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| City Guide - Los Angeles - Getting Around | ||
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Getting Around Public Transport Despite LA being known as one of the most car-orientated cities in the USA, public transport is surprisingly good. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA; tel: (800) COMMUTE/266 6883, route information or (213) 922 4682, customer relations; website: www.mta.net) actually operates over 1500 buses (Metro Bus) - one of the largest fleets in the nation - as well as a subway system (Metro Rail). Due to the size of the city, buses can be time consuming and may involve changing, but if the subway stops where required, it is a very good option. For example, visitors could be whisked from downtown to Hollywood in just 12 minutes. The MTA website has an efficient interactive trip planner. The Metro Rail system has, at present, nearly 96km (60 miles) of subway and light rail lines in service and 50 stations. The Metro Blue Line connects downtown Los Angeles and Long Beach. The Metro Green Line runs along the median of Century Freeway and links Norwalk and El Segundo. The Metro Red Line connects Union Station, downtown LA, Hollywood, Universal City and North Hollywood. A new line from Union Station to Pasadena is under construction and scheduled to open in 2003. The standard fare for bus or rail is US$1.35 one way. A weekly Metro pass (US$11) is good for unlimited rides on Metro Bus or Metro Rail, or passengers can buy ten Metro tokens for US$9, good for one-way fares on either bus or rail. Many hotels sell Metro passes and tokens. Downtown Los Angeles has a special bus system called DASH, which circulates around the downtown area. Fares are just US$0.25. Maps and schedules are available on the bus or from a hotel concierge and signs are posted throughout the downtown area. Taxis Although taxis are readily available, the geographic size of Los Angeles makes them expensive and impractical for cross-town journeys. They are useful for night journeys within one area. There are ten franchise taxi operators in the city. Visitors should look for the official Los Angeles Taxicab Seal before getting in, as those without it are 'bandit' cabs with no legal authorisation to operate. Taxis cannot be hailed on the street but there are ranks at major hotels and they can be telephoned for: Bell Cab (tel: (800) 666 6664); LA Checker Cab (tel: (800) 300 5007); LA Taxi (tel: (800) 6LA TAXI/652 8294) and Beverly Hills Cab (tel: (800) 273 6611). All official taxis charge the same rates. The basic fare for a taxi ride is US$1.90 plus US$1.60 per mile. Limousines Luxury, chauffeur-driven cars and limousines are available from Chauffeurs Unlimited (tel: (800) 922 8583; website: www.gtesupersite.com/gotolax), Integrated Transportation Services Inc (tel: (800) 487 4255; website: http://itsincorporated.net) and Orion Limousine Service (tel: (888) 431 5466; website: www.orionlimo.com). Rates start at US$35 an hour plus 8% tax and 15% tip. Driving in the City The distances between the city's various attractions can be intimidating at first glance, but it is a relatively easy city to get around quickly if the visitor has a car. Leading car hire agencies have offices at the airport and in the downtown area. Freeways running east-west have even numbers, while those running north-south have odd numbers. Most freeways have a name as well as a number and it is wise to ask for both when getting directions. The Downtown Visitor Information Center (tel: (213 689 8822) can give directions. Members of the AAA auto club can also call member services (tel: (800) 222 4357) for directions. The freeways are well marked, although congested during rush hours (roughly 0700-0900 and 1600-1900). Local radio stations broadcast frequent traffic reports 0600-1000 and 1500-1900. Many southern Californian freeways have designated lanes for 'HOV's or High Occupancy Vehicles only - usually cars carrying more than one person. Visitors should not merge into an HOV lane unless their car has the specified number of passengers, as fines are levied. There are call boxes with free telephones every half-mile along the freeways for emergencies. There are numerous parking lots and garages throughout the city; prices vary widely, starting at around US$4 for a minimum stay. For on-street parking, however, visitors should read all signs carefully, as there may be a complicated system of days or hours when parking is not allowed. Illegally parked vehicles are quickly ticked and may be towed away. A red curb means no parking. A green curb allows parking for a limited time. A white curb is for loading and unloading passengers only. Some streets have metered parking; meters generally take quarters (25-cent coins) and the fees are US$0.25 per 15 minutes in the downtown area and US$0.25 for 20-30 minutes elsewhere. Meters are generally free after 1800 and on Sundays, but visitors should always check the signs. Many restaurants offer valet parking for a nominal fee and valets should be tipped US$1-2. Car Hire All the major car hire companies have offices around the LA area. These include Alamo (tel: (800) 327 9633, toll free in the USA and Canada; website: www.goalamo.com); Avis (tel: (800) 331 1212; website: www.avis.com), Budget (tel: (800) 221 1203; website: www.budgetrentacar.com), Dollar (tel: (800) 800 4000; website: www.dollar.com), Hertz (tel: (800) 654 3131; website: www.hertz.com), National (tel: (800) 227 7368; website: www.nationalcar.com) and Thrifty (tel: (800) 367 2277; website: www.thrifty.com). Drivers must be at least 25 years of age, depending on company policy. Los Angeles Rent-A-Car (tel: (310) 670 9945) rents to drivers under age 25. LA has a real taste for classic cars; to hire these or any slightly more exotic vehicle, visitors could try Beverly Hills Rent A Car (tel: (310) 337 1400; website: www.bhrentacar.com). In general, weekly car hire rates start at around US$30. Bicycle/Motorcycle Hire Bikestation, 105 The Promenade North, Long Beach (tel: (562) 436 BIKE/2453), which links to public transportation and 53km (33 miles) of scenic bike paths, has quality bike rentals. Perry's Cafe/Bike & Skate Rentals, 2400 Oceanfront Walk, Santa Monica (tel: (310) 372 3138), has bike and skate rentals and easy access to the bike paths either side of Santa Monica Pier. Rates for both bike and skate rentals are US$9 for 90 minutes or US$18 for the day. EagleRider Motorcycle Rental (tel: (800) 501 8687; website: www.eaglerider.com) has motorcycle rentals, including Harley Davidsons, as well as motorcycle guided tours. Rentals cost US$75-135 per day. |
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