Getting to Local Airports Without Driving

The cheapest way to get to the airport alone has always been a city bus.

But if you’re like most people, you go to the airport in a car, shuttle van or taxi. About 90% of the people who traveled to Los Angeles International Airport last year did so, according to an airport survey, and most of the rest took a chartered or special airport bus.

Unless a friend or relative drops you off, a trip to LAX--with parking--can cost from $10 to $150. And it isn’t usually much cheaper at the region’s smaller airports.

But Southern California’s growing commuter rail network offers some practical--and often cheaper--alternatives, especially if you travel during the day, give yourself enough time and don’t mind hauling your luggage across a platform. And when freeways are jammed, the rail system might even save time.

Here are some strategies for getting to regional airports, along with information resources:

BURBANK AIRPORT BY RAIL

Burbank Airport currently has the most convenient rail-to-airport connection in California. A MetroLink/Amtrak station is across from the terminal, a four-minute walk. (If you need a van to the airport terminal, you can pick up a phone at the rail station and a van will come to pick you up.)

Rail service is frequent during daily commuter hours, Monday through Friday, but spotty at other times. Only Amtrak trains stop at the airport station on weekends.

Additional MetroLink trains--including some on Saturday--stop at the downtown Burbank rail station. Burbank Local Transit can take you to the airport from here (in 12 to 20 minutes), but a van is not always waiting (call [818] 557-5530 for a pickup, or [818] 246-4BLT for general bus information.) For service at non-commuting hours, schedule the pickup in advance.

LAX BY RAIL

If you live near any of the Metro Rail stations on the Green Line that runs between Redondo Beach and Norwalk, you have a convenient way to get to Los Angeles International Airport. Green Line trains come every 8 to 12 minutes, and the longest possible trip (beginning at the eastern end in Norwalk) to the Aviation station near LAX is 26 minutes. Fare: $1.35 (less for seniors, children, the disabled).

From the Aviation station, take the free “G” shuttle bus to the airport, a 10-minute ride. The buses run the same hours as the trains, 4:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.

(Interestingly, LAX statistics show that more than 1 million people used the “G” shuttle last year, but only 120,000 had luggage, implying that few leisure travelers use the Green Line as transportation to airport.)

Connecting to the Green Line from other parts of the region’s rail system is not difficult, but it can be annoying if you’re carrying several pieces of luggage and transfer more than once.

The north-south Blue Line that runs from Long Beach to downtown L.A. connects to the Green Line at Rosa Parks station. The Blue Line connects to the Red Line subway in downtown Los Angeles (see map). Thus, when the Red Line opens its new segment to North Hollywood in June, you can travel from the Valley to LAX in less than 90 minutes--even with the two transfers and a shuttle ride--for less than $3.

The Red Line also serves Union Station, the hub for MetroLink and Amtrak trains. Travelers from outlying areas who lack scheduled bus service to LAX might consider using rail rather than expensive shuttles or taxis. Taking Amtrak or MetroLink to Union Station and then making the Red Line-Blue Line-Green Line connections to LAX costs from $12 to $20 (but requires three connections).

Travelers from outlying areas can avoid multiple Metro Rail connections--but still save money--by taking a shuttle or cab directly to LAX after arriving at Union Station. Taxi fares are a flat $24. Shuttle van fares are lower: Metropolitan Express, tel. (800) 338-3898, meets most trains and charges $16.50 for one person, $12.50 each for two. Reservations advisable; allow 40 minutes to LAX.

TRANSIT TO OTHER AIRPORTS

* Ontario: MetroLink trains on the San Bernardino line stop at Montclair’s transit center frequently during weekday commuting hours. From there, Inland Empire Connection buses run roughly hourly to Ontario International Airport, less than 30 minutes away.

Two other MetroLink stations--Upland and East Ontario (on the Riverside MetroLink line)--are closer to the airport than Montclair, but there is little or no bus service. (However, arriving passengers could save time by taking a taxi from the airport to either of those stations. For example, the taxi ride to the East Ontario station should be less than $6.) Rail is less convenient but still possible for trips to other area airports, using short taxi rides or a bus to make the connection.

* Long Beach: The Blue Line runs within two miles of Long Beach Airport, but bus service is roundabout. A taxi ride from the airport to the nearest Blue Line station (at Wardlow Road and the 405 Freeway) is faster and costs $5 to $7. A cheaper alternative is bus route #111-112, which goes to the downtown Long Beach Blue Line station. Long Beach Transit information: tel. (562) 591-2301.

* Orange County: By taxi, John Wayne Airport is about 15 minutes from the Santa Ana and Irvine Amtrak/MetroLink stations. Bus service is primarily on route 61 of the Orange County Transportation Authority; tel. (714) 636-7433.

* San Diego: The airport, Lindbergh Field is a short bus or taxi ride from the San Diego Amtrak station.

CITY BUSES TO LAX

In urban Los Angeles, going to LAX on a city bus can be convenient and direct if you live near Metropolitan Transit Authority routes or can get a connection or lift to one. It is almost always the cheapest way to go--$1.35 is the standard fare (excluding transfers; seniors, children and others are lower), and the Santa Monica Big Blue Bus charges just 50 cents.

More than a dozen bus routes stop at the LAX City Bus Center on 96th Street east of Sepulveda Boulevard at Parking Lot C (see LAX parking map, above). Walk 150 feet to the Lot C shuttle bus pickup spot. The “C” shuttle is free and leaves every few minutes.

The MTA offers frequent bus service to LAX on many routes, including Redondo Beach and Union Station (lines #439 and #42), Long Beach (#232), Rancho Palos Verdes (#225), West Hollywood (#220), Downey (#117) and Sylmar (#561).

Three other city bus agencies run lines to the LAX center: Santa Monica Big Blue Bus #3 (originates at UCLA), tel. (310) 451-5444, Internet https://www.bigbluebus.com; Culver City Bus route #6 (also originates at UCLA), tel. (310) 253-6500; and Torrance Transit Route #8, tel. (310) 618-6266.

(Note: The Torrance bus, as well as some MTA lines coming from the south, have a stop on Sepulveda and Century boulevards just outside the airport. If you are traveling on Southwest Airlines or another carrier in Terminal One and your baggage is easy to handle, you’ll get there faster walking from that stop rather than connecting to the Parking Lot C shuttle.)

SHUTTLES

Dozens of shuttle vans and car or limousine services compete for service to area airports, and comparing prices is usually worth the time. At LAX, only three shuttle companies--SuperShuttle, Prime Time and Xpress--are allowed to pick up “walk-up” passengers, although it is possible to schedule a pickup by another carrier.

Normally, shuttle fares are 30% to 70% cheaper than a taxi for travelers who are alone, but couples or groups will find taxi fares competitive, and cabs are usually faster. But it’s worth comparing prices anyway, because some shuttle companies offer reduced fares for couples or groups.

TAXIS

Travelers should be aware that there have been accidents and other safety problems with “bandit” or unlicensed, taxis. Use only licensed cab companies, which often offer flat rates to LAX.

Avoid bandit taxis at LAX by going to official taxi stands at each terminal, monitored and controlled by airport employees. Cabs at those LAX stands must display the official seal of the City of Los Angeles Department of Transportation and cannot refuse to take you only short distances.

A $2.50 surcharge is added to all taxi fares leaving LAX. There is a flat rate of $24 ($26.50 with surcharge) between LAX and downtown L.A. That rate is often a significant savings compared with rates to areas near downtown, so consider taking a taxi to Union Station or a downtown Metro Rail station and using mass transit for the rest of your trip.

INFORMATION RESOURCES

Information desks at all the airports have copies of mass transit schedules, and they post them for passengers. * MetroLink: For schedules and information, tel. (800) 371-LINK, Internet https://www.metrolinktrains.com.

* Amtrak: tel. (800) USA-RAIL, Internet https://www.amtrakcalifornia.com. (Note: MetroLink commuter trains are slightly less expensive than Amtrak for similar routes. For example, from downtown L.A.’s Union Station to Burbank Airport, the cost is $3.50 on MetroLink, $4 on Amtrak.)

* MTA and Metro Rail: For schedules, fares, etc., tel. (800) COMMUTE (266-6883), Internet https://www.mta.net. (A word of warning: The MTA “Trip Planner” at its Web site will usually give you only a bus route to LAX--even from a Blue Line or Red Line station--apparently because it interprets “LAX” as the nearby LAX City Bus Center next to Parking Lot C.)

* Southern California Transit Information Page, https://socaltip.lerctr.org, is a volunteer project that provides links to Web sites and data from all the region’s mass transit agencies and tries to keep track of changes.

* TransStar trip planner, at https://www.scag.ca.gov/transit, suggests how to get from points A to B; sponsored by the Southern California Assn. of Governments. The same service is offered at the Ventura County Transportation Commission Web site, https://www.goventura.org/transit.htm.

Daniel Gaines is an editor in the Times’ Business section.