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

[(901)]

Originally Posted by pwright1

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.

I'm glad they are too. Hopefully more folks will start riding so my commute will be more enjoyable

[vincenze]

Originally Posted by (901)

[/b]
I'm glad they are too. Hopefully more folks will start riding so my commute will be more enjoyable

But you just said that your commute on the 10 is super pleasant.

Mine wasn't. One day, an idiot tailgated me and hit my bumper at the place where you have to quickly merge into traffic between Crenshaw and La Brea. Apparently, he was was a newcomer and didn't know how to drive on the 10.

Fortunately, I found an alternative.

[2Easy]

Originally Posted by (901)

Unless parking comes with the stay?

That's fairly rare in LA proper and even if so you'll pay for parking most places you visit.

No way in the world could I tolerate this city without a vehicle. The amount of time you will waste waiting around should be enough to qualify for Deal Killer.

Obviously personal preference, but the OP wasn't asking whether or not we liked public transportation or would recommend it. They were quite clear that they will not have a car, so whether or not you like public transportation is an unrelated matter.

[Losfrisco]

Originally Posted by vincenze

Do 6 people fit in a rideshare car?

I"ve heard they have more than one rideshare car in Los Angeles.

[(901)]

Originally Posted by vincenze

But you just said that your commute on the 10 is super pleasant.
.

I never said that. I only use surface streets.

[citizensadvocate]

If you are willing to brave the sketchier parts of town, deal with unhelpful and sometimes unfriendly security guards and staff, scammers, beggars, hobos, as well as unreliability of time, smell of human waste than you can try the metro in LA which allows an alternative to getting stuck in traffic if you are visiting places like Universal Studios/Citywalk, Hollywood/Highland or attractions within one mile of it especially eastwards on Hollywood Blvd, Downtown LA, Koreatown, Little Tokyo, etc. While the Metro was actually built in the 1990s however compared to other systems of similar age around the world it seems to look and feel like its half a century old, break downs are not uncommon causing it to run behind schedule.

If you still want to explore LA via train and other transit, I suggest you stay in a hotel somewhere within walking distance of Union Station where most all modes of transit "dock", unfortunately, there are not many nice hotels in the immediate area. Just be warned the station and the neighborhood around it may be a bit rough and not user-friendly, Though other good choices include hotels close to Metro Redline stations. If you stay in that area, another perk is that the Santa Monica big blue bus rapid 10 can whisk you from downtown towards Santa Monica, westside, and the beaches without all the parking hassles. The Getty would be best done by rideshare after getting off rapid 10 though as it a bit out of the way. Someday Metro line may service all the way to Santa Monica but one can only hope it doesn't get delayed again and again.
Its best to get a TAP card before the day you are pressed on time so you don't have to worry about paying for transit or buying a card when in a hurry. Also try to get a paper transit map from one of Metro's customer service centers if you can. These can be found at the Union station as well as the Los Angeles tourist info centers located in different parts of the city. One of which being Hollywood and Highland.

Also there is Metrolink, while not really a part of the TAP card network, with a combination of local transit, it can also get you to Magic Mountain, Knotts Berry Farm, and Disney resorts if you plan ahead without having to pay a hefty parking fee for the privilege of parking your car far far away from the park's entrance gates and still needing to get on a bus/tram to get there.

Downtown is also a very centralized location which is beneficial regardless of the means you decide to explore the city and surrounding metro area, its also where most all the major freeways hub and spoke. So should you decide to rent a car anyways or use rideshare the location helps as well. Union station has two rental car company desks inside so does some large hotels.

[pwright1]

The Blue express #10 bus is horrible the times I rode it. It travels on the 10 and most of the time the 10 is way too backed up.

[BGS91762]

Originally Posted by citizensadvocate

If you are willing to brave the sketchier parts of town, deal with unhelpful and sometimes unfriendly security guards and staff, scammers, beggars, hobos, as well as unreliability of time, smell of human waste than you can try the metro in LA which allows an alternative to getting stuck in traffic if you are visiting places like Universal Studios/Citywalk, Hollywood/Highland or attractions within one mile of it especially eastwards on Hollywood Blvd, Downtown LA, Koreatown, Little Tokyo, etc. While the Metro was actually built in the 1990s however compared to other systems of similar age around the world it seems to look and feel like its half a century old, break downs are not uncommon causing it to run behind schedule.

If you still want to explore LA via train and other transit, I suggest you stay in a hotel somewhere within walking distance of Union Station where most all modes of transit "dock", unfortunately, there are not many nice hotels in the immediate area. Just be warned the station and the neighborhood around it may be a bit rough and not user-friendly, Though other good choices include hotels close to Metro Redline stations. If you stay in that area, another perk is that the Santa Monica big blue bus rapid 10 can whisk you from downtown towards Santa Monica, westside, and the beaches without all the parking hassles. The Getty would be best done by rideshare after getting off rapid 10 though as it a bit out of the way. Someday Metro line may service all the way to Santa Monica but one can only hope it doesn't get delayed again and again.
Its best to get a TAP card before the day you are pressed on time so you don't have to worry about paying for transit or buying a card when in a hurry. Also try to get a paper transit map from one of Metro's customer service centers if you can. These can be found at the Union station as well as the Los Angeles tourist info centers located in different parts of the city. One of which being Hollywood and Highland.

Also there is Metrolink, while not really a part of the TAP card network, with a combination of local transit, it can also get you to Magic Mountain, Knotts Berry Farm, and Disney resorts if you plan ahead without having to pay a hefty parking fee for the privilege of parking your car far far away from the park's entrance gates and still needing to get on a bus/tram to get there.

Downtown is also a very centralized location which is beneficial regardless of the means you decide to explore the city and surrounding metro area, its also where most all the major freeways hub and spoke. So should you decide to rent a car anyways or use rideshare the location helps as well. Union station has two rental car company desks inside so does some large hotels.

Funny I have ridden the Metro and Metrolink for years and have never experienced the bad things mentioned on this site. I keep wondering if the negative posters have ever ridden?

[mamainfl]

Thank you to everyone for your honest opinions! We will try it out without a car. If we ever do move to L.A. , my husband is a big public transportation advocate. It will be a good test to see if L.A. would be a good fit for us, as we really do operate using public transportation, or walking most often.

I have always heard that L.A. is not doable without a car. But, I am happy to see that it can, and that real people really do it on a daily basis. Thanks again for the information!!

[vincenze]

Originally Posted by citizensadvocate

If you stay in that area, another perk is that the Santa Monica big blue bus rapid 10 can whisk you from downtown towards Santa Monica, westside, and the beaches without all the parking hassles. The Getty would be best done by rideshare after getting off rapid 10 though as it a bit out of the way. Someday Metro line may service all the way to Santa Monica but one can only hope it doesn't get delayed again and again.

You probably don't know, but the Expo Metro Line has been servicing Santa Monica since 2016. It stops just a few blocks from the beach.

They are planning to stay in Hollywood. There are numerous lines that service that area.
For example, to get to the Getty, they can use the bus 2 on Sunset Blvd, then the bus 234 on Sepulveda (this one runs less often).

Every major street in Hollywood has a bus line: Hollywood Blvd, Sunset Blvd, Santa Monica Blvd, Melrose, La Brea, Vine, Western...