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Los Angeles International Airport is located 24 km from the city center. There are a variety of transportation alternatives to get to the city center and its surrounding areas from the airport, including buses, trains, taxis, and rental cars. The LAX Shuttle buses provide transportation between terminals. These shuttle buses also provide service to public transportation stops near the airport like trains and buses.

LAX Shuttle

The LAX Shuttle buses are free and accessible in front of each terminal at the airport. There are three LAX Shuttle bus lines. The “A” Shuttle operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and runs every 10 minutes, departing from in front of the terminals and providing transportation between the airport’s nine terminals. The “C” Shuttle provides transportation between the terminals and Parking Lot C. Parking Lot C is also the LAX City Bus Center bus stop. The “G” Shuttle provides transportation between the terminals and the Metro Green Line Aviation Station. So if you want to take the bus or metro the shuttle buses that depart in front of the terminals provide free transportation to the closest metro or bus stop.

Metro

The Los Angeles Metro Network consists of trains that travel both aboveground and underground. The Metro Green Line passes by the Aviation/LAX Station, which is in very close proximity to the airport. You can access this station by using the “G” LAX Shuttle bus, which departs in front of the airport terminals.

The Metro Green Line operates between Norwalk and Redondo Beach. It doesn’t go to the city center. However, you can transfer to other metro lines from the Green Line depending on where in the city you are going to go. For example, to get to Union Station you have to switch lines twice. You might prefer to take the metro since it avoids traffic and is an affordable transportation option.

In addition, depending on your final destination in the city, the metro might be the best method of transportation. We recommend taking a look at the map of the metro lines and routes on the internet or at the airport.

To take the metro in Los Angeles you need to purchase a TAP card. The TAP card is an electronic ticket used for fare payment. According to your travel needs you can purchase monthly, weekly, and daily TAP cards.  

Bus

LAX Shuttle “C” departs from in front of the terminals everyday day of the year and provides free transportation to Parking Lot C. From Parking Lot C the LAX City Bus Center is a short walk away. There are many buses that depart from this bus stop and go to many different parts of the city.

You can take the Big Blue Bus R3 line to get to Santa Monica, the Culver City Bus R6 line to get to Westwood, the LADOT Commuter Express 574 line to get to Slymar Metrolink Station, or travel in the opposite direction to El Segundo, or take the LADOT 438 line to Redondo Beach. To get to Torrance you can take the Torrance Transit T8 bus.

Airport Shuttle Buses

Every day of the week the FlyAway buses depart from in front of the terminals every 30 minutes and provide transportation to the city center or other places in Los Angeles. Follow the FlyAway signs at the airport, which will lead you to the FlyAway bus stop in front of the terminal where you can easily access the bus. The FlyAway airport shuttle service is the most practical and most widely used way to get to your destination in the city. These shuttle buses go to Union Station, Van Nuys in San Fernando Valley, Westwood, Santa Monica, and Hollywood. You can find out which bus goes to which destination by checking the signs on the bus. FlyAway buses feature a sign for which location it serves. These buses offer non-stop transportation to these destinations.

Under normal conditions the bus to the center of Los Angeles from the airport takes about 35-40 minutes. However this can vary depending on the traffic conditions. Ticket prices are a bit more expensive than other public transportation alternatives but they are quite reasonable considering the fact that these buses provide practical and non-stop services. Those who wish can buy round-trip tickets, which are valid for 30 days. You can purchase tickets from the self-service ticket machines or pay with a credit card on the bus. Let us remind you that you cannot purchase a ticket with cash on the bus.  

Taxi

Taxis are available at the front of the arrivals hall of each terminal. If you follow the yellow taxi signs you can easily find the cab stop. Taxis are a bit costly but they are a comfortable method of transportation since they take you directly to where you need to go. As it is in many cities, if you are going to take a cab we recommend taking an official airport taxi.

Rental Car

Renting a car at Los Angeles International Airport is another convenient way to get to the city center. There are various rental car companies located in Parking Lot C, such as Dollar, Fox, Hertz, National Car Rental, Alamo, Avis, Advantage, Payless, Thrifty, and Budget. You can get to Parking Lot C by taking LAX Shuttle “C”. If you call head of time some rental car companies will send a vehicle and drive you to this parking lot for free. Renting a car is always a good choice for a more flexible travel itinerary. Los Angeles is a city that was made for driving, the roads are wide and parking is easy and convenient, so renting a car is a great option.