Riding the Metro in Los Angeles

The available websites, www.metro.net, and the Metro Trip Planner on www.experienceLA.com are helpful if you know your starting and ending Metro stations, but if you try to use addresses, they can be very confusing and don't necessarily give you the best solution. It may route you on a slow bus to an exact address, when you could take a fast train that stops a couple blocks away.

I've tried to use the 1-800-COMMUTE phone number to get route information, but have never been able to get through to anyone. I've had better luck calling the local transit service for my starting city. A real person responded and was able to give me an exact timetable and route including the local bus and the Metro schedule and route. Here is a list of Local Transit Services Around LA.

Tip: When comparing train distances on a map, take into consideration that underground trains, such as the Red Line, are much faster than over-ground trains, like the Blue Line, which have to stop at traffic signals.