Getting to Los Angeles

Arriving in Los Angeles is easy as the city is a major transport hub. Most international visitors arrive by plane at the huge Los Angeles International Airport. There is also a good rail network linking most major cities in the country and long distance bus services connect with hundreds of destinations.

By air

Although there are five major commercial airports in the area, most European flights land at Los Angeles International Airport, 20 miles southwest of downtown. LAX, as it is commonly known, is the world's fifth-busiest airport, handling almost 58 million passengers every year. Public buses, shuttle services and taxis are available for the transfer to the city centre.

By car

Los Angeles has a massive network of highways and byways. If you are driving from San Francisco, the fastest route is via I-5. An alternative is the slower but more picturesque Pacific Coast Highway (PCH or Hwy 1). If you are arriving from the south and San Diego, follow I-5. From Las Vegas or the Grand Canyon, take I-15 to I-10 and then head west to the city centre.

By train

Amtrak is the national railway service provider and it operates several trains to and from Los Angeles. From Seattle and San Francisco, the Coast Starlight service runs several times weekly in each direction. Other destinations include Phoenix, New Orleans and San Diego. All trains stop at Union Station, one block from El Pueblo in downtown.

By bus

Long distance buses are provided by the Greyhound Bus Company, whose main terminal is on East 7th Street in downtown. Note that this is not a particularly safe area and that you should avoid arriving after dark unless you have someone waiting to meet you with a car. Greyhound have other stations in Hollywood, Long Beach, Pasadena and Anaheim.

Los Angeles International Airport

Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is a major international hub and is served by nearly every major commercial airline. The airport is conveniently located between Marina del Rey and Manhattan Beach, making transfers to most of the beach towns quick and easy. The transfer to downtown takes approximately 30 minutes by bus or taxi.

The huge airport has eight terminals, which are connected by efficient and free shuttle buses. Facilities include ATMs, a bureaux de change, shopping and postal services.

Los Angeles Airport transportation

Public bus services are provided by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and stop at parking lot C. There are services to destinations all over southern California including the Metropolitan Express to downtown; the FlyAway Bus, connecting the airport and the San Fernando Valley; and the Airport Bus to Anaheim (Disneyland). Taxis and shuttles stop outside the terminals at the Arrivals area. Licenced taxis display fixed fare tariffs to certain destinations, while others are metered.