LAX, Hollywood Burbank, Union Station, FlyAway, Amtrak, Metrolink, Metro, driving, and parking

Getting to and around Los Angeles

Los Angeles rewards mixing modes: rail and walking inside useful corridors, buses and rideshare for selected gaps, and a rental car only for days whose geography truly benefits—Malibu, dispersed studios, or a late return from a distant venue.

LAX, Hollywood Burbank Airport, Union Station, FlyAway, Metro, and basin-wide approaches

Los Angeles arrivals divide among LAX, Hollywood Burbank Airport, Union Station, and several distinct hotel districts.

Match the arrival point to the first hotel district before choosing a rental car. LAX serves the broadest flight network, Hollywood Burbank can shorten north-central trips, Union Station connects intercity rail and regional transit, and Metro links useful corridors without reaching every studio, museum, beach, or venue door.

  • Tap a marker to compare airports, Union Station, Hollywood, Museum Row, Downtown, and the coast.
  • The lines show planning corridors, not live routes. Check airport ground transport, rail service, elevator status, traffic, parking, event closures, and the final walking leg for the travel date.
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Los Angeles International Airport

LAX has the widest flight network, but the useful ground connection depends on the hotel district, time, terminal, baggage, current rail and shuttle operations, and rideshare rules.

Hollywood Burbank Airport

BUR can be convenient for Burbank, Universal, Hollywood, Pasadena, or the east San Fernando Valley. Compare the flight, fare, ground transfer, and hotel—not airport mileage alone.

Union Station

Amtrak, Metrolink, Metro rail, buses, and LAX FlyAway meet at the historic Downtown station. Confirm the next leg and final service time before arrival.

Driving and rental cars

A car can help with Malibu, dispersed studios, gardens, and regional extensions, but parking cost, event restrictions, traffic, and hotel fees can outweigh it for clustered city days.

Move by cluster

Metro covers many corridors; some stops still need a connection

Metro rail links Downtown, Hollywood, Universal City, Koreatown, Santa Monica, Long Beach, Pasadena, and other corridors, while buses fill a much larger street network. Museum Row, West Hollywood, Malibu, some studios, and distant venues may require a bus, rideshare, or car from the nearest useful rail line.

Check live arrival times, elevator status, transfer distance, late-night service, event changes, and the walking route at both ends. Before renting, price hotel parking and every planned garage against the days that actually need a car.

Travelers using Los Angeles rail near a city venue

Official resources

Live airport, rail, transit, and traffic sources

Use first-party information for terminal operations, ground transportation, timetables, fares, accessibility, road conditions, and service alerts.

Official sourceLAXOfficial terminal, airline, ground transportation, parking, accessibility, and airport alerts.Official sourceHollywood Burbank AirportOfficial flight, parking, ground transport, terminal, and accessibility information.Official sourceLA MetroOfficial rail and bus trip planning, fares, maps, accessibility, and service alerts.Official sourceAmtrak Los Angeles Union StationOfficial station services, address, accessibility, arrivals, and departures.Official sourceCaltrans QuickMapOfficial California highway incidents, closures, traffic, cameras, and chain-control information where applicable.