Is it easy to get around LA with public transportation?

The Los Angeles Metro is affordable, relatively easy to use, and services most of Los Angeles County and its top attractions. The public transit system consists of Metro Buses, DASH Buses, and Metro Rail Trains. To ride these buses, trains, and subways, we recommend purchasing a reusable TAP Card.



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Los Angeles is home to one of the country's best public transportation networks, including subways, light-rail, buses and shuttles to nearly every corner of the Greater Los Angeles area.

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Getting around L.A. without a car is easy if you don't mind the bus. The subways were also useful. Here's a very basic guide to the places you can see via some major subway lines: Red Line: Connects downtown to Hollywood.

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Metro Rail Red Line is the most useful for tourists and visitors. This line links Downtown Union Station to North Hollywood via Hollywood and Universal City. It also connects with the Blue, Expo and Orange lines. Purple Line connects Downtown Los Angeles to Westlake and Koreatown.

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If you've ever wondered “is Los Angeles safe?” The answer to that question is yes! In fact, it received a very high overall score of 76.5 on the 2021 Safe Cities Index, making it the 18th-safest city among 60 cities worldwide.

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Many neighborhoods, such as Downtown LA, Santa Monica, and Westwood, have highly walkable streets with plenty of amenities nearby. Additionally, LA has an extensive public transit system that can help you get around without a car.

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If you rent a car in LA but only plan to use it now and then during your trip, Uber probably will be cheaper. If you intend on driving around every day, rent a car in LA could be cheaper.

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The newly expanded subway may not go everywhere, but for $5 a day it offers a gridlock-free way to get to plenty of great places. Elaine Glusac is the Frugal Traveler columnist, focusing on budget-friendly tips and journeys.

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How much time should I spend in LA? Let me start by saying that LA is a HUGE city and the landmarks are spread apart from each other. Ideally, you should try to spend 5-7 days here if you don't want to be rushed and want to see everything.

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Pay with Cash Exact change is accepted on buses that do not have All-Door Boarding. Transfers are not included. To ride Metro Rail, you must pay with a TAP card. Alert Metro tokens are no longer accepted as payment.

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The regular fare remains $1.75 with two hours of free transfers. No one will pay more than $5 a day to ride or $18 in a seven day period— after you reach the 1-day and 7-day caps, you can continue to ride free.

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All fares can be pre-paid by loading a pass or Stored Valued (cash) on a TAP card and then tapping each time you board. On buses you can also pay for a single ride with a token or cash using exact change. Note: New TAP cards are $1 at TAP vending machines and onboard buses, or $2 at pass vendor locations.

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In Los Angeles, a taxi costs $2.85 for the first 1/9 of a mile, 30 cents for each additional 1/9 mile, and 30 cents for every 37 seconds of wait time. UberX, however, charges no base fare, 28 cents per minute, and 80 cents per mile. (There's a booking fee of $2.30.)

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Visitors flock to the Hills to experience the allure of Hollywood, world-class shopping, fine dining and of course star-gazing. Give your credit card a real workout at top end boutiques and department stores on Rodeo Drive and Wilshire Boulevard, or dine in famous celebrity hangouts and watch for your favorite stars.

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20 travel tips for your first visit to L.A.
  • It's always sunny and sometimes hot. ...
  • But it's pretty “cold” every night. ...
  • The ocean is downright cold. ...
  • There's more than just one beach. ...
  • Los Angeles has no center. ...
  • In fact, L.A. is actually multiple cities. ...
  • Downtown L.A. isn't necessarily the best starting point for a tourist.


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Hip and historic, Downtown Los Angeles (or simply DTLA) offers big-city excitement with trendy restaurants, cultural attractions, budget-friendly shopping, and major-league sports.

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