Los Angeles - ONT to LAX

What's the easiest and least expensive way to get from ONT to LAX? I will have more than enough time to use public transportation if that's a viable option. However, would it be worth it to pay for one of the private shuttles?

welcome to flyertalk, seeing as CommunityBuzz forum is about Flyertalker meetings & Dos, I'll move your thread to the Los Angeles forum.

Willie
co-moderator CommunityBuzz

The mass transit option would be to take the MetroLink commuter train from the East Ontario Station to Union Station in Downtown LA and then the FlyAway bus from Union Station to LAX.

ONT doesn't have rail service so it's pretty impractical to do this transfer via public transportation. I think your best option maybe a shuttle or one-way rental car.

The mass transit option would be to take the MetroLink commuter train from the East Ontario Station to Union Station in Downtown LA and then the FlyAway bus from Union Station to LAX.

East Ontario station to Ontario Airport (or vv) is not the easiest connection to make. Also, Metrolink is extremely limited schedule, usually for weekday commutes and no weekend service.

ONT doesn't have rail service so it's pretty impractical to do this transfer via public transportation. I think your best option maybe a shuttle or one-way rental car.

+1 shuttle.

East Ontario station to Ontario Airport (or vv) is not the easiest connection to make. Also, Metrolink is extremely limited schedule, usually for weekday commutes and no weekend service.



+1 shuttle.

Not true. Metrolink does have weekend service. Less than on weekdays, but it does exist, including from Ontario to Union Station. We took it from Montclair to Union Station on a Sunday. East Ontario does appear to be the closest Metrolink station to the airport; you'd have to take a taxi (Google Maps says 3.1 miles). Go to http://www.metrolinktrains.com/ to check schedules and fares from there to Union Station.

-FlyAway bus from Union Station to LAX http://www.lawa.org/welcome_lax.aspx?id=4696

-Last time I checked (to go the other way) I think a shuttle was just under $60, for a shared van, but you can easily find fares by going to www.supershuttle.com or www.primetimeshuttle.com. If you want a private car that would obviously cost much more. Prime Time, at least , even has limousines if you want to splurge.

Easiest and least expensive are, of course, seldom the same. I've gone from ONT and LAX and the other way by commuter jet, when booked as part of a longer trip. That was easy.

The San Bernadino line Metrolink actually runs a semi-decent schedule on weekends. The problem is connecting from ONT to Fantana or Rancho Cucamonga Metrolink stations. Omnitrans (San Bernadino County's Metro) is pretty pathetic operation that only has limited service from ONT to Fontana Station, which is a LOOOOOONG bus ride.

East Ontario station is on the Riverside line Metrolink and that one doesn't have weekend service.

The San Bernadino line Metrolink actually runs a semi-decent schedule on weekends. The problem is connecting from ONT to Fantana or Rancho Cucamonga Metrolink stations. Omnitrans (San Bernadino County's Metro) is pretty pathetic operation that only has limited service from ONT to Fontana Station, which is a LOOOOOONG bus ride.

East Ontario station is on the Riverside line Metrolink and that one doesn't have weekend service.

Even the Upland station would be closer than Fontana, wouldn't it? But by that time OP might as well take a shuttle or rent a car.

Speaking from experience here, check one-way rental prices on a site like Orbitz to find the best price. For 2 (or more) people it will be the fastest option by far and cheaper than a shuttle. For one person I doubt it will cost more than $20-30 extra with gas factored in. Shuttles are a crap shoot, it could easily take 2 1/2 hours if they pick up 5 other people before heading to LAX. The train is probably going to take you over 3 hours door-to-door.

Speaking from experience here, check one-way rental prices on a site like Orbitz to find the best price. For 2 (or more) people it will be the fastest option by far and cheaper than a shuttle. For one person I doubt it will cost more than $20-30 extra with gas factored in.

Rather than a secondary reseller, I'd talk directly to the various rental companies... Since some, but not all, do not charge a one-way fee between ONT and LAX....especially since cars tend to collect out at ONT and need to be returned to the main rental facility in LAX. Give the individual agencies at ONT to see if you can work a deal.

Your other option is to try use the various bidding service to pickup a car cheap....since you can occasionally find them for under $25 a day.

Rather than a secondary reseller, I'd talk directly to the various rental companies.

The advantage with a site like Orbtiz is it aggregates all of the results so you can easily determine who has the best price. You can specify a different drop off location when searching so the pricing results will reflect the one-way drop fee if applicable. Like I said, I'm speaking from experience here...I'm betting that on the weekend the total cost will be <$65 for a one-way rental to LAX.

You can take a Prime Time shuttle from ONT to Sierra Madre Villa station for $47.50. Then take the Gold line train to Union Station ($1.50) and finally the Flyaway shuttle to LAX ($7).