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As of this morning, the average price of a gallon of gas locally is $5.65, according to AAA. Yikes! Until recently, that’s the highest the average gas prices have been since the summer of 2008 — when the California average was about $4.51 a gallon.
We know that many of you may not have ridden Metro in quite some time due to the COVID-19 pandemic — and some of you may never have taken our buses and trains. To help get you started riding, here are some tips:
How can I save money riding Metro?
Metro’s discounted transit passes that allow for unlimited rides are $3.50 for a 1-day pass, $12.50 for a 7-Day pass and $50 for a 30-Day pass.
You can purchase these fares and reloadable TAP fare cards from TAP vending machines, which are located at all Metro Rail, J (Silver) Line and G (Orange) Line stations.
You can also purchase a TAP card:
- Online at taptogo.net
- By phone at 866.TAPTOGO (866.827.8646)
- At over 450 TAP Vendor Locations
To pay your fare, just tap your card against the TAP validator when boarding a bus or on the validators at rail and bus rapid transit stations.
If you don’t want to fuss with a plastic TAP card, you can also use your iPhone or Android phone as a TAP card. Download the TAP LA app here for either iPhones or Android phones.
Does Metro have special discounted fares for low-income riders?
Yes! We also have steeply discounted fare passes for low-income riders as part of Metro’s Low Income Fare Is Easy (LIFE) program. A 30-day pass is currently $26 (a savings of $50) and a 7-day pass is $6.50 (a savings of $13). More info and apply online here.
New LIFE riders will get 90 days of free rides on Metro and participating transit systems. After the 90 days of free rides expire, customers can purchase discounted LIFE fares.
What about other fares for older riders and students?
Riders 62 and over can save up to 80 percent on their rides. Click here to learn more.
Metro’s student GoPass allows K to 12 and community college students to ride for free at participating schools and school districts. For more info and to see if your school and/or district offers the GoPass, click here.
How do I plan my transit trip?
Download the Transit app for Android phones or iPhones — the Transit app is Metro’s official app and is easy to use. The app shows you when the next bus or train is arriving at your location and also lets you plan an entire transit trip.
There is also a trip planning tool on metro.net. Both Google Maps and Apple Maps can help you plan transit trips.
If you need help riding or have a question or concern, call 323.GO.METRO.
Where do Metro’s buses and trains go?
Here’s our basic map with our light rail lines (A, C, E and L Lines), subway (B and D Lines) and bus rapid transit lines (G and J Lines). Click to see a larger version.
Below is our current system map with all our bus lines, as well as the rail and bus rapid transit lines. Click on the map to see a larger version.
All of our bus and rail schedules are here — and you can download pdfs of each schedule. We also have regional maps with closer views of bus and rail lines:
Is there parking at stations?
Metro has parking at many of its rail, J Line and G Line stations. Some lots are free, others have paid parking — which helps ensure transit riders can get a space.
Here’s the list of parking lots by rail and bus line. And here’s more info on purchasing a daily, monthly or carpool parking permit.
Does Metro offer on-demand rides?
Yes! Our Metro Micro service is running in eight zones around the county. It’s only a $1 per ride. All info you need to ride is here. Below is the zone map — the Micro zones are in purple — and a video on how to use our Metro Micro service.
How do I get around by bike?
The Metro Bike Share system makes bikes available for short trips 24/7, 365 days a year in downtown Los Angeles, Central L.A., Hollywood, North Hollywood and on the Westside.
It’s just $1.75 to ride up to 30 minutes, $17 for a 30-day pass and $150 for an annual pass. Many bike share stations are adjacent to bus stops and rail stations — and you can pick up a bike at one docking station and drop it off at another.
All the info you need to ride is here. Below is a map of bike share stations — click on the map to visit an interactive version.
Click above to visit interactive Metro Bike Share map.
What about COVID-19 — is riding safe?
Metro, like many mobility providers, has been running service continuously throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. We’re taking several steps to keep everyone as safe as can be:
•Riders continue to be required to wear face masks while on the Metro system. It’s a federal mandate that applies to all transit systems across the U.S.
•Metro, like many transit agencies, stepped up cleaning when the pandemic began and we continue to follow protocols from the American Public Transit Association, a group that represents transit agencies across the U.S.
•And Metro, like many employers, has required that all employees get vaccinated against COVID-19.
•Metro also encourages everyone to get vaccinated, stay home if not feeling well and to continue to wash their hands often and use hand sanitizer.
What about security while riding Metro?
Metro’s system is patrolled by our own security guards, as well as law enforcement — the Long Beach Police Department, Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department and Los Angeles Police Department.
The real eyes and ears of the system are you. To contact Metro Security about an incident (non-emergency), a safety concern or suspicious activity:
- Call: 888.950.SAFE (7233)
- Text: 213.788.2777
- Use the Transit Watch app for smartphones.
In case of an emergency, always call 911.
Categories: Go Metro
You will be late to wherever you are going. Every train is full of junkies with all of their belongings, sleeping in seats, only to wake up as the doors are closing on their stops. They hold the doors and gather all of their belongings to exit. Sometimes they hold the doors to wait for their buds to get on and then sit in the area for bikes and wheelchairs to smoke drugs (fentynal).
If that does not occur, your bus will not arrive. The time table will tell you a bus is on the way, but you can wait up to an hour for a bus, and then when it arrives its packed.
Avoid the A Line and the Subways if you can. Macrthur Park, and Pershing square are where the most drugs are being smoked. I got into my elevator to go to work yesterday, and a man had his pants at his ankles and was urinating hands free. Needless to say, the next elevator took about two minutes to surface, full of drug smoke, and then as I got to the platform, the train I shou;ldve caught was pulling away. Another 15 minutes late to work. I dont know which loses would be more, the time I lose or the expense of driving.
I have enough with complaints of this blog but since the NextGen Implentation Destructive service change reasons during pandemic. I am move forward and I want to make clear for spare message going on so i do agree with Mr. Wayne Wassell (Senior Transit Planner) was mention about there is no coverage for Oak Knoll Ave portion (between Huntington Dr and California Blvd) since happen on December 2020 was rerouted because due to low performance on Oak Knoll Av. So I did try to request public comments not the agenda of SGV Service Council to add new service extension on Montebello Bus Lines Local 30 to Pasadena but unfortunately didn’t work out without shortcut alternative options in case of depending on low utilize ridership service. I do believe for better options to add service zone for Metro MicroTransit of San Marino area along Pasadena, Sierra Madre, Arcadia and Altadena to catch of their destination for shopping, college and some other area destination with no shortcut options on local bus line along Oak Knoll Avenue that might work for smaller vehicle of MicroTransit in San Marino. I do understand the gas prices is going up because the war of Russia vs Ukraine but this is how the patrons are ended up with driving their own vehicles for more reliability than transportation, facts. For some reason of San Marino residents because the vehicle was parked along side of the street which is Oak Knoll that’s why it was no room to fit on the streets of Oak Knoll Ave (between Huntington Dr and Monterey Rd) since it was used to previously Line 258 back then and back in 2016 used to be a former express which is Line 485. By the way, I did watching the video about SGVCOG virtual meeting in February 2022 which is last month has mention to add Metro Micro service zones along Monterey Park and Alhambra so hopefully Metro should looking forward to address issues with feedback, maybe.
Are you serious? Metro’s typically mediocre service has been further degraded by a severe bus operator shortage that’s unlikely to end anytime soon.
I would spend all day shopping for groceries and they would spoil.
Scheduled a Micro bus for today since last week. . . and it was canceled. I ended up having to catch a $12 Uber ride instead. Spare the apologies, but until Metro can get it’s labor problem resolved, I think trying to appease more riders that will “tried once, hated” after dealing with maskless jerks and violent drug addicts that bus driver won’t do anything about because Gascon won’t do anything about it, is probably not a wise choice here.
Even at $7/gallon, which Metro heavily relies on those taxes by the way, the car is still more reliable than transit, facts!!
Funny how this article was posted on March 9. I decided to save money that day by taking the Metro…and I got attacked and knocked out. I’m now recovering from a concussion. I’m lucky that I wasn’t more severely injured or worse.
Avoid taking Metro. It’s not safe, and Metro won’t do anything about it.