rkkwan

LAX is my hometown airport too (though technically BUR is a bit closer), and I've been using public transportation to/from LAX. I used to take the FlyAway, but they've raised the prices, so I tried the other methods.

Like you said, it's possible but it's a hassle. I took the Green Line train to Aviation a couple of times. One time, the wait for fairly short for the "G" bus, but last Saturday, it was over 15 minutes. That's unacceptable.

And from the LAX City Bus center to airport is fine, but the reverse is a hassle. First, for some reason, LAWA and the bus authorities seem to have a conspiracy to DISCOURAGE people to ride public buses. If you go to LAX's website, or walk around the airport, there is ZERO sign or information about which shuttle to take. Well, it's the "Lot C" shuttle, but nothing is displayed on the bus that it's going to the bus center. Second, one either have to get off at the first stop and cross a major roadway; or ride around Lot C for 20 minutes before it'll drop you off at the bus center.

Anyways, I think it may make sense for those going to Santa Monica (R3) and to the beach communities.

As for LAS, I did try it. I think it's fine if one's taking a single ride to downtown (or elsewhere). Problem for me was that I was staying on the Strip, and that meant taking a city bus AND transfer to the Duece - world's slowest bus line, which can take a hour to go 3/4 of a mile down the Strip. I won't do it again.

I've done BUR too, and it's fun to ride the city bus 222 from Hollywood, which drops you off outside the airport. But BUR is so small that one can walk to the terminal from outside the airport in 5 minutes, or ride one of the shuttle that stops at the airport entrance. Pretty funny.

ajax

There used to be a bus (there probably still is) which ran down the road on which Silvertown station used to be on.

The station closed years ago when the LCY branch of the DLR opened.

stut

Oh, you used to be able to walk to Silvertown from the airport, only takes 5 minutes. The station's closed now, of course, but it's even easier, with the new entrance to the DLR here (there used to be some steps down at this point). Then you just walked down Saville Road, turned right and there you are.

Used to be a horribly rough area, though. It's improved as the years have gone on, but there used to be all sorts of stories of 'yuppies' being mugged as they tried to get to the station.

Shame it's gone, really. It was a handy link up to Highbury & Islington for the WAGN trains.

salut0

Ah, an instance of a modern Mr Beeching at work? Not to worry, if you can't get the WAGN train, I'm sure you could ride in a wagon instead.

Thanks for the info about Silvertown, by the way, and especially for the Google Maps photos. They even caught the bus on streetview!

There are some nice deserted pictures of the station I found online somewhere. Will have to dig out the link when I have time...

EastbayMike

BART to SFO is too expensive, but it is $16.20 round trip; not "over $18.00".

goalie

yup it was $5.50 one-way about a month ago but thanks to bart and its "budget crisis", they raised fares (but still the cheapest way to go short of millbrae bart parking on the w/e's)

stut

Oh no, quite the reverse! The line's been closed because of the brand new DLR line (and an additional one under construction) that serve the areas in question far better than this old branch used to.

I always meant to take a camera along when I travelled from there... It's quite a bleak, urban industrial scene - the decaying railway station (especially in its last days), the disused railway lines alongside it, and the sugar processing plant on the other side...

ajax

That was quite the random line, wasn't it? I think I took it a few times from Highbury & Islington to Silvertown back in 2002. Went via Custom House (I did this to the ExCel centre as well!). What a strange place it was; very derelict and rough. I can imagine that lots of people got mugged out there, it was frightfully dodgy now that I think about it.

Thank goodness they've opened the DLR straight to Bank now and terminate the old Silverlink at Stratford. It's far more sensible.

daph

Since our trips are usually long we don't park at airports. So we experienced [?].
SFO-Friends live in San Mateo. They travel all the time [retired UA]. So easy. And cheap, even now. Our daughter lived in Fremont and begged us not to take BART from OAK. Too dangerous an area. Too bad some spoil it for everyone.
LAX-Have always used Supper Shuttle but bad experiences lately. Last driver tail gated, went 80 mph while phoning or texting in the commuter lane. I was the one person in the van who demanded he stop! So expensive and they pick you up about four hours before departure.
SNA-Our home airport. The OCTA bus stops by our house but leaves you off one looong block from SNA. Their response? Wait and transfer. Would it kill them to alter the route just that far?
ORD-Took the train/el? once. It was cheap and great.
LHR-Easy to tube to Piccadilly or Victoria-one transfer, across the platform.
HEX is easier than public bus but what a rip-off, especially in '08 with the pound at $1.99! Had to get to that Holiday Inn though.

scruffy

Even worse: Since LA Metro went to the TAP card, it is necessary to have a TAP card to get a daily or weekly pass. And you can't get a TAP card at the airport, on a bus, or at the Aviation train station!

And you have to go the wrong direction--south--to the South Strip Transfer Terminal to get the Deuce.

Las Vegas used to have a strip express bus (the 302) that made limited stops and could make pretty good time. But they discontinued the 302.

When staying near Flamingo Ave or Trop Ave, I have taken the 108 or 109 northbound and transferred to the westbound Flamingo or Trop bus.

PDX: Red Line MAX train is great.

STL: MetroLink train stops at both the main terminal and the east terminal.

MDW: Orange Line train is great.

rkkwan

Yes, the TAP is the world's most useless and user unfriendly RFID card. I moved from Houston, and I though their "Q" card was bad. That's before the TAP. One cannot load cash onto it. Nor is it accepted by the Big Blue Bus, which a lot of visitors use. It's absolutely ridiculous.

And, yes about the LV Deuce. It took me like 1.5 hours to get from LAS to the TI, which is only 3 miles away as the crow flies.

N830MH

I remember that I usually ride on the city bus from my house all the way to FLL on BCT routes 12 or 17 then change the routes 1 to north on US 1. I remember where I went to work for every afternoon and the bus service does not have buses out there during the late-night. So sometime that I rode on the taxicab from FLL to my house for approximately 15 minutes to get there. Sometimes my mom picking me up at FLL before I am completely done at work.

As for PHX. There is no buses service in the very early morning. So sometime that I remember since I work at Sky Harbor for 4am. There is no bus service in the early morning. So the taxicab will take me to work at Sky Harbor. When the driver is pick me up at my house around 3:30am. Then I quit from HMS HOST due to early morning at HMS HOST around 4am to 12:30pm. That's why I didn't like it work for early morning. Sometime where I rode on the bus home from work. I am acknowledgeable that I am very good ride on the bus skills is very well. I knows for which the routes where I can catch the bus from terminal 3 to University Dr to change the routes 44 home to Tatum & Shea Blvd. So I decide that I have to resigned where I work at HMS HOST for a flexibility the schedules around 6am to 1:30pm work at Pizza Hut. So I decide I left from work around August 2008. Because I am very extremely difficulties time to woke up in the early morning. So since I will no longer be work at HMS HOST as where I work at Pizza Hut prep inside the Commissary Kitchen. So I will rather to do something else different new job outside from Sky Harbor. Maybe I will be working at D-Backs for evening shift is more convenient for me. So it will be perfect opportunity for my new job at D-Backs in the Chase Field for next season 2010.

dtremit

BOS tends to have this problem, too. I live less than 8 miles by car from BOS; the cab takes less than 20 minutes, but the shortest transit route that gets me within a mile of home is over an hour.

The $25 taxi is totally worth it; on a good night I can be in bed 45 minutes from wheels down.

Almost no one I know takes the T to Logan.

stupenal

When did flyaway raise their prices?

I used to use flyaway when I was in college at UCLA as their westwood pickup location was indispensable. However, ever since I've found out that motorcycles can park for free in the terminal parking lots at LAX, I haven't had to worry about transportion ever again.

rkkwan

First on Jan 1, 2009. Van Nuys and Union Station went from $4 to $6. Westwood went from $4 to $5.

Then, just 7 months later, Van Nuys and Union Station went up again on Aug 1, 2009, from $6 to $7.

I usually rode the one from Union Station. That means it went up from $4 to $7 in just over 7 months' time.

Anyways, the Culver City Bus #6 is still only $0.75 to UCLA.