Consolidated "Best/cheapest/most reliable way to get from SAN-LAX or LAX-SAN" thread
Sep 25, 2018, 9:11 am
#331
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: SAN
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Sep 28, 2018, 1:43 pm
#332
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We're looking at our options to get from LAX to San Diego, as I see it I have 3.
1. Pony up for the airfare at $600 roundtrip for 3 people all in.
2. Surfliner going from union station to San Diego $200 For all 3 tickets plus $70 each way from LAX to Union Station. $340 all in. Downside is the LA traffic to and from the train station.
3. 60k air miles and $20.
I am leaning towards burning some air miles. What would you do and is there an option I haven't thought about?
1. Pony up for the airfare at $600 roundtrip for 3 people all in.
2. Surfliner going from union station to San Diego $200 For all 3 tickets plus $70 each way from LAX to Union Station. $340 all in. Downside is the LA traffic to and from the train station.
3. 60k air miles and $20.
I am leaning towards burning some air miles. What would you do and is there an option I haven't thought about?
Oct 4, 2018, 10:47 pm
#333
Join Date: Nov 2013
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Tesloop has ended operations, so it's no longer an option.
For parties of 3 or more, if you don't want to drive, Uber/Lyft becomes a very reasonably priced option if you are facing last minute airfares of $200+ per person. Depending on where you go, the one-way UberX / standard Lyft price is ~$150-200.
For parties of 3 or more, if you don't want to drive, Uber/Lyft becomes a very reasonably priced option if you are facing last minute airfares of $200+ per person. Depending on where you go, the one-way UberX / standard Lyft price is ~$150-200.
Sep 25, 2019, 11:28 am
#334
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: San Diego, CA, USA
Posts: 244
LAX - best way from San Diego?
I live in San Diego, but my husband and I will be flying next month from LAX, and I'm trying to figure out the best option. Best -- meaning easiest and least expensive. I could uber from my house to the train station, take the train to LA then the bus to the airport. Cheap (I think) but may be time-consuming and a hassle. I could drive to LAX and leave my car there. Are there inexpensive airport parking places? Other suggestions.?
Sep 25, 2019, 11:33 am
#335
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I live in San Diego, but my husband and I will be flying next month from LAX, and I'm trying to figure out the best option. Best -- meaning easiest and least expensive. I could uber from my house to the train station, take the train to LA then the bus to the airport. Cheap (I think) but may be time-consuming and a hassle. I could drive to LAX and leave my car there. Are there inexpensive airport parking places? Other suggestions.?
Sep 25, 2019, 1:15 pm
#336
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,333
If you just search for LAX parking, you will get dozens of results. There are at least a few websites which offer comparison pricing of dozens of nearby lots after you enter your dates. Many nearby hotels also offer cheap long term parking and a free shuttle to the airport. You should easily be able to find parking for $10/day or less. LAX's own long term lot E is $12/day (total, including fees), which is a relative bargain by airport parking lot standards, but not the cheapest at LAX, where there is so much competition. Fox Parking usually has some of the lowest parking rates, but definitely do a comparison first to verify.
The easiest way depends on the traffic. Considering that the traffic to/from SD seems to be absolutely terrible all the time lately, Amtrak would be much less of a hassle than sitting in traffic for 3 hours. From Union Station, you could take the Flyaway directly to LAX. It is not usually the fastest route, but the train is very relaxing and scenic. Alternately, you could probably cut an hour off of the journey by taking the train to the Norwalk station and catch an Uber/Lyft to LAX from there if the traffic on the WB 105 is not too bad. The train is 3 hours from downtown SD to downtown LA, and the Flyaway would be 30-60 minutes, depending on the traffic.
The easiest way depends on the traffic. Considering that the traffic to/from SD seems to be absolutely terrible all the time lately, Amtrak would be much less of a hassle than sitting in traffic for 3 hours. From Union Station, you could take the Flyaway directly to LAX. It is not usually the fastest route, but the train is very relaxing and scenic. Alternately, you could probably cut an hour off of the journey by taking the train to the Norwalk station and catch an Uber/Lyft to LAX from there if the traffic on the WB 105 is not too bad. The train is 3 hours from downtown SD to downtown LA, and the Flyaway would be 30-60 minutes, depending on the traffic.
Last edited by downinit; Sep 26, 2019 at 7:15 am Reason: updated train travel time
Sep 25, 2019, 3:56 pm
#338
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Sep 26, 2019, 7:10 am
#340
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,333
Actually, it has been a while since I have gone the full way from DTLA to SD, as I usually catch the train in Fullerton. So maybe it is 2 hours from Fullerton. Sadly, the last two times I was going to take the train to SD happened to coincide with the two weekends in the last year where they closed the train for track repairs, so it has been well over a year since I made the trek at all.
Either way, the main advantage of Amtrak is only if you view it as part of the vacation. You can bring some wine and cheese on-board (or purchase it in the lounge car) and enjoy a relaxing trip. Personally, I finding driving between SD and LA to be absolute hell on earth, so any alternative where I am not confined to a seat and stuck in traffic is a huge plus. It is definitely not the cheapest of fastest way to go, but it is the only way where I arrive relaxed and happy.
Either way, the main advantage of Amtrak is only if you view it as part of the vacation. You can bring some wine and cheese on-board (or purchase it in the lounge car) and enjoy a relaxing trip. Personally, I finding driving between SD and LA to be absolute hell on earth, so any alternative where I am not confined to a seat and stuck in traffic is a huge plus. It is definitely not the cheapest of fastest way to go, but it is the only way where I arrive relaxed and happy.
Sep 28, 2019, 3:45 pm
#341
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If Metrolink works for your schedule it's about $14.75 from Oceanside to Norwalk (about an hour and a half), or $16.75 to Union station (2 hours). It's only $10 on weekends. Earlier this year I did a bike trip where we biked from home to the gold line, about 20 minutes to union station, 2 hours to Oceanside, and then a few miles on the bikes to the hotel and it was faster and easier than driving usually is from Pasadena to Oceanside.
Sep 30, 2019, 4:50 pm
#342
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL
Posts: 3,360
It will depend upon the length of the trip and the hotel rate, but sometimes it's cheaper to get a hotel package at an airport hotel that includes a room for the night and X days of parking. You don't actually need to spend the night in the room.
If you call direct, many hotels let you put the hotel room portion of the package at the end of the X days of parking. If your LAX flights are international, it make be nice to have a room on the return trip just to have a private shower. And if you're flight is overnight, it might be nice to have the option of taking a nap. That's safer than driving when you're tired.
If you call direct, many hotels let you put the hotel room portion of the package at the end of the X days of parking. If your LAX flights are international, it make be nice to have a room on the return trip just to have a private shower. And if you're flight is overnight, it might be nice to have the option of taking a nap. That's safer than driving when you're tired.
Sep 30, 2019, 5:50 pm
#343
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: San Diego, CA, USA
Posts: 244
Thanks so much for all the replies. I considered several options -- and finally just booked parking near LAX. It was around $90 for 13 days. We're arriving at the airport midday so the driving time shouldn't be too bad.