel areas, depending on traffic. Taxis and rideshare don't pick up at the terminals. Walk or take the free shuttle to the LAX-it lot next to Terminal 1. The FlyAway bus runs non-stop from the arrivals level to Union Station Downtown, and a free Metro Connector shuttle goes to the LAX/Metro Transit Center, where the C and K lines stop. An automated train linking the terminals, the Metro station and a new rental car centre has been delayed repeatedly and is not yet running.

Other airports

Burbank (Hollywood Burbank Airport) is small, quick and close to Hollywood and the Valley. Long Beach suits the South Bay and Orange County. Both mostly handle domestic flights.

Metro rail

The network is useful for visitors, and the travel guide explains where it fits. Pay with a TAP card or by tapping a contactless bank card or phone.

• B Line: Union Station, Downtown, Hollywood and Universal City.
• E Line: Downtown to Culver City and Santa Monica, about an hour end to end.
• D Line: Downtown to Koreatown and, since May 2026, the Wilshire museum row. Beverly Hills and Century City stations are due next.
• A Line: Pasadena to Downtown and Long Beach.

Driving

Driving in LA is straightforward in the sense that everyone does it, and exhausting in rush hour. Use a navigation app for live traffic. Parking costs money at most hotels, museums and beaches, and parking signs can be confusing, so read all of them. From Las Vegas, the I-15 takes four to five hours; from San Diego, the I-5 about two.

By train

Amtrak trains arrive at Union Station (useful for day trips along the coast), including the Pacific Surfliner along the coast from San Diego, which is slower than driving and much more pleasant. Catalina ferries leave from Long Beach, at the end of the A Line.