Visitors should be aware that LA is not the best metropolis with a well-developed transit infrastructure. The subway is not the same as buses as it only covers a part of the city. Because some buses don’t run on time, check the timetable. Every day, 1.7 million passengers are served by buses and subways. LA is connected to the outside world by bus, Union Station, the San Pedro Bay Seaport, and five commercial airports.
Buses
The main form of LA public transportation is buses. There are more than 200 bus routes here, and all of them are equipped with an area for 2 bicycles. There is always plenty of seating on Los Angeles buses since most residents travel by private car or LA car rentals.
The city has a separate bus rapid transit system: the Orange Bus Line uses silver Metro Line articulated trains that are 18 meters long. These buses run in a dedicated freeway lane and have priority right of way.
Greyhound buses are used for long intercity trips from Los Angeles and take you to many cities around the country. The comfort of these buses depends on their usage; ticket prices are often cheaper than traveling by car alone or to rent a car Los Angeles for some day. The only drawback is the frequent stops along the way.
LA Metro
Subway construction proved risky in the City of Angels. Formerly, it was impossible to imagine building the subway in such a seismic zone, but the challenge was eventually solved with the development of new flexible building materials. Leading engineers suppose that the subway will be the safest place in the city during an earthquake.
While the underground lines are served by 4-6 Italian-built trains, the three above-ground lines are run by trains that resemble express streetcars. Due to rising gas prices and congested roads, more city-fans have recently opted for public transportation; the subway serves about 400 thousand passengers daily.
Trains
Los Angeles’ Union Station, which was built in 1939, is a noteworthy monument. The city’s public transportation networks are provided by Metrolink and Amtrak. Los Angeles only has one station, Union Station. This is because neither residents nor guests find the railroad service to be alluring. Because flying frequently costs the same as or more than the cost of a ticket. There aren’t many railroad stations close to Los Angeles.
Sea transport
San Pedro Bay Seaport, LA’s seaport, is 32 kilometers south of the city center. The port has a shoreline of 69 kilometers and a land area of around 30 km2. One of the top container terminals in the world is located there as well. The gateway of Los Angeles is frequently used by shipping businesses.
The port welcomes more than 800,000 cruise ship visitors each year. There are a few bays in and surrounding LA for smaller boats and ships. Redondo and Marina del Rey are the two most well-known among them.
Cars
LA is the car lovers’ best location. Vehicles drive about 160 million miles through the streets of the city every day. Highways and multi-level interchanges create a favorable environment for drivers. The city has the busiest roads in the USA. The traffic jams happen due to the huge number of private cars and car rentals in Los Angeles. The variety of rental car options in Los Angeles is enormous. You can find budget small cars, luxury and premium vehicles, as well as minivan and SUV rental Los Angeles services.
There are 12 expressways that run through the city. Streets that go from east to west cross those that extend from north to south. Boulevards are the names of the wider, more well-known streets. However, many of the central streets and some places are overrun with people walking. Due to traffic and a lack of parking places, walking is faster than driving in these regions.
Air Traffic
The air traffic consists of 5 airports. The main one is LAX. This is one of the world’s largest airports in terms of traffic and a hub for United Airlines, located 26 km from the city center between El Segundo and Westchester and west of Inglewood. Various buses go from the airport to different parts of LA, and to Southern California. Other commercial airports in LA:
- Ontario International Airport.
- Bob Hope Airport/Burbank Airport.
- Long Beach Municipal Airport.
- John Wayne Airport.
There is another airport in Los Angeles called Van Nuys Airportю It focuses on private and business aviation.
