On your mark, get set, go! The annual Los Angeles Marathon returns Sunday, March 19 with their “Stadium to the Sea” course. For those planning to participate in this year’s race, we recommend Metro Rail as the best option to get to all marathon festivities, as you’ll be able to avoid the extensive bus detours and street closures.

A number of Metro Rail stations are within walking distance to the route if you’re heading out to cheer on the runners.

• Gold Line: Chinatown Station, Union Station
• Red and Purple Line: Union Station, Civic Center/Grand Park Station
• Red Line: Vermont/Sunset Station, Hollywood/Western Station, Hollywood/Vine Station, Hollywood/Highland Station
• Expo Line: Downtown Santa Monica Station

Note: The parking lot at Culver City Station is closed for construction. Parking at La Cienega/Jefferson Station is $3 for transit patrons riding with a valid TAP card. The Ince parking structure in Culver City is also available to Metro riders. It is about a half-mile walk to the Expo Line station and costs $3 with a valid TAP card. For more information on Metro park and ride lots, click here.

This is the first year that the Expo Line will be able to take you to the marathon’s finish line, and Metro will run enhanced Expo Line service from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. with longer, 3-car trains running every 9 minutes. Use the full platform to board. If you have a bicycle or stroller, please use the designated open space on board each train car.

During Sunday’s festivities, numerous Metro bus lines will be disrupted along the marathon route. Lines normally traveling through the area will be on detour. Customers planning to travel via bus should allow extra time in their commute. Here are the Metro buses that will be impacted before and after the marathon: 2, 4, 10, 14, 16, 20, 28, 30, 33, 40, 45, 53, 55, 60, 62, 68, 70, 71, 76, 78/79/378, 81, 83, 90/91, 92, 94, 96, 105, 180/181, 200, 201, 204, 206, 207, 210, 212/312, 217, 218, 222, 234, 237, 487/489, 534, 603, 704, 720, 733, 745, 754 and 910/950. For more details on bus detours, check Metro’s Service Advisories page.

Be sure to load your TAP card with $3.50 round-trip fare in Stored Value when you start your trip to avoid long lines later. Each person must have their own TAP card, which can be purchased at Metro Rail stations for $1.

For more details on getting there via Metro, use the Trip Planner at metro.net.