LAX Bus

A Useful Guide to Buses from and to LAX Airport
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Los Angeles Airport (LAX) › Transportation › Shuttle & Bus

LAX Shuttles and Buses

LAX Airport -the main airport in Los Angeles- is well-connected to every part of LA and its surrounding areas via numerous bus lines. From the LAX FlyAway Bus to various Metro bus lines, commuter buses, and private and public routes, passengers arriving or departing from LAX will undoubtedly find a cheap -but usually time-consuming- bus to reach their destination or get to the airport.

The LAX City Bus Center

The main bus station serving Los Angeles International Airport is the LAX City Bus Center. Lying about 0.5 miles (0.8km) from LAX terminals, the transit hub is linked to the airport complex via a free shuttle line. Hence, passengers wishing to reach their journey’s end by bus have to catch the C Shuttle to Lot South/LAX City Bus Center. Shuttle C calls at all terminals on their Arrivals level. The stops are easily spotted, marked by the PINK LAX Shuttle signs. Shuttles depart from T1 every 15-20 minutes and run clockwise, passing through all the other eight terminals before heading to LAX City Bus Center. Thus, the duration of their rides is highly dependent on the traffic conditions at the Central Terminal Area. Please note that Shuttles C don’t operate from 02:00 am to 04:00 am.

The LAX FlyAway Buses

The LAX FlyAway Bus Lines connect Los Angeles Airport to LA Union Station (lying downtown) and Van Nuys Station. LAX FlyAway Shuttles stop at the Arrivals level of all LAX terminals. Passengers can easily reach the relevant stop by following the signs. The bus stops lie where the Blue LAX FlyAway signs are to be found. As a matter of fact, there are two FlyAway routes: one links Los Angeles Airport to Union Station, running at a 30-minute frequency from 05:40 am to 01:10 am, and the other travels to Van Nuys Station. LAX FlyAway Bus to Van Nuys Station operates every 20 minutes, around the clock. Buses to Union Station need around 30-60 minutes to reach their terminus (depending on the roads’ congestion), whereas shuttles to Van Nuys get to their destination in about 40-80 minutes. 

As far as the bus fares are concerned, a one-way adult ticket costs 9.75$/9.15€, and children younger than 5 travel for free (actually it applies to two children per paying adult). Tickets are available online (already activated, passengers just have to scan them on the bus validator), and through the mobile app (in that case, tickets need to be activated). However, once they are activated, they are valid for 3 hours.), and from the ticket kiosks located at Union and Van Nuys Stations. Please note that cash isn’t an accepted payment method at the ticket booths. Furthermore, you can’t buy a ticket for the LAX Flyaway buses on the bus. What’s more, the purchase of a ticket doesn’t reserve you a specific seat.

Our Tip: LAX FlyAway Shuttles are accessible and pet-friendly. Moreover, they offer free Wi-Fi and are equipped with charging points, but they don’t have restrooms. On the other hand, each passenger is allowed to carry 3 bags and one carry-on item. Nevertheless, some size restrictions may apply.

Public LAX Buses

Several public providers offer their services at LAX Airport. All bus lines depart from LAX City Bus Center. Hence, a ride with Shuttle C is required to reach their departure point. In general terms, the public LAX buses are the most affordable transit option. However, they are often, at the same time, the most time-consuming ones.

Explicitly, the public buses serving Los Angeles Airport are:

  • The Culver CityBus Line 6 and Rapid 6: Departing from LAX City Bus Center, the Culver Buses serve areas such as the Sepulveda, Westwood, and UCLA. Buses run at a 15-minute frequency from 05:00 am to 11:01 pm. On weekends, their timetable is slightly different. Thus, they have available routes from 05:58 am to 11:09 pm. On the other hand, the Rapid 6 Line makes limited stops on its way but operates only on weekdays, from 06:29 am to 05:57 pm. A bus ticket costs as much as 1$/0.94€. Passengers can pay their bus fares using the buses’ fareboxes, even in cash. However, the machines don’t give back change. Alternatively, they can use a TAP Card.

What is a TAP Card? TAP Cards are reusable cards that can be bought online or through their app, or via the stations’ automatic vendors. In the last case, they cost 2$/1.88€ (plus taxes). Passengers can reload them through the automatic ticket machines, the authorized vendor locations, and online (or using their app). What’s more, they can recharge them by calling the TAP Customer Service. The big perk of TAP Cards is the fare-capping system. Thus, passengers have to pay for their rail or bus fares up to a point (a “cap”) calculated per day or week. Verily, the daily cap is 5$/4.70€, and the week’s cap is 18$/16.90€. Once they pay that amount of money, all other rides are free.

  • Beach Cities Transit (BCT) 109: Shuttles leave LAX City Bus Center traveling to Redondo Beach Riviera Village, also serving (among others) downtown Manhattan Beach and El Segundo. They are available from 05:55 am to 08:25 pm on weekdays and from 06:45 am to 08:55 pm on weekends, and they run approximately every 40-50 minutes. TAP Cards can be used on the BCT Buses as well.
  • Big Blue Bus (BBB) Route 3 or Rapid 3: Route 3 operates from 05:04 am to 10:53 pm on weekdays and from 05:41 am to 10:54 pm on weekends. Its frequency is around 13 minutes. On the other hand, Rapid 3 runs only from Monday to Friday and from 07:14 am to 08:14 am. The BBB Buses efficiently connect LAX to Santa Monica and Venice and cost as much as 1.10$/1/03€. Mobile tickets and TAP payments come with free transfers to other BBB lines within a 2-hour time, but cash payments are accepted as well (however, you’ll have to pay 1.25$/1.18€ for your ticket in exact change). In any case, children under 5 don’t have to pay for their tickets. 
  • Torrance Transit Route 8: Buses run toward Hawthorne from 06:06 am to 09:31 pm (06:33 am to 08:29 pm on Sundays). Tickets cost 1$/0.94€. TAP Cards can also be used on Torrance Transit Buses.
  • GTrans Line 5: This bus line leaves from Aviation/LAX Station, meaning that LAX passengers have to take the free Shuttle G departing from all terminals’ Arrivals areas and heading to Aviation/LAX Station. The GTrans Line 5 links the airport to various destinations. Centennial High School, Hawthorne Sports Center, MLK Community Hospital, and Magic Johnson Park are just some of them. It runs from 6:30 am to 08:00 pm on an hourly basis and costs 1$/0.94€. Payments can be made via TAP Cards.

The LAX Metro Buses

Several metro buses provide connections from Los Angeles International Airport to various parts of LA. Their fares are priced at 1.75$/1.64€. Payments can be made with TAP Cards (allowing further transfers within 2 hours from the first ride). Cash payments are also accepted, but only on buses that don’t have All-Door Boarding.

In detail, the following metro bus lines are available at LAX Airport:

  • Metro Bus Line 111 (LAX City Bus Center to Norwalk): it operates from 04:05 am to 00:23 am.
  • Metro Bus Line 117 (LAX City Bus Center to Downey): available from 05:15 am to 01:00 am.
  • Metro Bus Line 102 (LAX City Bus Center to South Gate): running from 05:05 am to 00:09 am.
  • Metro Bus Line 120 (Aviation/LAX Station to Whittwood Center): the bus operates from 04:19 am to 11:26 pm.
  • Metro Bus Line 232 (LAX City Bus Center to Long Beach): its operating hours are 04:22 am to 11:47 pm.

The Red Pylons lying outside the Arrivals of each terminal indicate the stops of hotels and offsite-airport-parking shuttles.

Shared Rides – More Shuttles from Los Angeles Airport

Even more bus lines are available at LAX Airport. Nevertheless, all the following buses depart from the stops, situated at the LAX terminals’ Arrivals levels and marked by Orange Shared Rides signs. 

  • Antelope Valley Airport Express: linking LAX to Santa Clarita, Palmdale, and Lancaster, the Antelope Valley Shuttles provide their services from 05:30 am to 10:00 pm, every 2-3 hours.
  • Central Coast Shuttle: Shuttles run from 08:30 am to 10:00 pm every 2-3 hours. Their routes start from T1. Hence, they need around 15-20 minutes to pass through all terminals. They serve various areas, including Ventura, Santa Barbara, Buelton, and Santa Maria. The ride from LAX to Santa Maria Airport costs around 90$/84.20€.
  • Mickey’s Space Ship Shuttle: the ideal shuttle for rides to Disneyland resort hotels, Hollywood, Universal Studios, etc.
  • reLAXsan (San Diego): Handling rides to San Diego, reLAXsan buses are also a comfortable option for passengers traveling to Sorrento Valley and Oceanside. Their 2-3-hour journey costs around 70$/65.50€. There are only two available routes, at 11:45 am and 07:45 pm.
  • Santa Barbara Airbus: Heading to Santa Barbara, Goleta, and Carpinteria, shuttles run every 2 ½ -3 hours from 08:00 am to 10:00 pm. A one-way ticket from LAX to Santa Barbara costs around 65$/60.80€, whereas children under 2 travel for free.
  • Shuttle 2000: a suitable option for travelers heading to Disneyland or John Wayne Airport.
  • Shuttle One: the Shuttle One Buses handle rides to Disneyland, Knott’s Berry Farm, and various hotels in Anaheim, Buena Park, and Garden Grove.
  • Ventura County Airporter: Ventura County Airporter Shuttles link LAX to Ventura and Oxnard. Their routes are available from 07:00 am to 09:30 pm at a 1-2-hour frequency. Overall, a single ticket costs 50$/46.80€ for an adult passenger, whereas children younger than 12 pay 30$/28€ for their tickets.

FAQs

Does LAX have buses?

Various bus lines serve Los Angeles International Airport. LAX FlyAway Shuttles link the airport to Union and Van Nuys Stations, while several public buses and private shuttles provide adequate connections to all parts of LA and its surrounding areas.

How much is the LAX shuttle bus?

LAX FlyAway links Los Angeles Airport to Union and Van Nuys Stations. The route to Van Nuys Station runs around the clock every 20 minutes, while buses to Union Station operate from 05:40 am to 01:10 am at a 30-minute frequency. In both cases, the ticket for the LAX FlyAway Buses costs 9.75$/9.15€.

Where is the FlyAway Bus at LAX?

Passengers opting for a ride with the LAX FlyAway Bus can catch the shuttle from all the airport terminals. Verily, buses call at all terminals, at the bus stops lying on the Arrivals level of each terminal building. The FlyAway bus stops are marked with Blue LAX FlyAway signs.

How long does the FlyAway Bus take from LAX to Union Station?

The LAX FlyAway bus route from Los Angeles Airport to Union Station lasts around 30-60 minutes, depending on the traffic conditions. Overall, the FlyAway Buses to Union Station run every 30 minutes, from 05:40 am to 01:10 am.