LAX transportation question for SoCal BBBers

[gcc2k]

I'm flying to LAX for my grandmother's funeral and won't be renting a car since other family members will have them. But I need to get from the airport to Arcadia. What's the best (cheapest) way to get to my hotel? Uber (which I've never done since I'm a suburban mini-van driver) or some airport shuttle?

TIA!

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[DualvansMommy]

I just googled the distance on the map, looks like it’s about 50-55 mins drive from LAX.

I would uber, as have taken that from Newark airport and also from Penn station in Newark without issues. The airport drive is only 40 mins to my home, but the penn pickup was longer cuz had to go through downtown of Newark.

Perhaps others who’s more local can chime in.


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[Pear]

When I lived that far from lax, I used Super Shuttle.

[niccig]

We get Uber, I’m not quite as far as Arcadia from LAX. Expect it to be about an hour, maybe a little more depending on time of day and traffic. If you get a shuttle, they drop off other people on the way and it takes longer.


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[newnana]

Have you considered a towncar service like LA Private Car? Generally I find when going a long distance a towncar service is significantly cheaper than a taxi or uber.

I sometimes travel a lot for work and in terms of cleanliness, safety, reliability, AND price have found town cars to be a far superior experience.

[AnnieW625]

I would look at Uber, Super Shuttle, Primetime Express or a car service. I used Super Shuttle to LAX a few years ago and it was fine; this was before Uber got big. We have used Uber or Lyft to go from Orange County Airport to and from our home a few times and it has been fine. I always request the ride once I have gotten my baggage and there has always been plenty of rides. We are 25 miles from the OC airport and it cost us $45 as we needed an UBer XL. It could be more from LAX to Arcadia and you might hit Prime rates so that is where a car service might be cheaper.


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[bisous]

I'm assuming you don't have anyone who can pick you up? Is that an option at all? That's the cheapest (and easiest for YOU though not for the driver) way to do it. We always pick up family at the airport. DH uses Uber frequently. I don't think it will be terribly cheap though. I live about that many miles away from LAX and it was estimated to cost me over $100 to ride a shuttle.

[mom2binsd]

I have heard Lyft is bigger in CA, can any locals confirm? Here we Uber, but I know some places Lyft is more common. Either way, price it out (you can go into the App and test out the fare (I think you can put in the time of day as that dictates the price).

Also, what time of day do you arrive at? That will make a huge difference with LA traffic.

[craftysierra]

When I flew out of LAX by myself in October I took the Metrolink to union Station and then flyaway shuttle (bus) to LAX I wish I had just taken the metro on from Union station and avoided traffic (it was in the am). I was going to suggest this especially since Metro is cheep (not fast). It appears there is a construction closure on the Green Line http://abc7.com/traffic/la-metro-temporarily-closing-5-green-line-stations/2978680/...

Sierra

[AnnieW625]

Depending on where in Arcadia you are staying you could take Metro from LAX, but you would you would have to take a shuttle to the Green Line and then switch to the Blue Line and take it to where it ends at 7th Street/Metro and then take the red or purple line to Union Station, and then finally take the gold line to Arcadia. You might still need to uber from the metro stop to your hotel there. It would probably take at least 90 minutes to do this though and unless you are in the middle of rush hour traffic this wouldn’t be faster than actual driving.

I use either Uber or Lyft it just depends which is cheaper. A lot of drivers drive for both services.


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[dhano923]

Lyft or Uber. Depending on what time you arrive, the rates may be different if you're landing at night or during rush hour. Check both for the better rate.

[gcc2k]

Have you considered a towncar service like LA Private Car? Generally I find when going a long distance a towncar service is significantly cheaper than a taxi or uber.

I sometimes travel a lot for work and in terms of cleanliness, safety, reliability, AND price have found town cars to be a far superior experience.

Thanks I checked them out but the cheapest option appeared to be around $150. That sounds outrageous. But I'm not used to the prices in a HCOL area.


I'm assuming you don't have anyone who can pick you up? Is that an option at all? That's the cheapest (and easiest for YOU though not for the driver) way to do it. We always pick up family at the airport. DH uses Uber frequently. I don't think it will be terribly cheap though. I live about that many miles away from LAX and it was estimated to cost me over $100 to ride a shuttle.

It is an option since my parents and brothers are arriving the day before, but I'm trying to spare them the 3-4 hour round trip journey.


I have heard Lyft is bigger in CA, can any locals confirm? Here we Uber, but I know some places Lyft is more common. Either way, price it out (you can go into the App and test out the fare (I think you can put in the time of day as that dictates the price).

Also, what time of day do you arrive at? That will make a huge difference with LA traffic.

This is the main thing. I'm arriving between 4-5 on a Friday. The WORST possible time in terms of traffic and I'm sure I'll be paying extra for that.


Depending on where in Arcadia you are staying you could take Metro from LAX, but you would you would have to take a shuttle to the Green Line and then switch to the Blue Line and take it to where it ends at 7th Street/Metro and then take the red or purple line to Union Station, and then finally take the gold line to Arcadia. You might still need to uber from the metro stop to your hotel there. It would probably take at least 90 minutes to do this though and unless you are in the middle of rush hour traffic this wouldn’t be faster than actual driving.

I use either Uber or Lyft it just depends which is cheaper. A lot of drivers drive for both services.


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This is definitely a possibility. Because I'll be sitting in rush hour traffic with a car service/shuttle/Uber anyway, maybe I should check out the Metro. I'll only have a purse and small wheelie suitcase so that shouldn't be hard to manage. My hotel is on 2nd Ave near the 210, but if I can get remotely near Arcadia I'm sure my parents or brothers could pick me up there. I just don't want them to have to go all the way to LAX.

Thanks for all the responses and suggestions!!

[niccig]

$150 sounds about right for a town car. I organized for my sister to get picked up by a town car and it was $100 and Arcadia is another 30 mins from me. It’s not close at all to LAX. See what Uber costs. Shuttle would be cheapest, but it’ll take longer as make several stops.


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[fauve01]

DH takes Uber exclusively from LAX. He travels every week, in and out of LAX.

[Zansu]

You can take the Fly-Away to Union Station. From there, you can take the Metro or have family pick you up.

[bisous]

You can take the Fly-Away to Union Station. From there, you can take the Metro or have family pick you up.

That’s a great idea.

[AustenFan]

Sometimes the shuttle is great, but sometimes it is awful when they have a ton of drop-offs. One time it took my parents 4 hours to get from LAX to our home in Thousand Oaks (when it would have taken us an hour if we'd driven them at that time of night--but I seem to remember DH was out of town and I couldn't find a sitter). Now that we live closer in, only 25 miles away, DH and I have both taken Uber back from LAX multiple times with no problems. But agree that the distance will make it more expensive. To be honest, the metro lines have never seemed terribly convenient for us, in terms of avoiding traffic. We've driven to the closest metro stop and taken it in for a USC football game a couple times, but that was basically just to avoid the parking nightmare.

[PZMommy]

You can take the Fly-Away to Union Station. From there, you can take the Metro or have family pick you up.

I was going to suggest seeing if there is a fly away option. When my mom visits us, she flies into LAX, and then takes the Fly away to Van Nuys. I believe it is $7 each way, so it is pretty cheap. It is so much easier to go and pick her up there, then to have to drive all the way into LAX.

[georgiegirl]

I’ve stopped flying into LAX because the traffic is so horrible. If you haven’t purchased the tickets yet, try Burbank. Southwest flies there.


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[essnce629]

I’ve stopped flying into LAX because the traffic is so horrible. If you haven’t purchased the tickets yet, try Burbank. Southwest flies there.


Sent from my iPad using TapatalkYes, it's super easy getting in and out of Burbank! 10 times easier and way less crowded than LAX!

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