Public transportation for a 4-5 day visit in April..... (Los Angeles: rent, hotel)

[pwright1]

For only 4 days and staying in Hollywood I would do public transportation. Red Line subway will take you to Universal Studios Hollywood and downtown LA. From downtown LA you can hop on the Expo Line and go to Santa Monica or anywhere in between like Exposition Park and USC.
Between Universal, Hollywood, Downtown, Exposition Park and Santa Monica, public transportation would be so much easier than driving all over and being stuck in traffic. You can even hop off the subway in Koreatown and have some great Korean cuisine in hundreds of restaurants.

[OyCrumbler]

Your TAP card will work with pretty much all mass transit networks you come across except for the Metrolink commuter rail service which you are unlikely to use. Hollywood is well-sited for getting around via train on the Red Line or by some of the more frequent bus services. Using rideshare like Lyft and Uber (you’ll want to make sure you get the bigger cars with your group size) for covering anything that might be unwieldy for mass transit.

I go back to visit LA a few times a year and sometimes for periods of several weeks. I generally haven’t rented a car in the last several years, because mass transit and rideshare has been much more convenient and pleasant than driving. This changes depending on your itinerary as in if you were going to go to more far flung or less populated parts of Southern California, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.

[BGS91762]

The last few reply’s have been spot on. I would never rent a car if at all possible. The parking and traffic would easily eliminate any convenience factors that people think a car would provide.

[BGS91762]

Forgot to mention that Amtrak and Metrolink is an easy way to visit Disneyland and other OC attractions.

[pwright1]

I want to ask the people that live here and advising these folks to rent a car, do you or have you ever used LA's public transportation?

[Inter441]

I recommend stay either in Santa Monica or Hollywood area hotels to easily take the Metro trains or Bus to go around major tourist spots in L.A .


Bus 733 Rapid that go to downtown L.A and 720 Rapid goes to major tourist museums etc Westwood.


Folks please don't be negative about not having cars in L.A , I take the trains sometimes especially if I have to go to downtown L.A to avoid traffic and yes expensive parking.

[(901)]

Originally Posted by pwright1

I want to ask the people that live here and advising these folks to rent a car, do you or have you ever used LA's public transportation?

Yes. I rode the train one day for fun from Bundy to downtown and back. The train was super crowded. Super filthy and the closer we got to downtown the sketcher my fellow passengers became. If you were to get attack on the train I have no idea where help would come from. When I was able to get off that thing I thanked God and promised myself I would never do that again. So much more pleasant to drive plus there is no way to see all the stuff that I see on a daily basis riding in a bus.

[BGS91762]

Originally Posted by (901)

Yes. I rode the train one day for fun from Bundy to downtown and back. The train was super crowded. Super filthy and the closer we got to downtown the sketcher my fellow passengers became. If you were to get attack on the train I have no idea where help would come from. When I was able to get off that thing I thanked God and promised myself I would never do that again. So much more pleasant to drive plus there is no way to see all the stuff that I see on a daily basis riding in a bus.

Wow, hope you never have to leave your house again!

[DabOnEm]

Originally Posted by vincenze

Do 6 people fit in a rideshare car?

If you do an XL then it can, but it'll also double or triple the price of the ride. Still cheaper than the overall costs of renting a car.

[pwright1]

Originally Posted by (901)

Yes. I rode the train one day for fun from Bundy to downtown and back. The train was super crowded. Super filthy and the closer we got to downtown the sketcher my fellow passengers became. If you were to get attack on the train I have no idea where help would come from. When I was able to get off that thing I thanked God and promised myself I would never do that again. So much more pleasant to drive plus there is no way to see all the stuff that I see on a daily basis riding in a bus.

When I rode the Expo Line from DTLA to Santa Monica and back everyday I found it fast, clean and pleasant and rather inexpensive. When I drove it everyday I found it THE WORST commute of any commute I have ever experienced in my lifetime. To sit in traffic on the 10 eastbound at 5pm everyday was the absolute worst. When the Expo Line opened its final stretch to Santa Monica I immediately left my car at home and walked to Metro Center. Its the easiest, cheapest most pleasant commute I ever experienced. LA people always complain about traffic but do nothing to make it easier and complain about everything not associated with their precious automobiles. I'm glad they're rapidly expanding our public transportation system around the region.