The LAX/Metro Transit Center is opening to the public at 5 p.m. this Friday, June 6!
That means that beginning at 5 p.m. on June 6 you can:
•Ride the C Line, K Line or one of 10 different Metro and municipal bus lines to or from our new station.
•Ride the K Line from end-to-end between Expo/Crenshaw and Redondo Beach and the C Line between Norwalk Station and the LAX/Metro Transit Center.
•Begin taking the bus shuttles operated by LAX that will run between the LAX/Metro Transit Center and the passenger terminals at LAX. Please note that the bus shuttle is a temporary arrangement. When the LAX People Mover opens — forecast for 2026 — you will ride the people mover train instead of shuttles between the LAX/Metro Transit Center and the airport terminals.
To help celebrate this significant expansion to our regional transit system, we’re offering free rides across our bus and rail system from 4 a.m. Friday, June 6, through 3 a.m. Monday, June 9. Metro Bike Share will offer free 30-minute rides — use promo code 060625. Metro Micro riders can redeem free rides by using the Metro Micro app or website. No promo code needed!
We’re immensely proud of the LAX/Metro Transit Center. Our newest station was built to be friendly and easy to navigate by travelers with luggage. There are escalators and elevators between the levels, a very wide train platform and concourses, bus bays with landscaping and comfortable waiting areas, restrooms, a bike hub, art works and a number of other rider amenities.
Even if you’re not heading to a flight, come check out the station! Here’s a birds-eye view:
The new station really does represent a new era of transit. Three years after it debuted, the K Line will be fully open. C Line riders will have a quicker ride to and from the airport and bus riders a much nicer LAX station experience. Aviation employees will have better commutes with more options.
The new station provides residents and visitors alike with better access to communities, key sports and entertainment venues and other attractions in our region.
Getting to LAX/Metro Transit Center by Metro Rail
Metro has two rail lines that will stop at the new station: the C Line and K Line.
Both the C Line and K Line run every day of the year — holidays included — from about 4 a.m. until just after midnight. The C and K Lines run every 10 minutes most of each day and every 20 minutes in early mornings or late evenings. (We’ll post the new timetables for both lines very soon).
After this weekend — when we’re offering free fares — a regular adult fare on Metro Rail is $1.75 one-way, which includes two hours of transfers to/from other Metro bus and rail lines. Load your fare on a plastic TAP card — which can be purchased from machines at Metro Rail and Busway stations — or use the TAP app to pay fare with your smartphone.
We also have a variety of discounted fare programs to help make transit affordable. All fare info is here.
The above map shows our rail and busway system. Here’s how to get to LAX terminals via Metro Rail from some common locations:
From the South Bay: take the K Line toward Expo/Crenshaw from Redondo Beach Station directly to the LAX/Metro Transit Center. Travel time: about 19 minutes.
From Norwalk and the 105 freeway corridor: ride the C Line directly to our new station. Travel time: about 35 minutes from Norwalk.
From 7th St/Metro Center station in downtown Los Angeles: take the E Line toward Santa Monica to Expo/Crenshaw and transfer to the K Line’s Expo/Crenshaw Station, across Exposition Boulevard. Take the K Line to LAX/Metro Transit Center. Travel time: about 45-55 minutes.
From Santa Monica and the Westside: take the E Line toward East L.A. to Expo/Crenshaw and then follow the directions above. Travel time: about 55-60 minutes from Downtown Santa Monica Station.
From the San Fernando Valley: take the B Line toward Union Station to 7th/Metro Station in downtown L.A. and transfer to the E Line. Take the E Line to Expo/Crenshaw and transfer to the K Line and ride to LAX/Metro Transit Center. Travel time: about 85-95 minutes from North Hollywood Station.
From the San Gabriel Valley: take the A Line toward Long Beach to 7th/Metro Station, transfer to the E Line headed to Santa Monica on the same platform and ride the E Line to Expo/Crenshaw. Transfer to the K Line as described above and ride to LAX/Metro Transit Center. Travel times: from Memorial Park Station in Pasadena about 90 minutes and from APU/Citrus in Azusa about two hours.
The above travel times are approximations. If departing LAX, please give yourself plenty of time to make your flight. PRO TIP: plan your transit trips with Google Maps, Apple Maps, the Transit or Moovit apps or the trip planner on metro.net.
Some of the trips are long — but only cost a $1.75 regular Metro fare for those looking for the least expensive way to get to the airport.
Getting to LAX/Metro Transit Center by bus
The new station has 16 bus bays with seating, landscaping and plenty of shade. The following Metro bus lines will begin running to our new station at 5 p.m. on June 6:
- Line 102, which runs between South Gate, Huntington Park, Exposition Park, and the LAX area; Travel Time: about 90-100 minutes from South Gate and about 60 minutes from Huntington Park. map/timetable
- Line 111, which runs between Norwalk and the LAX area; Travel Time: about 75 minutes from Bell Gardens and about 55 minutes from Huntington Park. map/timetable
- Line 117, which runs between Downey and the LAX area; Travel Time: about 90 minutes from Downey and about 55 minutes from Watts. map/timetable
- Line 120, which runs between Whittier and the LAX area; Travel Time: about 90 minutes from Whittier and about 75-80 minutes from Santa Fe Springs taking Line 120 to Norwalk and transferring to the C Line. map/timetable
- Line 232, which runs between Long Beach and the LAX area; about 75 minutes from Anaheim & Santa Fe stop in Long Beach transferring to the A Line and then C Line. map/timetable
Please note that most buses will no longer serve the nearby City Bus Center after 5 p.m. on Friday, June 6. There is one exception: Torrance Transit Line 8 will continue through close of service on June 6.
These municipal buses will run to LAX/Metro Transit Center beginning at 5 p.m. June 6:
- Big Blue Bus: Route 3 – service from downtown Santa Monica.
- Culver CityBus: Line 6, Rapid 6 – service along Sepulveda Boulevard.
- Torrance Transit: Line T8 (starts new route June 7) – north/south service between Torrance and the LAX area.
- GTrans (Gardena): Line 5 – mostly east/west service along El Segundo Boulevard between Gardena and the LAX/MTC.
- Beach Cities Transit: Line 109 – north/south service between Torrance, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach, El Segundo and the LAX area.
Riding between LAX/Metro Transit Center and LAX passenger terminals
Starting at 5 p.m. on June 6, free bus shuttles operated by LAX will begin running between Bus Bays 1 and 2 at the LAX/Metro Transit Center and LAX passenger terminals every 10 minutes.
•After leaving our station, the LAX shuttles will stop at each of the passenger terminals on the lower level at LAX (the arrivals level) near the pink columns. See the map below. Look for buses with the electronic head-sign that reads “Metro” or “Metro Connector.”
Graphic: LAWA
•The buses will run in the two lanes closest to the terminals that are reserved for LAX-operated shuttles. The lanes help shuttles avoid traffic in the airport horseshoe’s general lanes.
•LAX Shuttles have luggage racks located adjacent to the rear doors.
Other notable service changes
•The Line 857 bus shuttle running between the C and K Lines during LAX/Metro Transit Center construction will cease running at the end of the service day on June 6.
•Aviation/LAX Station on the C Line will be re-named Aviation/Imperial Station going forward since the LAX bus shuttles will no longer be running between that station and airport terminals. We’re updating signage and online maps.
•The Long Beach Blvd Station on the C Line will be renamed Lynwood Station to help riders recognize that the station serves the great Lynwood community.
•SoFi Shuttle: After June 6, the shuttle will be running between the LAX/Metro Transit Center and the stadium for future events and the coming NFL season. For those who park along the C and K Lines to use the SoFi Shuttle, you can still do that — and then ride our trains to LAX/MTC, which is a better place to stage SoFi buses. We’ll have more information on the SoFi Shuttle as we get closer to football season.
What else to know
•The LAX Flyaway bus will continue to operate between the airport and Union Station and Van Nuys.
•There is no passenger pickup or drop-off area at the LAX/Metro Transit Center for those coming in private vehicles or ride share vehicles. This is to minimize traffic disruptions for buses. Pro tip: if you wish to be picked up or dropped off near the airport, please see the system map above and use one of the C or K Line stations near-ish to LAX.
•If you need help finding your way, please look for our friendly Metro Ambassadors, who wear gray jackets and very bright green shirts. If you need to contact our public safety team to report an issue, call 888.950.7233 or send a text via our Transit Watch app. In an emergency, please call 911.
Finally, this: driving has long been the only option when it comes to getting to LAX. We’re trying to add more alternatives to driving and the LAX/Metro Transit Center is part of that work. If you’re interested, here’s a new Source post on the very long and winding road (pun intended) of trying to get rail transit to LAX.
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Excited to see this finally happening. It’s actually closer to 3 years since the K Line opening, which was October 7, 2022.
At the Aviation LAX/Metro Transit Center and/or the Aviation Century stations, will the C and K lines share the same tracks?
Both stations only have one center platform; one track N and one track S. If you look on the top photo (which is looking southwest) you’ll see the 2-car train to the left (north) of the station at ground level, is on a center turnback track for arriving Green line trains to exit the main line. The operator switches ends and starts south again onto the mainline between the southbound K line trains. The adjacent grade crossing is Arbor Vitae Street.
I’m rather curious why this new service begins at 5p on a Friday instead of in the morning. I know it is transient but the changes to the route during the day (e.g. BBB 3) could be particularly disruptive for airport workers who might not be expecting it.
I think this is great for LAX and once the APM is running, it’ll be that much better. Unfortunately, I believe it’ll take Los Angelenos some time to acclimate themselves to using this process. LA is not a transit city. Lastly, to get from LAX to Pasadena, you’re looking at a long walk from the terminal to the APM and 3 transfers. The transfer from the K line at Expo & Crenshaw to the A line is another obstacle.
You can’t knock LA for taking the steps to get this done but as far as speed and convenience, we’ve just touched the surface. We got a lot of ground to cover. Happy riding!
No discussion of coming FROM the airport proper to the transit station. Will buses run at regular intervals a la LAX-it?
It would not be LAX ground transportation without MAJOR dropped balls and painful shortcomings. (See LAX FlyAway)
Why won’t Metro answer my question, let alone post it? I asked if shuttles would continue to connect passengers from the Aviation/Century station, since it is closer to the terminals and saves riders time coming from the C Line and K Line from the south. Why won’t you publish my sumple question or answer it?
Sometimes, a non-answer. . . Is indeed, an answer. From what it seems though, the answer is simply. . . No
Can we still ride the LAX-Metro connector bus from the Aviation/Century station? The buses stop there now and it’s a quick, straight shot down Century Blvd to the terminals from there.
I recently sent an email regarding your tax and bookkeeping, but I haven’t heard back—just wanted to follow up in case it got buried.
Can one ride the LAX bus shuttles just for fun? (I.e., not as a flying passenger). I’d like to do a few practice runs before a real need to use it. And can I stay on that same shuttle to return back to the Metro transit center?
Hi — yes, the LAX-run shuttles are free to ride but please consider that you might be taking up space a traveler or airport employee needs!
Steve Hymon
Editor, The Source
I understand, but I’d rather play it safe and do a few ‘dry runs,’ you never know of any delays that can happen. Where I come from, it is going to take a super long time to get to LAX, there is just too much that can go wrong.
If I see the bus shuttles are crowded, I’ll wait for the next one(s).
A suggestion, please coordinate with L.A. Union Station and Amtrak for them to change their station letters from LAX to something else, such as LAU. Because of the opening of the LAX Transit Center for Metro, some air travelers might get confused if they plan to ride the Amtrak trains thinking that they can ride them directly from LAX Transit Center when in actuality they need to go to Union Station in downtown L.A. Conversely, some Amtrak train passengers might think that they can fly from Union Station when in actuality they need to go to LAX.
Amtrak does that in many cities, but Mark’s suggestion is quite valid.
Closer to home, I did notice that the soon to open A line terminus has signs labeled “Pomona North” which corresponds with the adjacent Metrolink station. This avoids confusion with the Pomona Downtown station for both Amtrak and Metrolink.
Thank you , thank you , thank you. The information here was very clear and well presented. I like the informal tone and pun intended! Excited to use the new transit center.
I can’t figure out what people are supposed to do with their luggage? We’re a family of five and I have to handle most of the luggage for my small children. How will this work for us?
As much as I advocate for public transit, if you have a family of five (with small kids) going to the airport, you really should use a taxi or uber for your own sanity and comfort.
For trips from the San Gabriel Valley, it’s actually faster and easier to stay on the A Line to the Willowbrook station (25 minutes from 7th Street to Willowbrook), then transfer to the C Line to the LAX Metro station (19 minutes from Willowbrook to LAX Metro station). Although it adds 6 minutes of travel time on the train itself, it saves riders a lot more time by eliminating an additional transfer in downtown LA. Not to mention the unnecessary transfer between the E and K Lines, which requires crossing Exposition Blvd before descending into the K Line station and waiting for the next train. Simply stay on the A line, transfer to C at Willowbrook. Much simpler, eliminates the additional transfer Metro describes above, and saves time overall from start to finish.
The San Gabriel Valley is HUGE!!! It’s not just the foothill cities. For someone coming from El Monte area for Example, the Silver Line and LAX Flyaway is still faster than the trains themselves.
“t adds 6 minutes of travel time on the train itself” if this is against the LAX Flyaway, that 6 min can make a HUGE difference.
For trips from downtown LA, or anywhere along the Silver-J Line: it’s a lot faster and easier to take the Silver-J Line to the Harbor Freeway station, then transfer to the C Line to LAX. Silver Line is able to reach the C Line from downtown LA within 20-21 minutes, even during rush hour. With a much easier vertical transfer between the Silver-J and C Lines (versus E to K transfer at Expo/Crenshaw). From there it’s only 15 minutes on the C Line to the LAX Metro station. Versus the longer route Metro suggests above, which requires transferring from the E Line to the K Line, a considerable walk (that requires crossing a major street).
Is there any public transit bus, other than Fly Away, directly from LAX to Union Station?