Los Angeles, United States

Getting around Los Angeles

How to travel around Los Angeles — 5 options, what they cost, and which booking apps fix the fare before you go.

Last updated 2026-08-09

1. Metro rail

Six lines, expanding, including a link to LAX.

Cost: USD 1.75

2. Uber and Lyft

Effectively essential given the distances.

3. Rented car

The default, and the reason parking dominates every plan.

Watch outBreak-ins at trailheads and beach car parks are common and quick.

4. Metro Bike Share

Useful along the beach path, less so elsewhere.

5. Traffic, planned around

Ten miles can take an hour; check the time of day before committing to anything.

Booking apps in United States

Agreeing the fare in an app before you travel removes the argument at the end of the journey, which is where most transport scams happen. Links go to each app's official page — lookalike apps are themselves a scam.

Uber

Nationwide ride-hailing with the fare shown before booking.

Coverage: Nationwide, including airport pickup zones.
Why it helps: Avoids the unofficial drivers who tout inside airport terminals at several times the licensed rate.

Lyft

The main US alternative to Uber, often cheaper on the same route.

Coverage: Nationwide.
Why it helps: Fare is agreed in the app before the trip, and the route is recorded — which removes the refused meter, the tampered meter and the fixed 'foreigner price' in one move.

Transit

Real-time transit planning across most US city networks.

Coverage: Most metropolitan areas.

Amtrak

Official booking for the national intercity rail network.

Coverage: Nationwide corridors.