LAX Airport: Getting to Your Hotel

Step 1: Pick your way out of LAX airport by where you are going

Your hotel's location decides which way out of LAX airport fits you best. Los Angeles is spread out, and a ride that is cheap to one area can be slow to another. To see the city without a car, read how to get around Los Angeles without a car first.

The table gives the whole path in one place. Each row matches a step below.

Key Takeaway There is no one-seat train from LAX to Downtown. You change from a shuttle bus to a train, or you take the FlyAway bus that drives straight to Union Station.

Here is the same choice as a picture.

Step 2: Take the FlyAway bus to Union Station

The FlyAway bus runs from LAX Terminal 1 to Union Station in Downtown Los Angeles for a flat fare. LAX's own transit page lists the stops and the times. The bus also serves Van Nuys.

Which terminal you land in depends on your airline, and your ticket or airline app shows it. We found no official list that matches airlines to terminals, and flylax.com did not open for us. LAX's transit page says the FlyAway buses serve each terminal. The times it lists are the ones from Terminal 1.

In October 2026, the LAX FlyAway bus to Union Station cost $12.75, according to the 2026 Los Angeles Travel Cost Study.

The first bus leaves Terminal 1 at 5:40 am and the last at 11:40 pm. The airport's page gives the wait between buses as 15 to 30 minutes, and it lists more than one number. A Metrolink page on the same service puts the ride at 30 to 50 minutes, depending on traffic.

You pay by tapping a contactless Visa or Mastercard, or in the FlyAway app. Cash is not accepted on any route.

Pro Tip Keep one contactless Visa or Mastercard handy before you reach the FlyAway door, because the bus takes no cash and the same kind of card also pays for Metro.

Is it worth it? Yes, if your hotel is in Downtown or near Union Station. It is one bus with no change, and it costs less than the flat taxi fare of $51.15 in Step 4. It is not worth it if your hotel is far from Union Station, because you still pay for a second ride. The Metro in Step 3 costs less but needs a change.

The FlyAway has one clear limit. It stops at Union Station and Van Nuys only. If your hotel is far from Union Station, you still need a train, bus or ride for the last part.

Step 3: Take the Metro train with the free shuttle

The Metro option costs the least per ride, and it asks the most of you. The Metro C Line stops at the LAX/Metro Transit Center, and a free Metro Connector shuttle takes you from there to the terminals, according to LAX's transit page. The shuttle is free with valid proof of transit.

The C Line runs every 10 minutes. The K Line also serves the station, and the airport page says it runs every 10 minutes as well.

A regular Metro ride costs $1.75 and includes two hours of free transfers, says LA Metro's fare page. You pay with a TAP card or with a contactless bank card or phone. Metro's page also caps your fares at $5 a day.

There is no train that runs straight from LAX to Downtown. You change trains, so use Metro's trip planner before you fly. We left out the ride time because no official page gives one for the whole trip.

A note on parking: LAX publishes its daily parking prices on flylax.com. That page did not open for us, so we give no price per day. Check it before you plan to drive. If you ride the Metro, you pay no parking at all.

A good arrival plan starts before the plane lands.

Step 4: Take a taxi or rideshare from LAX-it

The only posted fare from LAX to Downtown is the taxi flat fare of $51.15 for all passengers, because no official page publishes a rideshare fare from LAX, so the rideshare app shows you the price and the taxi fare is the one to compare it with. Both pick you up at the LAX-it area next to Terminal 1, not at the terminal curb. Look for the green signs. A free shuttle runs between the terminals and LAX-it. We could not open the airport's LAX-it page, so check flylax.com for the shuttle times.

For a taxi, the City of Los Angeles posts a rate card. The LADOT taxicab rate card lists a flat fare of $51.15 from LAX to Downtown, a $4 airport surcharge and a $16.50 airport minimum. The flat fare covers all passengers for the price of one. That card is dated 2023, and we found no newer one.

A rideshare app shows its own price before you book. Prices move with demand, and neither the airport nor the city publishes a rideshare fare for LAX that we could find, so we give no number. Check the price in the app at LAX-it before you confirm. If it is above $51.15 and your hotel is Downtown, the taxi costs less. The taxi flat fare is the only posted fare to compare with.

A taxi or rideshare suits you if your hotel is not on a train or FlyAway route, if you travel as a group of three or four, or if you land late. A group of four can split the flat Downtown taxi fare.

Step 5: Book a private transfer if you land late or carry a lot

A private transfer puts a driver at your arrival with a set price. Private Transfers between LAX Airport and Los Angeles starts from €82.93 per group of up to 3, is run by Didatravel, and is for a hotel or address in Los Angeles. On GetYourGuide it has a rating of 4.7 from 9 reviews, and the listing showed free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance on 22 October 2026, so read its own terms before you book. That is a small number of reviews, so it is not yet a track record.

The listing includes a professional driver, porter help, and 60 minutes of free waiting time for arrivals. Overtime costs $36 per 30 minutes, and tips are not included. The driver or customer service contacts you the day before, because the pick-up point is not fixed. You give your flight details and hotel address when you book. A car for 1 to 3 people is a sedan, and for 4 to 5 it is a minivan.

The listing says this is a private group, and the listing gives no group size beyond the car sizes above. It takes 30 minutes to 2 hours. The listing names no one it is unsuitable for.

Is it worth it over doing it on your own? On your own, the Metro costs $1.75 a ride and the taxi flat fare to Downtown is $51.15. The transfer costs more, and in return a driver meets you, carries your bags and waits up to 60 minutes if your flight is late. Nine reviews are a small sample, so treat the 4.7 rating as a first look only.

Prices and ratings as shown on GetYourGuide on 22 October 2026.

Things to Do in Los Angeles' count of GetYourGuide listings on 22 October 2026 found three private airport transfers from LAX, from €40.06 to €222.55 per group. The most expensive one drives to Disneyland.

A transfer is the wrong choice if you travel alone and your hotel sits on the Metro line. A solo traveler pays less by train.

Step 6: Start your first day once your bags are at the hotel

After the ride, drop your bags first and then pick one easy plan for the afternoon. If you want to see the city without driving, our page on tours Los Angeles lists the options, from open-air bus rides to full-day trips.

A bus tour is a good way to look around when you are tired. The Best of LA city tour with stops and free time is from €52.29 per person and is run by Hollywood Bus Tours. If you have a full day, the full-day city tour of LA, Hollywood, Beverly Hills and the beaches is from €82.48 per person, runs 7.5 to 9 hours and is run by A Day in LA Tours. For a short first afternoon, the open-air Hollywood and Beverly Hills bus tour is from €28.59 per person.

All three showed free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance on 22 October 2026, and the table gives each one's rating and review count on GetYourGuide. Read each listing's own terms before you book. Each tour has thousands of reviews at 4.5 or higher, so these are well tested.

Is a tour worth it, or should you do the first day on your own? On your own, a Metro day costs at most $5, since fares are capped at $5 a day, but you plan the route and change vehicles yourself. A tour costs more. In return, a guide narrates, and a bus takes you between stops. On the full-day tour, the guide leads you to six major stops, and you pay for lunch on your own. If you only want to get to your hotel, skip the tour.

Each listing says pickup is available. The meeting point depends on the option you pick, and the listings do not name one place, so open Check Availability for yours before you book. Each offers a private option and gives no group size. None names a group it is unsuitable for. The first tour includes a driver-guide and an audio guide, and you bring your own headphones or buy them for $5. The full-day tour includes bottled water and air-conditioned transport. The open-air tour includes a guide and the bus.

Prices and ratings as shown on GetYourGuide on 22 October 2026.