kenish

Another option is take a taxi from SNA to the Irvine Amtrak station. It's about 8-10 miles and about 15 minutes if there's no traffic. Then take a Flyaway bus from the Amtrak station to LAX. Fare is $25 one way and the schedules are posted on their website.

jackal

What time do you need to pick your car up? If you're looking for cost over convenience (you did mention wanting an inexpensive options), perhaps the following options might help:

If you time things right, you can get from SNA to LAX in about two hours for $16.75 using the following connections:

Irvine Shuttle Route A: SNA to Tustin Metrolink ($1)
Metrolink Orange County Line: Tustin to Los Angeles Union Station ($8.75)
LAWA FlyAway: Union Station to LAX ($7)

You can do it even cheaper in as little as three hours, 20 minutes, by substituting the FlyAway with MTA bus 42A, which would be free with your Metrolink ticket. That reduces your cost to $9.75.

And if cost is REALLY important, you can do it for $6.10:
OCTA bus 76: SNA to Newport Transit Center ($1.50)
OCTA bus 1: Newport Transit Center to Long Beach VA Hospital ($1.50)
Metro Express Line 577: Long Beach VA Hospital to Norwalk Station ($1.85)
Metro Green Line: Norwalk Station to Aviation Station ($1.25)
LAX Shuttle G: Aviation Station to LAX terminal (free)

That actually only takes 3 hours, less than the Metrolink/Route 42A option, though Metrolink will be a bit more comfortable than the multiple bus transfers.

And actually...

If you're starting at the Newport Beach Marriott Hotel & Spa (and not the Newport Beach Marriott Bayview), you're right on OCTA route 1, which can save you another $1.50 and some extra time, since you won't need to ride OCTA bus 76. With perfect timing, you can get from your hotel to LAX in as little as one hour, 36 minutes for $4.60. That sounds like a winner!

Of course, the above minimum transit times use some pretty tight connections, and if one bus or train is even a few minutes late to a connecting stop, you might find yourself having to wait a half hour or even longer for the next connection. But even assuming one 30-minute misconnect, if you're at the Hotel & Spa, I don't think you can beat that last option--a $30-40 (depending on which hotel you're at), 20-30-minute cab ride plus a $25, 1-hour-45-minute FlyAway bus ride just seems excessive in comparison to the alternative! (Heck, SuperShuttle looks good compared to that last option!)

bzcat

jackal's suggestion is great but you can catch the new Flyaway bus from Orange County to LAX directly... no need to take Metrolink to Union Station.

http://www.lawa.org/welcome_LAX.aspx?id=292

jackal

Yeah, but if you read my post closely, you'll see I *did* address that. It's convenient, but it's expensive! By doing Metrolink to LAUS, you save $9.25 ($8.75+$7=$15.75 versus $25), and it's not really all that much less convenient and can, in fact, take less time (assuming you time the train schedule right), since you have to go several miles in the wrong direction to get to where the bus leaves from (the Irvine Metrolink station).

malibulivin

what date do you need to do this?

BangkokTraveler

Miss Kok and I will be having a rare visit to LA, arriving on 17 March and attending Chicago Blackhawks games in Anaheim on March 17 and at Staples Center on March 18. Staying downtown at the Biltmore. We do not have a rental car.

On March 17, it looks like we can take the Metrolink from LA Union Station to Anaheim, then walk 10 minutes to the Honda Center. Return, there is an Amtrak train leaving Anaheim 30 minutes after the game ends. So I think we are OK.

On March 18, we were fortunate enough to get tickets for the Tonight Show with Jay Leno taping at 4:00pm, then I have to be at the Staples Center for puck drop at 7:00pm. Looking at the mass transit map, it looks like the best way to get from downtown to NBC Studios in Burbank is to take the Red Line to Universal City then either jump on a bus or grab a taxi to NBC. Correct?

And when the Tonight show is done taping, will I be able to grab a taxi from NBC to Universal City Metra stop to get back downtown for the game?

Finally, we have about 4-6 extra tickets for the Tonight Show taping on March 18; if any FTers want to join us, let me know!. Of course, they are free.

mlshanks

You are going to have a serious time problem...
While the doors to the sound stage open at 4 p.m., taping usually doesn't begin until 5...which means there is no way you are out of there before 6:15. No chance of catching a taxi to the Red Line, taking the Red Line to the Blue Line, changing to the Blue Line down to Staples, walking the few blocks to Staples, and getting to your seat in 45 minutes. You *might* make it in one dash all the way to Staples by taxi, if the traffic cooperates... ...or you might miss the start of the game.

Incidentally, as a general note, since they always distribute more tickets than there are seats for Tonight Show tapings (400), so you need to get there early... How early is the question. If there are no major musical guests or A-list stars, 30 minutes to an hour is enough. But if some teen idol or major movie star is taping, 2-3 hours may not be too far in advance to make sure you get a seat. And since the seats are first-come, first serve (with a few held back for VIPs) if you want to be down near the desk...you need to get in line early, especially during tourist season. (Summer, student holidays, etc.)

bzcat

The Anaheim game will be pretty easy. There will be plenty of people walking from Honda Center to Metrolink station after the game. I've done it a couple of times myself.

The Jay Leno show will also be pretty easy to access. Take Red line to Universal station and transfer to southbound Metro #96 bus (Head sign for Downtown LA) when you exit the subway station (there is a surface bus station on top of the subway station). #96 Southbound bus will take you to the front gate of NBC Studios (the stop is Alameda & Olive): http://www.metro.net/riding_metro/bu...images/096.pdf

Use the Google map transit option will give you pretty accurate direction for Metro bus in LA

Do the reverse trip on #96 (or #155) northbound after the Tonight Show taping from Alameda/Olive back to Universal station and catch the Red line back to 7th St Metrocenter. You do not need to transfer to Blue line as mlshanks mentioned.... Staples Center is only a couple of blocks south from 7th St Metrocenter. It will take less than 10 minutes to walk to Kings game from the subway. If you decide you rather take the Blue line at Metrocenter to Pico Station (closet to Staples), it will cost you another $1.25... (LA metro does not have free transfers) - unless of course you decide to buy a daypass (highly recommended as you will be taking several bus and rail trip that day).

BangkokTraveler

Thanks to bzcat and mlshanks for the notes on my question. I'm a bit worried about making the start of the game at Staples Center after the Tonight Show, but seeing the Tonight Show is something I really want to do, so we'll make the best of it.

If I leave NBC Studios and am in a rush, is it much faster to take a taxi all the way to the Staples Center? Or is it faster to take a taxi to Universal City then jump on the train to downtown? And any idea on the cost of a taxi from NBC to the Staples Center?

wingless

No! It will not be faster to take a cab NBC to Staples Center. The Redline is much quicker from Universal to 7th Street exit. (and yes I agree with the other poster to walk from there it's only a couple blocks from Staples Center)
[I live in a loft just a couple blocks from Staples Center]

bzcat

Yeah... no way a car will beat subway from Universal to Staples on Thursday evening rush hour. Also there is no cab stand near NBC Studios so you'd have to call for a cab and wait for it to show up (if at all), which means you probably would have made it back to Universal station if you took the bus. The cab fare will be in excess of $50... it's not worth it. You are better off renting a car.

mlshanks

With respect to the other posters, I don't think there is a prayer in hell that BT can make the start of his game if he relies on public transit to get from the NBC studios to Staples. Keep in mind, the #96 bus that others have recommended only runs every 45-60 minutes....and schedule keeping of LA buses vary from only fair to abysmal. And frankly, consulting metro.net, they note that it is actually shorter in time to ride the #96 bus *all they way to downtown* near Staples (exiting at 11th and Grand), rather than back West to the Red Line and back downtown. The 96 timetable however suggest that the ride will take about 60 minutes.... subject to the vagaries of LA traffic.

If he wanted to take a cab, yes, he'd need to schedule a pickup before the taping....and yes, the price would be apt to cost in the neighborhood of $47 + a tip...likely about $55 all in. (according to the fare finder at http://la.taxiwiz.com/) But it's the only way I could see the possibility of getting between those two locations without a rental car.

malibulivin

Anybody on here have any experience with a good car service that serves the Westside and Malibu with service to LAX? I'm looking for someone to pick some people up from the airport in June over the course of a few days and need an inexpensive solution. Cars don't have to be top of the line....just clean.

Thanks in advance

BangkokTraveler

Thanks for the replies. This is a sticky one, as I want to see the Tonight Show but I also want to make it for the game. One option I found is to rent an Avis car at Figueroa and 9th (using code A972200) for $35 incl. all tax. I can drive to NBC, park there, then haul a** after the Tonight Show back downtown, drop the keys in the night drop box and hopefully be at the Staples Center near the start of the game. Judging from everything I have read above, this might be my best bet of making the game, rather than missing a bus from NBC to Universal City. Google maps shows the trip from NBC back downtown is 13 mi and "45 min in traffic".

hungarianhc

Hi All,

I'm going to be at USC Medical Center this afternoon and I have someone flying in to meet me. I was planning on picking her up, but I may not be able to at this point. Is there a bus / metro line / something-else-than-a-cab she can take to get to downtown? Just getting closer would be great - i'd be able to pick her up. Thanks. the advice is much appreciated.