Go Metro and Go Everywhere in LA

Studies have refuted the common perception that LA is a car-centric culture: In 2011, The Brookings Institution ranked Los Angeles at the top of its list of 100 metro areas offering public transportation to its carless residents. By riding Metro, locals and visitors alike can enjoy world-famous attractions and cultural gems throughout Los Angeles, which is why we invite everyone to skip the car and Go Metro!

NOTE: Hours and opening dates change frequently. Check individual websites for updated information.

Your journey by rail begins with the Metro B Line (Red) and the galleries of the NoHo Arts District, which can be found at the North Hollywood Metro station stop. Next, world-famous Universal Studios Hollywood and the shopping, dining and entertainment venues at Universal CityWalk Hollywood await visitors at the Universal City station. The Hollywood/Highland station drops you off in the heart of Tinseltown, where the Hollywood Bowl, TCL Chinese Theatre, Madame Tussauds Hollywood, the Walk of Fame and many more attractions are all within walking distance. Movie fans around the world know the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood as the home of the Oscars. The station named after the iconic intersection of Hollywood and Vine takes you to the Pantages Theatre and the incredible Amoeba Music store, while the Hollywood/Western station delivers the dining adventures of Thai Town. A daily DASH bus runs from the Vermont/Sunset station and takes you directly to the wonders of the Griffith Observatory.

From the B Line’s Wilshire/Vermont station, you can transfer to the Metro D Line (Purple), where the Wilshire/Western stop offers the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures and Los Angeles County Museum of Art (via Metro Local 20); The Wiltern and Koreatown among its diverse options. The 7th St./Metro station is your transfer point to the A Line (see below). Located above its namesake station, Pershing Square is a popular spot for seasonal events, or you can get a bite at the historic Grand Central Market. The Music Center (including Walt Disney Concert Hall, Ahmanson Theatre, Mark Taper Forum, and Dorothy Chandler Pavilion), The Broad and the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) are among the cultural destinations near the Civic Center station. The D Line ends at the landmark Union Station, where travelers can continue across the country to points north, south and east. Not far from Union Station is El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument, site of the birthplace of what is now the city of Los Angeles. In addition to the monument’s museums and exhibits, bustling Olvera Street is popular for its array of merchants and Mexican dining spots.

Union Station is the starting point for more art and cultural experiences via the L Line (Gold). To the north, the Norton Simon Museum, Pacific Asia Museum and Pasadena Museum of California Art are among the highlights of the Memorial Park Station area. On the southern leg of the L Line, there’s much more than great food to enjoy when you exit the train in Chinatown, which in recent years has become a hotbed of underground art galleries. The Japanese American National Museum and Dover Street Market are part of the Little Tokyo/Arts District itinerary. (NOTE: Due to construction, free bus shuttles will run between Union Station and Pico/Aliso Station in both directions.). Continue east to Mariachi Plaza in Boyle Heights, where mariachi musicians have gathered since the 1930s, ready to be hired to play in restaurants, at private parties or community events. 

Back at the 7th St/Metro station, take the Metro A Line (Blue) to the Pico station and you’ll find yourself at the massive L.A. LIVE entertainment complex, where you can experience world-class music concerts and sporting events at Crypto.com Arena and Microsoft Theater, visit the nearby Los Angeles Convention Center, or choose from a plethora of fine dining and casual eating options. Heading south out of Downtown, you can visit the landmark Watts Towers from the 103rd St. station. The Transit Mall stop near the end of the Blue Line can offer you attractions like the Aquarium of the Pacific.

From the Imperial/Wilmington station, transfer to the C Line (Green), where a free airport connection shuttle at the Aviation/LAX stop will take passengers to Los Angeles International Airport. On game day, take the free shuttle to SoFi Stadium from Hawthorne/Lennox.

The 7th St/Metro Center station also services the 15-mile Metro E Line (Expo). The line brings light rail to the Exposition Corridor, with 19 stations serving popular destinations like the world-class cultural attractions at Exposition Park, USC, the Mid-City Communities, the Crenshaw District, Culver City and West Los Angeles. Travel from Downtown LA to Santa Monica in only 45 minutes, and end your journey with a short walk to the Santa Monica Pier.

Opened in October 2022, the Metro K Line serves the communities of West Adams, Jefferson Park, Baldwin Hills, Leimert Park, Hyde Park, Inglewood, Westchester and more. Dubbed the "Black Greenwich Village" by the late filmmaker John Singleton, the historic neighborhood of Leimert Park is widely regarded as the cultural hub for African Americans in LA.

The Metro Rail is part of a much larger public transportation system that services the Greater Los Angeles area. Nearly 200 different Local, Rapid, Express and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) bus lines travel to every neighborhood in LA and major destination, including state parks, area attractions and shopping districts. DASH Downtown provides almost 7 million passenger trips per year. Airline travelers can take the LAX FlyAway Bus from Union Station in Downtown LA, and Van Nuys in the San Fernando Valley.