Planning to fly out of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) for the holidays? Skip the inevitable traffic and the stress of driving and/or parking — the recently-opened LAX/Metro Transit Center offers an easy and very affordable way to get to and from the airport.
A Quick Overview of the Transit Center
Metro’s LAX/Metro Transit Center debuted last June and is located on Aviation Boulevrd adjacent to the airport. The station serves two Metro rail lines — the C Line and K Line — and local bus lines. A free LAX shuttle bus runs every 10 minutes between the LAX/Metro Transit Center (at Bus Bays 1 and 2) and all airport terminals.
Designed specifically with travelers in mind, the LAX/Metro Transit Center has wide platforms, escalators and elevators, restrooms and plenty of signage to help you get where you’re going.
Getting to the LAX/Metro Transit Center: Rail and Bus Connections
Metro Rail – Both the C and K Lines run from about 4 a.m. until between midnight and 1 a.m. every day — holidays included — and run directly to the LAX/Metro Transit Center. See our rail and busway system map above.
Metro and Municipal Buses – Once at the Transit Center, you can also connect to local and regional buses that serve the station, including:
- Line 102, which runs between South Gate, Huntington Park, Exposition Park, and the LAX area; map/timetable
- Line 111, which runs between Norwalk and the LAX area; map/timetable
- Line 117, which runs between Downey and the LAX area; map/timetable
- Line 120, which runs between Whittier and the LAX area; Travel Time; map/timetable
- Line 232, which runs between Long Beach and the LAX area; map/timetable
•These bus lines run by other agencies also serve the LAX/Metro Transit Center:
- 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.
Planning your trip — To plan your transit trip, use Google Maps, Apple Maps, the Transit app, the Moovit app or the trip planner on metro.net.
Fares — Metro rail and bus fare is $1.75 one-way or $3.50 round-trip — much less than parking or taking a rideshare/cab to or from LAX. Pay fare with a plastic TAP card that can be purchased at the TAP Vending Machines at all Metro rail and busway stations.
•Two children, ages 6 and under, can ride free on Metro with each paying adult.
•You can also pay fare with a digital TAP card on your smartphone. Here’s how:
iPhone
- Open the Apple Wallet app on your iPhone and tap the “+”
- Select ‘Transit Card,’ then select TAP
- Add fare with a double click of the side button
- Tap at bus farebox or validator at rail stations & ride!
- Fans can load multiple TAP cards in Apple Wallet — you just need to switch to the next card before tapping at the farebox on buses and validators at rail and busway stations.
Android phones
- Download the TAP App from Google Play
- Sign in or create a TAP account
- Follow prompts to “Add a TAP Card on Your Phone” and add fare; a round-trip on Metro buses and trains costs $3.50
- Tap at bus farebox or validator at rail stations & ride!
From the LAX/Metro Transit Center to Airport Terminals
One of the biggest perks of using the LAX/Metro Transit Center is the free shuttle service between the station and the airport terminals. Located at Bus Bays 1 and 2, the LAX-operated shuttle runs roughly every 10 minutes. Buses are clearly marked with “Metro” or “Metro Connector” signs and include luggage racks.
If you’re arriving at LAX, exit the airport on the baggage claim level and look for the PINK LAX Shuttle sign — the shuttles pick up passengers there.
Holiday Travel Tips
- Plan Ahead: During peak holiday travel days, trains and buses can be busy. Give yourself plenty of time.
- Pack Smart: The station and shuttles are designed for travelers with luggage, but keeping bags organized will make moving through connections much smoother.
Here’s a pro tip: some riders have family, friends or rideshare drop them off or pick them up at a C Line or K Line rail station nearish to the airport. This helps avoid traffic congestion that can gum up streets adjacent to LAX and makes for a very short train ride to/from LAX/Metro Transit Center.
By the way: the bus shuttle service is a temporary connection until the LAX Automated People Mover (APM) opens, at which point getting between the Transit Center and the terminals will be even faster.
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I love mass transit, but there’s no way I’m taking my family and luggage through four steps (station → Transit Center → bus → terminal) when an Uber gets us to the curb in one. That’s not “making holiday travel easier” — it’s adding friction and hoping people tolerate it.
Shuttle service FROM LAX needs to be vastly improved. For example, there are no “Next Bus inn X minutes” anywhere to be found (despite being found all over the world), either at LAX proper or the Transit Center.
Also, 10 minute intervals is questionable on the surface and probably completely erroneous in reality. (My one experience attempting to ride FROM LAX did not go well.) It’s about building trust and 10 minutes isn’t going to do it. Also need to remember that it’s not like all these bus connections are whisking passengers away on 5 minute intervals. It’s more like 15-20 or maybe even 30 minutes. At that point, with 2 extended bus waiting times with NO assurance when a bus will arrive, public transportation from LAX is no longer competitive or reliable. Once again, it appears the decision makers and planners at LAX/LAWA/MTA do not actually ride the service making them blind to how it actually functions.
How do you sign up for the free pass for 90 days
I will come on Mar29 around 17:30. If want to use the Line C, where’s LAX metro transit center & how you getting there, 10 mints each train coming time??
Even Sunday afternoon train line C
coming every 10 minutes? Lax transit center location how can I reach there? How can I pay the ticket?