🚆 Skip the rental car
Getting around SoCal without a car
Coming for the mega-events? LA 2028 and the 2026 World Cup are built around transit.
Curated by Simir Shah
Cheap & simple
LA Metro basics
- Base fare is a flat $1.75 per boarding, any distance.
- Free transfers for 2 hours — tap once and switch lines or buses free within the window.
- Fare capping means you never overpay: $5.00/day and $18.00/week max, then the rest of your rides are free (Metro dropped day passes in 2026 in favor of capping).
- Pay three ways: tap a contactless card/phone/watch right at the gate (new for 2026), a reusable TAP card, or cash on buses only (exact fare).
- One contactless tap can cover you plus up to 4 others — but keep using the SAME card/phone all day so fare capping tracks.
The ones you'll use
Key Metro rail lines
| Line | Route | Why a visitor cares |
|---|---|---|
| B Line (subway) | North Hollywood ↔ Downtown LA | The tourist workhorse — Hollywood/Highland (Walk of Fame), Universal City (shuttle to Universal Studios), Downtown. Fully underground, traffic-proof. |
| E Line | Santa Monica ↔ Downtown LA | The beach line — one ride from Downtown to the Santa Monica Pier, beach and Third Street Promenade. |
| A Line | Long Beach ↔ Downtown ↔ Pasadena | The long north-south spine: Downtown Long Beach (Aquarium, Queen Mary) at one end, Old Town Pasadena at the other. |
| K / C Lines | Inglewood ↔ LAX/Metro Transit Center | Serves Inglewood (SoFi, Intuit Dome, the Forum) and connects to the airport hub. |
The D Line (purple) is being extended toward Beverly Hills, Century City and Westwood/UCLA in phases through 2028 — not all stations are open yet, so don't rely on the subway to the Westside today.
Airports
LAX & the other airports
- The new LAX/Metro Transit Center (open since June 2025) connects the K & C Lines plus 14 bus lines.
- A free shuttle runs every ~10 minutes between the Transit Center and all LAX terminals — use this today.
- The Automated People Mover (airport train) has been repeatedly delayed; targeted for 2026 but NOT confirmed open — use the free shuttle until it is.
- FlyAway bus runs nonstop LAX ↔ Union Station (Downtown) 365 days/year (~$9.75 one-way; verify) — often the simplest single step for Downtown-bound visitors.
SAN — San Diego
Easiest in the region — MTS Route 992 ($2.50, ~15 min) links terminals to downtown's Santa Fe Depot and the Trolley.
BUR — Hollywood Burbank
Good — its own Metrolink/Amtrak station next to the airport. Train-accessible, unusual for the Valley.
LGB — Long Beach
OK — Long Beach Transit buses, then the A Line from Downtown Long Beach. Not a one-seat ride.
SNA — John Wayne (OC)
Limited — OCTA Route 76 reaches the Santa Ana train station, but service is sparse. Plan carefully.
ONT — Ontario
Hardest — weak transit links; expect a rideshare or shuttle. Avoid if you're committed to car-free.
For a car-free trip, fly into SAN or BUR when you can; LAX is now viable via the new Transit Center; ONT is the one to avoid.
Beyond the city
Trains to Disneyland & San Diego
- Amtrak Pacific Surfliner is the most useful train for visitors — it hugs the coast from San Luis Obispo through Santa Barbara, LA (Union Station), Anaheim and San Juan Capistrano to San Diego (~13 daily LA↔SD round trips).
- Reach Disneyland via the Anaheim (ARTIC) station, the OC beach towns, San Diego (walkable downtown depot), or Santa Barbara — all car-free.
- Note: during the summer-2026 World Cup window (~Jun 11–Jul 19), Surfliner trains require advance reserved tickets — book ahead.
- Metrolink commuter rail radiates from Union Station across LA, OC, Ventura, Riverside and San Bernardino — best for suburban day trips and reaching Burbank airport. Weekend service thins out.
The easy one
Getting around San Diego
- The MTS Trolley has three lines (Blue, Orange, Green) covering downtown, the waterfront, Old Town and south to the border.
- The Blue Line extension now reaches La Jolla, UTC and UC San Diego — opening up the coast and university area.
- The airport (SAN) sits right next to downtown: Route 992 links it to Santa Fe Depot (~15 min, $2.50) and all three Trolley lines.
- You can realistically do a downtown San Diego trip — airport, hotel, Gaslamp, Balboa Park, beaches — entirely car-free.
The honest take
Where car-free works (and doesn't)
✅ Works well
- • Downtown LA — dense, walkable, the rail hub
- • Hollywood / Universal corridor — the B Line nails it
- • Santa Monica — E Line, door to beach
- • Long Beach & Pasadena — anchored by the A Line
- • Downtown San Diego — the gold standard: Trolley + walkable core
🚗 Plan a car or rideshare
- • The San Fernando Valley — sprawling, transit-thin
- • Far Orange County — limited, infrequent service
- • Mountain & desert day trips (Big Bear, Joshua Tree, Palm Springs, Malibu canyons) — effectively car-only
- • The Westside spread (Beverly Hills, Venice) — improving with the D Line extension, but not there yet
Rule of thumb: central LA + the rail corridors + San Diego = great car-free. Suburbs, mountains and desert = rent a car or take an organized tour. Apps: Google Maps for routing, the Transit app for live arrivals.
Frequently asked questions
Can you visit Southern California without a car?
Car-free works well in dense pockets — central LA along the rail corridors, Santa Monica, and especially downtown San Diego. But most of SoCal, including many beaches, theme parks, and mountain or desert day trips, effectively needs a car.
How much does LA Metro cost?
The base fare is a flat $1.75 per boarding, with free transfers for two hours. Fare capping means you never overpay — $5.00/day and $18.00/week max, after which the rest of your rides are free.
How do I pay for LA Metro?
You can tap a contactless card, phone, or watch right at the gate (new for 2026), use a reusable TAP card, or pay cash on buses only with exact fare. Keep using the same card or phone all day so fare capping tracks correctly.
How do I get from LAX to the city without a car?
A free shuttle runs every ~10 minutes between the LAX terminals and the LAX/Metro Transit Center, which connects to the K and C rail lines and many buses. The FlyAway bus also runs nonstop between LAX and Downtown's Union Station.
Can I take a train to Disneyland or San Diego?
Yes — Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner hugs the coast and reaches Anaheim (for Disneyland) and downtown San Diego car-free. Note that during the summer-2026 World Cup window, Surfliner trains require advance reserved tickets, so book ahead.
Planning a car-free SoCal trip?
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Transit projects move slowly and fares change — confirm the LAX People Mover status, D Line openings and summer-2026 Surfliner reservation rules before you travel. Last updated June 2026.