Commuting from Silver Lake to Newport Beach (Irvine, Orange: home, to live)

[Ambugger]

Has anyone (or does anyone) make this commute? I just took a job in Newport Beach and I live in Silver Lake, so right now I commute 100 miles a day, usually an hour each way. My girlfriend works in DTLA so it's hard to pack up and just move around. Here are some options I'm laying out, and I'm hoping you can enlighten me on more ideas:

1) Move: We could always move to LBC, a good distance halfway point from DTLA and Newport. But as I was doing a bit of research, it really looks like going from LBC to DTLA would be an unimaginable commute for my girlfriend and I'd feel horrible getting her to move just to add 45 min to her commute and make mine 15-25 min less than it is now. Anyone prove that LBC to DTLA is not horrible?

2) Public transportation: The trains that go from Union to OC are just stupid and don't make any sense. I've found more value looking for a carpool to be honest. Metrolink trains drop in Tustin, and you can take a bus/bike to Newport after that. But trying to get home on the same route? Nope, you have to go on Amtrak at the Irvine station. Proving once again that trains are hard to use But if we were in LBC, is Blue Line worth it?

3) Find a carpool: Easier said than done, but there must be a "good" resource for finding this kind of information. Carpool websites seem to be a deadend, but then again I do have a weird route.

4) Get another job: again, easier said than done, but what if the job took you the same hour+ to get to, just a way shorter distance?

5) Stop complaining and do it: In other words, is an hour+ commute child play in the sense of what other commuters are experiencing? Maybe I should just embrace my new life on the road?

Thanks for reading. I'd love more input on this and any ideas you might have! Thanks again.

[genjy]

The Blue Line from end-to-end takes about a hour. Not the funnest ride in Metro's system.

The 110fwy has Fastrak ExpressLanes, so your GF could solo the carpool lane for a few bucks a day, but I don't know how well it actually works in practice.

I use the 10fwy's ExpressLanes quite often, and it works REALLY well on THAT freeway.

https://www.metroexpresslanes.net/en/about/map.shtml

The system is sort-of experimental at the moment... Metro could take it all down (or not) next year, FYI.

[Mr_Geek]

One of you is going to have a miserable commute no matter what. I don't see a good middle area in this scenario. Stick with it and maybe one of you try to find a new job long term.

[saybanana]

Why not move to Orange County. She can commute via Metrolink/Amtrak because they have frequent into DTLA like the ten thousand other people who do the same. Assuming she has typical 9-5 job. You can just drive to Newport. You just have to live near one of the stations and great if both train services stop there because a monthly pass allows you to ride both, and Metro and Orange county rail and/or buses free.

[gpryb]

Hey,

Did you ever figure this out. I am working in Irvine and moving to DTLA or Silver Lake. I think I will just leave my car at the Irvine station and commute on the Amtrak. Anyone done something like this?