Despite LA being one of the most car-oriented cities in the USA, public transport is good and swift. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) (tel: (213) 922 4682 or 1 800 266 6883/COMMUTE; website: www.mta.net) actually operates one of the largest fleets in the nation - 200 Metro Bus lines (buses) as well as four Metro Rail lines (subway). 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, but add another 10 minutes or so if the train is not at the station.

The Metro Rail system has, at present, nearly 96km (60 miles) of interconnected subway and light rail tracks, covering 62 stations over four lines. The Blue Line connects Downtown Los Angeles and Long Beach. The Green Line runs along the median of Century Freeway and links Norwalk and El Segundo. The Red Line connects Union Station, Downtown LA, Hollywood, Universal City and North Hollywood. The Gold Line runs from Union Station to Pasadena.

A monthly, weekly or Metro Day Pass is good for unlimited rides on Metro Bus or Metro Rail, or passengers can buy 10 Metro tokens, which can be used for one-way fares on either bus or rail. Many hotels, local convenience and grocery stores and Metro Customer Centers sell Metro passes and tokens.

Downtown Los Angeles also has its own bus system called DASH. Maps and schedules are available on the bus or from a hotel concierge and signs are posted throughout the Downtown area. DASH is operated by LADOT (tel: 1 800 252 9040; website: www.ladottransit.com).

Taxis

Although taxis are readily available, the size of Los Angeles makes them expensive and impractical for cross-town journeys. They are more useful for night journeys within one area. There are 10 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. Be aware that if travelling from Beverly Hills, Beverly Hills Cab Company (tel: 1 800 273 6611) and Independent Taxi Company (tel: 1 800 521 8294/TAXI; website: www.taxi4u.com) are the only companies allowed to travel from there to Los Angeles. Taxis cannot be hailed on the street but there are ranks at major hotels and they can be telephoned for: Bell Cab (tel: 1 888 235 5222/BELLCAB; website: www.bellcab.com); Checker Cab (tel: (213) 481 2345) and LA Yellow Cab (tel: 1 877 733 3305; website: www.layellowcab.com). All official taxis charge the same rates.

Driving in the City

The distances between LA’s various points can seem intimidating at first, but it is relatively easy to get around the city in a car. However, it is hard to get a sense of compass points so visitors should try to plan their journey in advance and get to know a map of the major highways. Freeways running east-west have even numbers, while those running north-south have odd numbers. Most 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; website: www.lacvb.com) can help here.

The freeways are well marked, although very congested, especially during rush hours (0700-0900 and 1600-1900). Using helicopters, local radio stations broadcast frequent traffic reports at 0600-1000 and 1500-1900. Many southern Californian freeways have designated fast lanes for ‘HOV’s or High Occupancy Vehicles only (also known as ‘car pool’) - 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. Check garages for early bird specials (before 0900). For on-street parking, however, visitors should read all signs carefully as there is often a complicated system of days or hours when parking is not allowed for street cleaning etc. Illegally parked vehicles are quickly ticketed and may be towed away. A red kerb means no parking; a green kerb allows parking for a limited time; a white kerb 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 either free or for a nominal fee; valets should always be tipped US$1-2.

Car Hire

All the major car hire companies have offices around the LA area. These include Alamo (tel: 1 800 327 9633; website: www.alamo.com); Avis (tel: 1 800 331 1212; website: www.avis.com), Budget (tel: 1 800 527 0700; website: www.budget.com), Dollar (tel: 1 800 800 4000; website: www.dollar.com), Hertz (tel: 1 800 654 3131; website: www.hertz.com), National (tel: 1 800 227 7368; website: www.nationalcar.com) and Thrifty (tel: 1 800 367 2277; website: www.thrifty.com). Drivers must be at least 25 years of age, depending on company policy. Optional CDW (Collision Damage Waiver) insurance is always recommended if not already covered by the driver’s own policy.

Los Angeles Rent-A-Car (tel: (310) 670 9945 or 1 800 441 7368/RENT; website: www.la-rentacar.com) rents to drivers under the age of 25. Los Angeles loves classic cars; to hire these or any slightly more exotic vehicle, try Beverly Hills Rent A Car (tel: (310) 337 1400 or 1 800 479 5996; website: www.bhrentacar.com).

Bicycle Hire

Hollywood Pro Bicycles (tel: (323) 466 5890 or 1 888 775 2453/BIKE; website: hollywoodprobicycles.com) is one of a few stores that rents road and mountain bikes. Perry’s Beach Cafe, 2400 and 2600 Oceanfront Walk, Santa Monica (tel: (310) 372 3138; website: www.perryscafe.com), has bike and skate rentals and easy access to the bike paths either side of Santa Monica Pier. Bikestation, 105 The Promenade North, Long Beach (tel: (562) 733 0106; website: www.bikestation.org), which links to public transportation and 53km (33 miles) of scenic bike paths, has quality bike rentals.

EagleRider Motorcycle Rental is located close to LAX Airport at 11860 South La Cienega Boulevard (tel: (310) 536 6777 or 1 800 501 8687; website: www.eaglerider.com) and has motorcycle rentals, including Harley Davidsons, as well as motorcycle guided tours.

© 2006 Columbus Travel Publishing Ltd. Disclaimer

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