#1
Uncle Lars , Mar 13, 2012 12:56 pm
Apr 23, 2024To take advantage of a good airfare to IST on Christmas day, my wife, daughter and I have to originate from LAX on Christmas morning. We will stay at some place near LAX the night before.
To get from SLC to Los Angeles the previous day (Christmas Eve), it looks like taking a morning flight to LGB would save a lot of bucks versus going into LAX. I have nothing against taking the cab ride ($60?) to LAX afterwards, but as we will be carrying backpacks and will have time to spare, was wondering about the current feasibility of doing a public transportation run to LAX during the morning and early afternoon of Christmas Eve.
The transport website says take bus 111 from LGB and transfer to bus 232 in downtown Long Beach, which goes all the way to LAX. Practical? Safe? Any cool places to stop for lunch on the way? Thanks very much.
To get from SLC to Los Angeles the previous day (Christmas Eve), it looks like taking a morning flight to LGB would save a lot of bucks versus going into LAX. I have nothing against taking the cab ride ($60?) to LAX afterwards, but as we will be carrying backpacks and will have time to spare, was wondering about the current feasibility of doing a public transportation run to LAX during the morning and early afternoon of Christmas Eve.
The transport website says take bus 111 from LGB and transfer to bus 232 in downtown Long Beach, which goes all the way to LAX. Practical? Safe? Any cool places to stop for lunch on the way? Thanks very much.
#2
Quote:
You could probably also take the bus to the Blue Line and connect to the Green Line which terminates near LAX.Originally Posted by Uncle Lars
The transport website says take bus 111 from LGB and transfer to bus 232 in downtown Long Beach, which goes all the way to LAX. Practical? Safe? Any cool places to stop for lunch on the way? Thanks very much.
Personally, I'd check with SuperShuttle.
#3
You could also try http://shuttletolax.com/
They're claiming $20 + $12 @ additional pax. They seem to be a consolidator
for the major shuttle companies. They advertise shuttle to home, but LGB is within their published service area.
Unfortunately this rules out somewhere cool to eat in route.
They're claiming $20 + $12 @ additional pax. They seem to be a consolidator
for the major shuttle companies. They advertise shuttle to home, but LGB is within their published service area.
Unfortunately this rules out somewhere cool to eat in route.
#4
Quote:
To get from SLC to Los Angeles the previous day (Christmas Eve), it looks like taking a morning flight to LGB would save a lot of bucks versus going into LAX. I have nothing against taking the cab ride ($60?) to LAX afterwards, but as we will be carrying backpacks and will have time to spare, was wondering about the current feasibility of doing a public transportation run to LAX during the morning and early afternoon of Christmas Eve.
The transport website says take bus 111 from LGB and transfer to bus 232 in downtown Long Beach, which goes all the way to LAX. Practical? Safe? Any cool places to stop for lunch on the way? Thanks very much.
Downtown Long Beach is not the safest at night. Try renting a one way and stay in one of the beaches along the way to LAX.Originally Posted by Uncle Lars
To take advantage of a good airfare to IST on Christmas day, my wife, daughter and I have to originate from LAX on Christmas morning. We will stay at some place near LAX the night before.To get from SLC to Los Angeles the previous day (Christmas Eve), it looks like taking a morning flight to LGB would save a lot of bucks versus going into LAX. I have nothing against taking the cab ride ($60?) to LAX afterwards, but as we will be carrying backpacks and will have time to spare, was wondering about the current feasibility of doing a public transportation run to LAX during the morning and early afternoon of Christmas Eve.
The transport website says take bus 111 from LGB and transfer to bus 232 in downtown Long Beach, which goes all the way to LAX. Practical? Safe? Any cool places to stop for lunch on the way? Thanks very much.
#5
Quote:
The transport website says take bus 111 from LGB and transfer to bus 232 in downtown Long Beach, which goes all the way to LAX. Practical? Safe? Any cool places to stop for lunch on the way? Thanks very much.
Safe? Yes. There will be lots of people at the Downtown Long Beach Transit Plaza during the day waiting for bus and trains and making transfers, and lots of foot traffic. The area around the Transit Plaza is very safe. You won't be the only one with a suitcase or backpack there. Christmas Eve this year is Monday so all the transit services will be running regular weekday service (lots of buses and trains every few minutes).Originally Posted by Uncle Lars
The transport website says take bus 111 from LGB and transfer to bus 232 in downtown Long Beach, which goes all the way to LAX. Practical? Safe? Any cool places to stop for lunch on the way? Thanks very much.
Practical? Depends on if you are used to making multiple bus transfers or buying multiple fares.
111 to 232 involves 3 bus transfers: Catch LBT 111 from Airport to Downtown Transit Plaza and change to Metro 232 to LAX Bus Center. Transfer to LAX Shuttle C to terminals. Total fare $1.25 + 50 cents per person. LBT 111 fare is $1.25 and ask the driver for a "Metro transfer" for 50 cents. Use the transfer at Transit Plaza to board Metro 232. Transfer to LAX Shuttle C is free. The problem with this route is that LBT 111 runs only once per hour so you are at the mercy of the bus schedule. And the first part of your trip on LBT 111 is "going backwards" away from the direction of LAX.
An alternate route that is slightly more expensive but may be faster:
Take LBT 102/104 to Metro Blue Line Willow Station. Take Blue line to Imperial/Wilmington and transfer to the Green line. Take the Green line to Imperial/Aviation station and transfer to LAX Shuttle G. Total fare is $1.25+$1.25+$1.25 per person: $1.25 to board 102/104, $1.25 to board the Blue line, and $1.25 to board the Green line. Metro doesn't allow you to buy one ticket for 2 train rides (I know... crazy stupid...) so you will have to waste a bit of time buying a 2nd train ticket at Imperial/Wilmington. Transfer to Shuttle G at Imperial/Aviation station is free. This trip will likely be faster because 102/104 runs twice per hour.
http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=41...h&z=14&start=0
#6
Uncle Lars , Mar 14, 2012 11:11 am
Thanks for the advice! The bus/metro route may be the best way to go, so we will consider that (the Metro ride planner, I found, doesn't give you the option unless you explicitly type in the Aviation metro stop).
Another question if I may: is the spot where you change between the two Metro lines safe/interesting enough to walk around for a while?
(addition: it seems the change station may not be in the safest part of town, but I do not know how the Watts neighborhood is lately...)
Another question if I may: is the spot where you change between the two Metro lines safe/interesting enough to walk around for a while?
(addition: it seems the change station may not be in the safest part of town, but I do not know how the Watts neighborhood is lately...)
#7
Imperial/Wilmington station is safe. The problem is that this station is sandwiched between freeway overpass and a busy road (you board the Green line on the 105 freeway medium) so it doesn't have much around it that you can walk to and visit. There is a shopping center right next to it with typical fast food option but it is not all that interesting. The neighborhood around it is a bit rough but not by any mean dangerous. You can take the train one more stop to 103rd street to visit Watts Tower if you want... you will come back alive, I promise 
I would not worry at all during the day time.
Imperial/Wilmington is a major transfer station in the LA Metro system and you will see toruists from Downtown LA making transfers to Green line here. I use this train station on a regular basis and have never had any problems.
I would not worry at all during the day time. Imperial/Wilmington is a major transfer station in the LA Metro system and you will see toruists from Downtown LA making transfers to Green line here. I use this train station on a regular basis and have never had any problems.
#9
Quote:
Agree with prior poster. Originally Posted by azepine00
why not rent a car?
If you have time to kill, check into a one-way rental from LGB to LAX.
Then you can see a lot more than you otherwise would.
BTW - I live in downtown Long Beach, a couple of blocks from the 1st St transit center - it's generally safe. I walk around all the time at night for dinner, etc.
#10
I'd be inclined to consider public transportation (using www.metro.net) only if I had no bags. You wouldn't see much along the way. I agree with those who suggest at least looking into a one-way car rental. You can stop along the way if you so please, dump the car at LAX that evening, and stay at a hotel near the airport (you can get good deals through Hotwire or Priceline or, since it's Xmas Eve, maybe find deals on hotel Web sites). Don't know if it'd be open Christmas Eve, but the Encounter Restaurant in the spider-shaped building in the middle of LAX is kind of interesting, with great views of landing and depating planes http://www.encounterlax.com/ Finding restaurants open that night may be tough anywhere, but hotels with restaurants/bars should have some food available.
#11
Another option is to go with the 111 to downtown Long Beach, grab lunch in Long Beach, and then either do the 232 or the Blue/Green lines from Long Beach to LAX. There's some scenic spots to wander around in Long Beach, and some good places for food, and you could potentially go visit the Queen Mary or other spots in Long Beach before heading up to the LAX area.
Blue/Green lines would certainly be a more comfortable ride than taking the 232.
The 232 has an advantage in that it stops closer to most of the hotels, such that it may be practical to just get off the 232 and walk to your hotel (depending on where you are staying, anything near Sepulveda around LAX is pretty close, many of the the hotels on Century aren't bad from either the bus depot or from the Sepulveda & Century stop), and would let you avoid needing to loop through LAX to get to your hotel
Alternatively if you take the Blue/Green line, instead of taking the G shuttle into LAX, you can take the Big Blue Bus 3 or the Culver City Bus 6 from Aviation station and get to most of the airport hotels off Century (slightly more expensive, but allowing you to avoid the trip into the airport).
Note on fares - Long Beach Transit is $1.25. Transfers to Metro (which work for both the 232 and for the Blue line) are available for $0.50, but if you do want a transfer, be sure to check how long they are good for, and you request/pay for it at boarding time. Metro (bus and rail) fares are $1.50, and if you do decide on the transfer to Culver City Bus or Big Blue Bus, a Metro to Muni transfer would be available when purchasing a ticket for the Green line for $0.35. If you purchase a ticket directly on Culver City Bus or Big Blue Bus, it is $1.00. Not financially practical in your case, but FYI day passes for Metro (bus and rail, but not Long Beach/Big Blue/Culver) is $5.00, and would avoid needing to buy a ticket at the Green line transfer.
One other note - Metro is in the process of putting gates at the stations, which may complicate the transfer process when using a transfer from Long Beach Transit to Metro Blue Line, but that process, if it matters for you, is unknown at this point.
Blue/Green lines would certainly be a more comfortable ride than taking the 232.
The 232 has an advantage in that it stops closer to most of the hotels, such that it may be practical to just get off the 232 and walk to your hotel (depending on where you are staying, anything near Sepulveda around LAX is pretty close, many of the the hotels on Century aren't bad from either the bus depot or from the Sepulveda & Century stop), and would let you avoid needing to loop through LAX to get to your hotel
Alternatively if you take the Blue/Green line, instead of taking the G shuttle into LAX, you can take the Big Blue Bus 3 or the Culver City Bus 6 from Aviation station and get to most of the airport hotels off Century (slightly more expensive, but allowing you to avoid the trip into the airport).
Note on fares - Long Beach Transit is $1.25. Transfers to Metro (which work for both the 232 and for the Blue line) are available for $0.50, but if you do want a transfer, be sure to check how long they are good for, and you request/pay for it at boarding time. Metro (bus and rail) fares are $1.50, and if you do decide on the transfer to Culver City Bus or Big Blue Bus, a Metro to Muni transfer would be available when purchasing a ticket for the Green line for $0.35. If you purchase a ticket directly on Culver City Bus or Big Blue Bus, it is $1.00. Not financially practical in your case, but FYI day passes for Metro (bus and rail, but not Long Beach/Big Blue/Culver) is $5.00, and would avoid needing to buy a ticket at the Green line transfer.
One other note - Metro is in the process of putting gates at the stations, which may complicate the transfer process when using a transfer from Long Beach Transit to Metro Blue Line, but that process, if it matters for you, is unknown at this point.