Getting to and from UCLA on...public transportation

[eachpeach]

Hi All,

I'm flying in to LAX tomorrow morning. I need to get to UCLA on public transportation. Then, after my day is over at ~3pm, I need to take either Amtrak or Greyhound down to San Diego.

Does anyone have any recommendations for:
1) Best way to get between LAX and UCLA
2) Whether Amtrak or Greyhound is better for the LA-SD trip? (Amtrak is $28 and says it takes 3hrs, while greyhound is $16 and says it takes 2.5hrs). I'm worried, because these services tend to be somewhat unreliable in terms of time, so any info would be appreciated.
3) Best way to get from UCLA to either Amtrak (Union Station, at LAX I believe) or Greyhound (1716 E 7th St, Los Angeles, CA 90021) terminals.

Thanks ahead of time! I'm not familiar with LA, but the idea of navigating on public transportation is enough to make me queasy 😛

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[madonna]

Hi All,

I'm flying in to LAX tomorrow morning. I need to get to UCLA on public transportation. Then, after my day is over at ~3pm, I need to take either Amtrak or Greyhound down to San Diego.

Does anyone have any recommendations for:
1) Best way to get between LAX and UCLA
2) Whether Amtrak or Greyhound is better for the LA-SD trip? (Amtrak is $28 and says it takes 3hrs, while greyhound is $16 and says it takes 2.5hrs). I'm worried, because these services tend to be somewhat unreliable in terms of time, so any info would be appreciated.
3) Best way to get from UCLA to either Amtrak (Union Station, at LAX I believe) or Greyhound (1716 E 7th St, Los Angeles, CA 90021) terminals.

Thanks ahead of time! I'm not familiar with LA, but the idea of navigating on public transportation is enough to make me queasy 😛

hey i'd take the amtrak cuz its more comfortable than the bus. there is a website for mta buses that has schedules and routes. traffic gets very bad around 4-5 so get off from ucla as early as possible

 

[bootz]

I'd just take a cab from LAX to your interview since L.A. public transportation system is pretty much just buses on the Westside. The airport is pretty close to UCLA.

As for getting to greyhound or amtrak from UCLA, you should plan on being in traffic for a while since both of these are in the downtown area. I don't think taking buses would be very good to either of these places, and a cab might be a little too expensive.

Whatever you choose to do, give yourself alot of time...Don't plan on getting from UCLA to downtown in 20 minutes to catch your bus or train because traffic sucks, especially around 3pm.

I'd personally rent a car at the airport and then drive to your interview and then drive to SD afterwards. I know that this might not be an option for you because of your age.

Good luck

 

[redorkulated]

I'd grab a cab to save yourself the stress to UCLA from LAX and from ucla to the train station, Socal public transportation is a joke. Also with all the stops it will take you a great deal longer to get where your going this will be compounded with all the traffic down there (and I'm talking LA traffic which can add hours.)

I'd take amtrack for the LA SD trip, in the afternoons the 5 and the 405 are usually a parking lot. thats why greyhound says 2.5 hours (i'd estimate at least that (2.5hr+) if your going at around 4-5 for what is supposted to be a 45min- 1hour trip without the traffic)

good luck

 

[infiniti]

If money is a factor, there are several buses that will take you directly from LAX to UCLA (cabs can be ridiculously expensive in LA). It isn't bad actually. When I interviewed, I just asked one of the women at the counter what bus I should take. She told me to take the free shuttle from the airport (directly outside) to the parking lot. From there I took a bus that took me directly to UCLA campus. It was cheap (less than $2) and fun. I forgot the exact number of the bus. You could easily find out on line or just ask the people at the counter like I did.

Note: Don't do this if you have a lot of baggage.

 

[hehaha]

Does anyone have any recommendations for:

1) Best way to get between LAX and UCLA

*LAX--> UCLA takes about at least 1 hour between 7am-10am due to traffic on 405 & sepulveda blvd. I hope your plane gets here early. So, if you take taxi, it'll be very expensive given the traffic. Normally, i think it's about $30. Super shuttle & primetime is $15 to UCLA. (specify UCLA campus, otherwise it's $20 to westwood area) But it may take longer. Usually 40 min without traffic because they drop people. Don't know with traffic . You should really give yourself at least 2 hours to get to UCLA.

2) Whether Amtrak or Greyhound is better for the LA-SD trip? (Amtrak is $28 and says it takes 3hrs, while greyhound is $16 and says it takes 2.5hrs). I'm worried, because these services tend to be somewhat unreliable in terms of time, so any info would be appreciated.

To get to Union station from UCLA. I think you take one of the big blue buses. I 'm not sure, it may be #3, but it takes about 1-2 hours during the afternoon because it stops a lot. I would take the Amtrak cuz it's more predictable given LA-->SD traffic is really bad too. You don't need to buy tickets till you get there & I recommend you not buy them cuz LA traffic is really unpredictable.

3) Best way to get from UCLA to either Amtrak (Union Station, at LAX I believe) or Greyhound (1716 E 7th St, Los Angeles, CA 90021) terminals.

see 2nd question & good luck

 

[hehaha]

the bus you are referring to is #6 culver city green bus. It can be very slow during traffic hour too. It ends at UCLA ackerman union, which is like 1 block from the med school. It's good during non-traffic & safe hours. But plan on at least 1 1/2 hours of travel time

 

[bootz]

if you take a cab from lax to ucla, tell him to take sepulveda...

 

[UCLAstudent]

If you don't want to take a cab, you could also look into SuperShuttle.

 

[pagemmapants]

My advice? SuperShuttle or PrimeTime. Go out of your terminal on the bottom floor and look for the orange signs overhead. They say "Shared ride vans". Go there, and tell the dude in the jacket that you want to go to UCLA, and then wait. They'll tell you when the van comes and then you get in and tell the driver exactly where you want to go. I imagine if you say "Ackerman turnaround" or "Westwood Boulevard" they will know where that is. It SHOULD be $15 for the trip.

No info re: amtrak v. greyhound, though. 🙂

 

[riceman04]

Hi All,

I'm flying in to LAX tomorrow morning. I need to get to UCLA on public transportation. Then, after my day is over at ~3pm, I need to take either Amtrak or Greyhound down to San Diego.

Does anyone have any recommendations for:
1) Best way to get between LAX and UCLA
2) Whether Amtrak or Greyhound is better for the LA-SD trip? (Amtrak is $28 and says it takes 3hrs, while greyhound is $16 and says it takes 2.5hrs). I'm worried, because these services tend to be somewhat unreliable in terms of time, so any info would be appreciated.
3) Best way to get from UCLA to either Amtrak (Union Station, at LAX I believe) or Greyhound (1716 E 7th St, Los Angeles, CA 90021) terminals.

Thanks ahead of time! I'm not familiar with LA, but the idea of navigating on public transportation is enough to make me queasy 😛

Taxi's are really expensive out in LA. I would take a look at the los angeles metro website...you can plan your trip on that website. I think there is one bus. The good thing is that many city buses go from LAX to UCLA (Los Angeles buses, Culver City buses, and Santa Monica buses).

Here is the website to all three of these city bus companies:
Los Angeles: www.mta.net
santa monica: www.bigbluebus.com/home/index.asp
Culver City: www.culvercity.org/depts_bus.html

Or you can take the super shuttle to the W hotel in westwood (adjacent to the medical center/medical school)
here is the supershuttle website: www.supershuttle.com/htm/cities/lax.htm
- the only problem with them is that you make four or so stops to pick up other passengers...but it is still better than using the city public city transportation system.

About getting to SD: I would personally take amtrak b/c the greyhound bus will surely get stuck in traffic in several locations along the 405/5 fwy. Amtrak will end up being faster.

In terms of getting to union station: I would look on the LA metro website for an express bus:
Why?
1. b/c you bypass most of the shady areas of LA proper
2. you will not have to stop a million times - thus it is much faster

Here is another way to get from UCLA to Union Station: This is the way that I would take -
1. Call super shuttle and set up a time for them to pick you up
2. walk right off campus down to the W hotel.
3. Meet the super shuttle at that hotel and then be on your way.

I would take the train!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Amtrak)

 

[jackbauer]

public transportation in LA? are you joking? you need a car to get around this city friends, supershuttle or primetime maybe as a last resort but this is no NYC or SanFran