Transit and city form are a chicken-and-egg problem: without good transit, things (houses, offices, tourist attractions) will scatter all over the map, which makes it difficult and expensive to provide good transit. "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?" is obviously a dramatization, but it has some basis in reality: the initial sprawl of Los Angeles was driven by streetcars, not automobiles, and even today many of the freeways follow old Pacific Electric routes.

Enough of that old "things clustered around old transit lines" infrastructure remains to make at least a limited view of Los Angeles possible without a car: Wilshire or Santa Monica boulevards through the Westside, for instance, are pretty obviously lined with cool things to do. That might be why it's the focus of a few Transit Adventures itineraries from Experience LA (the local tourist board). Similarly, UAL's in-flight magazine recently ran a feature article on LA by Metrorail.

There's also this NYT piece on Santa Monica and Venice largely without a car. The Big Blue Bus heads from LAX's bus terminal right through Venice and into SM.

Slight correction...other than Cahuenga Pass, mostly the old trolley right-of-way have become major city streets or railroad lines, not freeways. This has to do with the fact that Pacific Electric, Los Angeles Railway, and other major trolley companies had specific language in their franchises with the city that required them to run on public streets...and pay for all the maintenence. When they years of losses finally resulted in their abandonment (the city had also capped the fares, and been very slow to raise them), the city pulled up the tracks that were not still in service by Southern Pacific RR for freight service, and added lanes or center parkways.

You can also ride Big Blue Bus #3 from the airport all the way out to UCLA's Ackerman Bus Terminal...where you can connect to numerous MTA routes.

Does anyone out there have any recomendations for limousine service between LAX and Hollywood (Hollywood & Highland) besides Super Shuttle? Two or maybe three of us are going over New Years and we are considering a limo to void some of the hassles of the trip to/from the airport.

I've used Art Limousine Service (800) 355-9410 for about 3 years. Flat rate from airport approximately $75.00 including gratuity.

I am heading up to LAX tomorrow night from Orange County (Huntington Beach) for a trip to HNL. Does anyone have any recommendations for a good car service and what the approximate cost would be?

I have a reservation on Jetblue for Thanksgiving LGB-ORD-LGB out 11/20 back 11/27. Due to a business trip it looks like I'm going to have to skip the outbound but still use the return. This creates the problem of getting from LGB to either ONT or, if I leave me car home, to Chino Hills. One-way rentals start at $80, any other options? I land about 8pm and I don't want to use one of those share-a-ride vans.

Possibly OT, but: don't most airlines cancel your whole itinerary if you don't show for the outbound? And if you do call, don't they re-fare the one-way?

Maybe that's not an issue here; I'm not familiar with the airline.

Boy, that's a tough time to get from LGB to the ONT area.

During the day one can take the Long Beach Transit route 111 (or a taxi) from LGB Airport to the transit mall and then use the Blue Line to get to L.A., switch to the Red Line to get to Union Station, and use Metrolink to get to Pomona or Covina

There is also a Metro Express Bus (577x) from Long Beach Transit Mall to the El Monte Bus Station, which IIRC has parking.

http://www.lbtransit.com/Schedules/D...today&mode=map

www.metrolinktrains.com

www.metro.net

http://www.metro.net/riding_metro/bu...00_599/577.pdf

Also, check if there is an "off-airport" company like Thrifty who may allow you to do a cheaper one-way drop-off at ONT the next day. This once worked for me for a late arrival at LAX where I needed to get home (and could dump the car at ONT the next day).

Good Luck!

I looked into it, I don't think Jetblue handles it like the legacies but I'm not sure. I would cancel the outbound, not simply no-show, and it looks like Jetblue allows you to keep those funds for future use (minus the change fee.) I checked the fares and even if they did re-fare me to the one-way it would be less than the value of the ticket.

BTW, my business trip got delayed so I won't need to worry about transportation. I appreciate the info though.

I'm flying into LAX and need to make my way to Sherman Oaks. Under normal circumstances I would rent a car and drive, but I suspect I will be very weary after some long flights.

Could anyone reccomend a good car service (e.g. black car/limo) from LAX to the valley? Its very difficult to tell the companies apart based on thier web sites, and the prices are very similiar (75 dollar range). Thanks.

I use Dalia Limosine at least twice a month. They are based in Sherman Oaks, so their pricing should be relatively similar.

http://www.dalialimo.com/

Hi,

I want to attend an event in downtown LA, a block away from the Miyako Hotel. My event starts at 9am on Friday, Jan 4. I am trying to make my trip cheaper by shaving off a night's stay and just fly into LA and head straight to the event.

However, I am unfamiliar with LA do not know how long it would take for a shuttle van to reach this location next to the Miyako Hotel.

I have more options flying into LAX, earliest arrival is about 7:18am? Is this enough time to reach my destination in downtown LA by 9am on a Friday?
I forget what my options are for BUR, but I believe the earliest arrival is maybe closer to 8am. From what I've been reading, it seems it's easier to travel from this airport. How much time, if any, would one save? How early would I have to arrive to BUR to make it to a 9am event in downtown LA on Fri (via shuttle)?

Also, how about heading back out from the downtown LA area to LAX vs. BUR. How much time would I need to get to the airport? I don't want to book a flight that I can't make.

Thank you in advance for your help!!!

at 7am on a week day, you're just going to get off the plane and go park on the freeway..... if you got in earlier it might help.... a bit..... sorry, but its just a long time to anywhere at that time of day . that said, it shouldn't take two hours...

Spend the night. You are trying to get into downtown LA by 9 am. You and about 1 million people have the same general idea.

Welcome to Flyertalk, kameleon. I am going to move this thread over to the FT Los Angeles Forum. Please read the "sticky" at the top of the forum as it is loaded with lots of useful information re: LAX.
Thanks...
Obscure2k
TravelBuzz Moderator