Car

In short, rent a car. Los Angeles is such a sprawling suburbia that, unless you're only there for a day or two, driving is the way to go. Always allow more time than you think it will take, especially during peak commute times.

The freeways will get you anywhere you want to go. Avoid them if possible at rush hours (6-10 am and 4-7 pm). Otherwise, allow extra time and listen to radio updates to know where to avoid. Freeways are usually designated by their names rather than their numbers (Ventura, rather than US 101), but note that the same numbered freeway may have alternative names depending on region (Hollywood is also US 101). If a radio announcer refers to lane one, it's the closest lane to the center divider; lane two, the next lane out, etc. Seatbelts must be worn by all passengers at all times. You can usually find a parking meter in L.A., but check all signs for restrictions. Cars are ticketed and towed quickly. In downtown, Hollywood, West Hollywood, and Santa Monica, you'll probably have to make use of valet parking or a garage, both of which are plentiful.

NTAL All the major firms provide shuttles from the terminals to their branches.

Public Transport

Los Angeles Rapid Transit Map

Subway: The Metrorail system has been in operation since 1990 and continues to grow. At present, the Red Line serves downtown from Union Station to Mid-Wilshire also to Hollywood and San Fernando Valley. The Blue Line connects downtown with Long Beach. The Green Line runs from Redondo Beach to Norwalk.There is also a Gold and Orange Line. Trains run every 5 to 15 minutes from approximately 4:30 AM to midnight.

Bus: Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA or Metro) buses operate throughout Los Angeles. Major bus routes run approximately every 15 minutes between 5 am and 2 am. Other routes, including the all-night routes, run less frequently and somewhat sporadically. Do not rely on buses for late-night travel. (213-626-4455 or 800-COMMUTE)

DASH buses travel around the city and operate from 6 AM to 7 PM weekdays and 10 AM to 5 PM on Saturdays. (213-626-4455)

The Big Blue Bus, run by the city of Santa Monica, runs through the West side and connects to MTA lines. (310-451-5444)

Exact change is required on all buses.

Taxi: Cabs don't cruise the streets. Different firms serve different areas. The major companies include:L.A. Checker Cab 323-481-2345L.A. Taxi 213-627-7000United Independent Taxi 800-822-8294Bell Cab 888-235-5222Yellow 877-733-3305

Trains: MetroLink travels between downtown and outlying areas. (800-371-5465)

Airport

Los Angeles International Airport

(LAX) Los Angeles International Airport (310-646-5252), the main airport serving L.A., is about 15 miles southwest of downtown. Burbank/Glendale/Pasadena Airport (BUR) (818-840-8840), about 5 miles northwest of the city, is a good place to land to go to Hollywood or the valleys. John Wayne Orange County Airport (SNA) (949-252-5200) in Anaheim, about 30 miles southeast, is close to Disneyland and Knott's Berry Farm. Long Beach Airport (LGB) (562-570-2600), about 20 miles southeast of L.A., serves northern Orange County. Ontario International Airport (ONT) (909-937-2700), about 35 miles east of the city, serves the San Bernardino-Riverside area.

Transportation from Los Angeles International Airport to Los Angeles destinations:

Note: Many hotels provide free shuttle service for their guests. Ask when making reservations.

Also, look for computer terminals called QuickAid Machines throughout LAX that provide transportation options and up-to-date fare information.

Bus: Take the free LAX Shuttle "C" to the City Bus Center across the street from parking lot C to catch MTA's direct express line 439 to downtown. The trip will take about 55 minutes.

Shuttle: SuperShuttle: This door-to-door van service runs 24 hours and takes 45-75 minutes to reach L.A. destinations. Vans depart from lower level. (310-782-6600)Shuttle One: Van service to hotels in Disneyland/Anaheim area. (310-670-6666)Airport Bus: Van service to Pasadena/Anaheim areas. (714-938-8900 or 800-772-5299)

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Explore another city in California

Anaheim	Arcadia
Auburn	Bakersfield
Barstow	Berkeley
Beverly Hills	Big Bear Lake
Bishop	Buena Park
Calistoga	Carmel
Chico	Coloma
Escondido	Eureka
Fort Bragg	Fremont
Fresno	Garden Grove
Grass Valley	Gualala
Healdsburg	Huntington Beach
Kings Beach	La Jolla
Laguna Beach	Lake Tahoe
Lancaster / Palmdale	Lancaster/Palmdale
Lompoc	Long Beach
Los Angeles	Mammoth Lakes
Marina del Rey	Mariposa
Mendocino	Modesto
Monterey	Morro Bay
Mount Shasta	Nevada City
Newport Beach	Oakland
Oxnard	Pacific Grove
Palm Springs	Palo Alto
Pasadena	Petaluma
Redding	Riverside
Sacramento	San Bernardino
San Diego	San Francisco
San Jose	San Juan Bautista
San Juan Capistrano	San Luis Obispo
San Rafael	Santa Barbara
Santa Clara	Santa Cruz
Santa Monica	Santa Rosa
Sausalito	Solvang
Sonoma	Sonora
South Lake Tahoe	Stockton
Ventura	Yorba Linda

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