Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
Tel: (310) 646 5252.
Website: www.lawa.org
On Santa Monica Bay, just 24km (15 miles) from the city centre, LAX is one of the busiest airports in the world and is particularly important as the US gateway to the Pacific.

Airport facilities: Facilities include foreign exchange and banking services, ATMs, medical and first aid, language assistance and a variety of shops and restaurants. Directions and information can be found at 11 Travelers Aid information centres on the lower level. Car hire is available from all the major operators, including Alamo, Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Hertz, National and Thrifty, as well as many local operators. Business services are available at the ICE Currency Exchange Booth. Wi-Fi is available throughout the airport and kiosks provide Internet access. Public telephones throughout the airport offer Internet data port access.

Transport to the city: Taxis can be found at the lower level - although due to LA's car culture, they're not as common as at other major airports. Nine official taxi companies operate in the city; look for the Taxicab Seal. A fixed fee of US$46.50 applies for trips between LAX and downtown. Several private shuttle services will drop airport passengers at the door of their hotel or other destinations. These include Super Shuttle (tel: 1 800 258 3826; website: www.supershuttle.com), Xpress Shuttle (tel: (310) 323 7222 or 1 800 427 7483; website: www.xpressshuttle.com) and Prime Time Shuttle (tel: (310) 536 7922 or 1 800 733 8267; website: www.primetimeshuttle.com). Charges are reasonable and vary depending on the destination, although shuttles invariably take a lot longer than a taxi.

A free shuttle bus runs between terminals and from the airport to Parking Lot C, where passengers can connect with MTA (tel: 1 800 266 6883; website: www.mta.net) buses, which run to most places in the city. There is also a free shuttle to Aviation Station on the MTA Metro Green Line. Pick-up is on the lower arrival level under the LAX Shuttle sign.

Ontario International Airport (ONT)
Tel: (909) 937 2700.
Website: www.lawa.org

56km (35 miles) east of Downtown Los Angeles, Ontario International is the city's newest airport. It handles international and domestic flights and is the closest airport for the heavily settled Orange County.

Airport facilities: Facilities include information kiosks, ATMs, foreign exchange and a variety of shops and restaurants. Car hire is available from Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, National and Thrifty. Wi-Fi is available in all passenger areas of Terminals 2 and 4. There is no business centre at the airport.

Transport to the city: Taxis and several shuttle bus services (see above under LAX) provide transportation throughout the region.

Bob Hope Airport (Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport) (BUR)
Tel: (818) 840 8840.
Website: www.burbankairport.com

Bob Hope Airport is served by seven domestic airlines. It is the closest airport to Downtown LA (20km, or 13 miles, away), Hollywood and the Valley.

Airport facilities: Facilities include shops and restaurants, ATMs and tourist information. Car hire is provided by Alamo, Avis, Hertz and National. There are no business facilities at the airport.

Transport to the city: Metrolink (Monday to Friday only), MTA Bus lines and Amtrak (see Rail) have nearby stations at Burbank and there are free connecting shuttles to/from the airport. The airport is also connected by many MTA bus lines. Taxis are available.

John Wayne Airport (Santa Ana, Orange County)
Tel: (949) 252 5200.
Website: www.ocair.com

67km (42 miles) south of downtown Los Angeles, John Wayne Airport is served by 10 domestic airlines.

Airport facilities: Facilities include shops and restaurants, ATMs and tourist information. On-site car hire is provided by Alamo, Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Hertz, National and Thrifty. There are no business facilities at the airport.

Transport to the city: Taxis, limousines and shuttles (see above under LAX) provide service to the city.

Approximate flight times to Los Angeles: From London is around 10 hours 15 minutes; from New York is 5 hours 30 minutes; from Toronto is 5 hours 30 minutes and from Sydney is 14 hours 30 minutes on non-stop flights.

Getting There By Water

Located in San Pedro Bay, some 20 miles south of downtown Los Angeles, the Port of Los Angeles, 425 South Palos Verdes Street, San Pedro (tel: (310) 732 7678; website: www.portoflosangeles.org), is one of the world's biggest and busiest seaports. The area includes recreational facilities such as a Maritime Museum, marina, aquarium and the Wilmington Information Center.

Ferry services: The majority of cruise ships head south towards Mexico, although Los Angeles is a stop on sailings to Alaska and other international destinations. There is also the Catalina Express (tel: 1 800 481 3470; website: www.catalinaexpress.com), which operates a service to Santa Catalina Island (see Excursions).

Getting There By Rail

National and regional rail services are provided by Amtrak (tel: 1 800 872 7245; website: www.amtrak.com). METROLINK (tel: 1 800 371 5465; website: www.metrolinktrains.com) is the regional rail system for southern California and connects with most cities in the region. The Los Angeles terminal for both is Union Station, at 800 North Alameda Street on the edge of Downtown business. This vast, art deco, Spanish-style building, built in 1939, is an attraction itself. Rail services have shrunk in recent years and tend to be slower than other forms of transport, but facilities include checked baggage, passenger information, waiting rooms and a snack bar. The LAX Flyaway bus service (website: www.lawa.org/flyaway) provides fast, economical travel between the station and the airport.

Rail services: The Los Angeles terminal is at the western end of major routes across the southern Rockies and is also the southern terminus of the West Coast line to Seattle (Washington). Frequent services go to stations as far south as San Diego. Five main Amtrak trains serve Los Angeles: the Coast Starlight which begins in Seattle; the Pacific Surfliner - San Luis Obispo - Los Angeles - San Diego; Southwest Chief from Chicago; Sunset Limited from Orlando via New Orleans to Los Angeles and the Texas Eagle from Chicago via San Antonio.

Getting There By Road

Road travel in California is excellent, with good roads connecting Los Angeles to San Diego, Santa Barbara, Monterey and San Francisco.

Driving in the United States is on the right. For UK nationals, a full UK driving licence is sufficient. Other nationalities are required to have an International Driving Permit but it must be accompanied by a full driving licence from their home country. The minimum driving age in the USA is 16 years.

Speed limits are 40-56kph (25-35mph) in towns, 88kph (55mph) on highways and 105kph (65mph) on freeways, unless otherwise posted. Drivers may turn right at a red light, after stopping, unless there is a sign that prohibits it. A left turn is permitted on red if turning from a one-way street onto another one-way street. Pedestrians have right of way. The wearing of seat belts in a private vehicle is mandatory. Children under six years must be protected in car seats. California has strict laws against drink-driving and driving while intoxicated is cause for arrest and a criminal charge. Drink-driving laws are strictly enforced. The maximum legal alcohol to blood ratio is 0.08%. Open containers of alcoholic beverages are not permitted in vehicles.

The American Automobile Association (AAA) (tel: 1 800 222 1333; website: www.aaa-calif.com) can provide information on driving routes and online maps, and may offer reciprocal benefits to members of automobile clubs in other countries.

Emergency breakdown service: AAA (tel: 1 800 222 4357/AAA HELP).

Between 0630 and 1900, Caltrans (California Department of Transportation) will assist freeway drivers with minor problems. For emergencies dial 911. Call 1 800 427 7623 for current highway conditions.

Routes to the city: Interstate 5 (I-5) connects Los Angeles with Seattle in the north and San Diego in the south. The Pacific Coast Highway (State Highway 1) is a scenic route north along the California coast to Santa Barbara and San Francisco. Los Angeles is linked to Phoenix by I-10, to Las Vegas and Salt Lake City by I-15, and to Oklahoma City and Memphis by I-40.

Approximate Driving times to Los Angeles: From San Diego is 2 hours 45 minutes; Las Vegas is 4 hours 30 minutes; San Francisco is 9 hours.

Coach services: The main Greyhound (tel: (214) 849 8966 or 1 800 231 2222; website: www.greyhound.com) coach station is at 1716 East Seventh Street. Greyhound provides coach services to cities nationwide. Facilities include baggage assistance and snack bar.

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