New Yorker Rides the LA Metro from Santa Monica to Hollywood
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- čas přidán 22. 05. 2024
- DISCLAIMER: this was meant to really just be a fun video, purposely poking some fun at the LA metro, rather than an introspective look :) For a more thoughtful analysis, see my new video here! • Navigating LA without ...
Also: there was a free transfer at 7th street metro due to maintenance but I chose to take the bike for higher enjoyment.
LA Metro?! Does it really exist? As a New Yorker, the subways & trains were my prime method of navigating the city. But in Los Angeles - a city that favors car culture over trains and pedestrians, I had no idea what to expect when taking the LA metro. I set out on a challenge to ride the trains from Downtown Santa Monica to Hollywood and hike Runyon Canyon, not realizing that the journey there would really be the hike itself.
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This video has been getting a lot of traction recently so wanted to write a few thoughts, as I now did this a year ago! 1) There was a service interruption and a free shuttle offered. Metro workers were there to guide people towards the lines to the buses to 7th St Metro. I thought it would be more fun and entertaining to take a Metro Bike and see DTLA - so that was my doing. 2) LA Metro isn't THAT bad, and I wasn't trying to showcase that. Just, when compared to NYC - totally different. LA is just so spread out. 3) Here's a newer video and a more introspective look at surviving LA without a car: czcams.com/video/96h_1wxXHic/video.html 4) Cheers!
Nah LA metro is abysmal
So no shuttle buses or Work advisory. New Yorker my self and did the same route on my last vist to LA
Michael, piece of advice if you ever plan to travel to Hollywood again from Santa Monica: Take the E all the way until you get to 7th Street/Metro Center and then you can just transfer from MC to the red B line that can then take you straight to Hollywood. I've gone that route several times when trying to get to West Hollywood.
Thank you Michael so basically without the interruption the train would have took u straight to 7th st and you could have just crossed into the b train for free or it would have cost another 1.75?
@@gd18cyclist22 he tried he said there was a interruption and they had to get off and offered a bus ride for free but he chose to ride the bike and thank you my friend for this comment cause u actually helped me when I go next week.
LA actually has an incredibly efficient and comprehensive bus system. But people here look down on riding the bus and refuse to use it.
That's crazy
It's been over 30 years since I lived there but transferring took a very long time.
@@stache1954 the elderly are our link to history
It’s not very effective, also unsafe and kinda scary. Plus takes longer to take the bus or the metro which doesn’t get you everywhere
@@matiastorresz nah you’re just elitist and classist.
As someone who has lived in LA most of my life and still don't own a car, riding public transportation here becomes a skill but it can be frustrating.
Ps. We Angelenos rarely go to the walk of Fame cus it's where all the tourists go.
much like New Yorkers avoid Times Square for the same reason. I used to go because my favorite movie theater was there.
Same in miami we don’t really go to miami beach mainly ocean drive
Orlando ppl like me avoid International drive due to tourists since its near universal and may 20mins to Disney and sea world
that tourist trap was weird; I'd thought Hollywood's waning popularity enough as to make that strip seem deserted nowadays..!
Almost every day I didn't come here to
I rode the metro almost everyday on my holiday from north Redondo to Hollywood, Santa Monica, North Hollywood - I thought it was pretty solid and not as bad as people make out! Was cheaper than hiring a car at least for me.
Wow!! I guess it can be pretty effective if your start/end location is in close proximity to the train. Main problem I think is the additional walking when your destination is nowhere near the train, since LA is so big! Good to hear it worked so well for you!
That's a holiday. Living with it fir real? This system is flat out garbage
@@hw6271 That's nonsense. Millions of people already use it. It's does not have the coverage it needs to have but they are literally building more and more of it precisely to make it more useful to more people. This is the only way to end up with a useful metro rail network - you need to build enough of it to make most trips comfortable to take.
The people who take it now are the people who live near a station and have destinations near another station. The more lines and stations there are the more useful and "good" the network will become.
This shouldn't be so hard to grasp!
@@TohaBgood2 It's not nonsense at all. Even the route OP described of North Redondo to Hollywood is a huge pain in the ass, and takes 2-3 times as long as driving. Living in LA without a car is much more difficult than with one for the vast majority of people. It's very rare to meet someone who decided to ride the metro because it was more convenient or faster than driving. For the second largest city in the US, LA's transit network is indeed garbage. The fact I could ride a train directly out of Cleveland's airport but not LAX speaks volumes to me.
@@cordeep Sure, it doesn’t have good coverage yet and needs to be expanded to become more useful for more people. But what did you expect? That’s what it’s like when you have an incomplete network. For some trips the system works and for others it doesn’t.
That’s normal. The system can’t just all be built at once and immediately be complete. The solution to that is to continue to expand the network to make more trips viable.
Cool video! As a native, I honestly think that Metro in LA isn't as bad as everyone makes it seems but definitely pales in comparison to cities like NYC, Chicago, and DC. The upcoming infrastructure projects in anticipation for the 2028 Olympics should help tremendously!
I agree, as a native myself who has taken metro several times over the years, recently earlier this month, it really isn't that bad. Once the Crenshaw-LAX line opens later this year (fingers crossed given the back ups thanks to "Rona), connectivity will even be better.
LA has made incredible strides in the Metro department. The more they build the more useful the system becomes. It's important to keep going and let the haters pound sand!
I would even say it pales in comparison to Boston, NJ, & Philadelphia.
Give it time. My own opinion is that LA developed differently than the others in that LA was developed as a series of neighborhoods whereas New York had already filled out its general shape by 1880. Up until recently there was nothing to tie LA together nor a reason to do it; NYC has a grid system that was put in place after the Revolution; You can still tell which part of the city is the oldest because once you get above 14th St. the grid begins.
LA c. 1915 was a sleepier place that still had patches of orange groves and it made a lot of sense to just have highways and byways run straight through. Now it is outgrowing that. With any luck LA Union will see expansion that can zoom you up to Seattle on a bullet train.
@@marykatherinegoode2773 LA had a robust street car system, but the automobile industry lobbied to have it shut down.
I have lived in LA all my life and have been taking the metro by myself since I was fifteen. At the station where he got off, he just had to go around the corner and get on the blue line. That way he wouldn't have to ride a bike to 7th street station.
I assumed as much. As an LA local what would you recommend someone do as a fast paced 5 day first time visit? Any suggestions? Not interested in celeb side of things.
@@04mdsimps i recommend going to grand central market in downtown LA. There's a lot of different foods to try and fun scenery. If you want to go to the beach, I recommend taking the blue line south to Long Beach. I say this because Santa Monica Beach is very crowded, hard to walk, and rides are not worth the price. Venice Beach is disgusting full of homeless. Long Beach is less crowded and more relaxed feel of the beach. As well as more shops and restaurants nearby. Hollywood blvd. and Sunset strip is really good for the night scene because of the bars. During the day Hollywood is pretty busy because of the tours and more families are out through the day. Shopping i recommend the grove or Glendale galleria because of the scenery at night is great for photos. Tons of shops. At the grove the farmers market that also offers variety of different foods. Let me know if you need more recommendations.
@@joshsalcedo2407 Thats great Josh thanks for your reply. Usually I stay in hostels for trips like this but in LA i think I’m going to stay in a different hotel/hostel everynight to aid with the size of the place. I’ve been to san francisco but expected LA to be a different culture even though its just round the corner
One mistake you made. You got a one way ticket which is only good for one trip. When you switch lines, you have to get a new ticket. If you got a one day pass, you could have taken any line you wanted AND you could have taken the bus home if you take a Metro bus. Metro buses are on all the major streets in LA, certain streets in Santa Monica.
@@Fulgum Interesting. I didn't realize that though I would never purchase a one-way fare myself. Metro really should change that since it it's pretty rare for someone to not have to transfer.
Nice video. So that this doesn't scare everyone since there are already enough scary things about LA Metro. Like all cities, NYC included, there can be track work closing part of the line for maintenance. When that happens Metro provides free buses at the station that make the same stops that rail would make. Also, this trip would take half as long by bus as the train route is indirect. It takes a little over 1 hour by bus.
Given how short that distance is, an hour is total crap
Apparently the 217 bus but you got to know the direction you're going to apparently you can take the blue trolley Subway thingy and then get off and take but if the bus is running late then stay on the trolley and switch to the red line
@@hw6271 You're just a hater! Admit it! You hate public transportation and are out here trolling to discourage people.
Even google calculates the quickest routes using public transit. Any person using a transportation system for the first time can get a little confused (it's very easy to determine direction in LA: West is the ocean, North are the Mountains)
@@nataliajimenez1870 i guess he didn't wanna play with the buses but the trolley subway.
I used to live in the Hollywood Hills by Runyon Canyon.
1) It’s easier to walk down on the south side and climb up on the north side than to do the long walk up the incline the other way.
2) Just drive from Santa Monica, park on a side street and Uber to Runyon for $7.50 or so each way . You just have to pick a side street near Laurel Canyon but on the east side - like the Mt. Olympus neighborhood.
Thanks!! Yeah driving is way easier, but wanted to give myself an excuse to try out the metro lol
fggg
"and it feels so good to be back in my car" - spoken like a true southern california resident lol
Your cost should be only 1.75 as it includes a 2 hour transfer. Keep the tap card as it’s reusable. The metro buses are free right now. If you learn more about the metro (including buses) you’ll realize it can actually be convenient for some trips.
I have lived in Los Angeles before and the only way I'd consider moving back would be if I were to live near a Metro station. The gridlock traffic most times on the freeways and surface streets just leads to high blood pressure, being overweight and not interacting with people. Public transit is much easier since one does not have to deal with traffic, you can read a book, talk to people and even walk and get some exercise. It's my preferred way to get around any city, along with using a bike.
You could have taken the E-Line from Downtown Santa Monica to La Cienega / Jefferson; then transfer to a northbound 217 bus exiting at Hollywood Blvd / Fuller Avenue. It would've taken you 1 hour and 10 minutes, leaving you with a 2 block walk to your trailhead in Runyon Canyon Park. The fare would have been $1.75. There was no need for you to go out of your way to DTLA or the Chinese Theater for this excursion. You only made it hard on yourself, which is perhaps because you're not familiar. But since you mentioned that you used Google Maps, then I really don't understand why you couldn't figure this out because I used Google Maps to create my routing.
I think most people who live in places with effective transit systems don't expect that they will need to change mode if that one goes there, unless it is for a really niche location. Especially as a tourist. You don't see tourists getting on the trams or buses in Paris, or people getting on suburban rail in London or Barcelona, if their destination is served by the metro.
Bottom line though is LA SUCKS!
@Joe Forge It used to be way harder when you had to calculate yourself the routes comparing timetables from different transit agencies (I still remember when I had to carry bus & train timetables). Now you can do it with Google maps
@@toddlithgow I go on suburban rail in London because its the only thing that connects london with my hotel, the tube is like 1km away
@@toddlithgow but his destination is kinda a niche location...
People don't realize how spread out LA is. Thanks for showing the la Metro. I'm not sure if I would call Hollywood the Eastside 😅. But everything is east of Santa Monica
Lol, yikes, forgot I called hollywood the east side 😩I was wayyy too new to LA and it shows!😂
@@MichaelMartello You weren't even in the east side when you got off to ride the bike at the trade tech station lol, there's still a whole lot more LA east from there!
excuses excuses!!
I’m so glad someone said it.
That smile is infectious! Love riding the metro in New York. And you are so correct LA needs a lot of catching up when in comes to metro-train infrastructure.
I rode the MetroLink train from my home in Orange County, transferring to the Metro at Union Station, every day for over 2 years. Once you figure out where you’re going and what lines will get you there, you’re fine. It’s the same as NY Subways, you have to put a little effort into figuring it out.
Love the Metrolink.
Just to make things easier- Take the E Line to La Brea and then catch the Northbound bus and get off on Hollywood. You save yourself time from having to go all the way into DT and then making a horseshoe turn back west to Hollywood. You would save yourself about 30 mins and made the whole trip an hour (not including walking to Runyun- that doesn't count)
Oh cool, thanks!!
212 bus
@@themoviedealers Does line 210 (Hollywood to Redondo Beach ) go to Fuller St? Just curious.
@@MichaelMartello It'll be interesting for you to take the Expo line to the Crenshaw-LAX line (once it opens later this year) and get as close to LAX as you can sometime time next year
One thing of note. The oldest rail was only built in 1990, and now we have all of this in only 30 year. Over 100 miles of rail built and 101 stations.
Compared that to nyc who since 1990 has only built 10 new stations and a measly 3 miles of track.
I used the metro exclusively in LA. I hated the parking lots AKA freeways and truly enjoyed riding the metro along the 210 as it becomes a parking lot in the afternoon. While living in Arcadia, I worked crowd control at various venues, ranging from the Hollywood Bowl and the Colosseum to the Rose Bowl. I brought my bicycle to travel to and from each facility to and from the metro stations. One day, my wife and I decided to have an adventure by taking the metro to Simi Valley. That required several transfers, including North Hollywood. After 2 hours riding just to make it to N Hollywood, we decided it wasn’t as fun as we thought it was going to be. The metro was my exclusive form of transportation, and I appreciated it, but I think we were spoiled using the Gold Line from the first day it opened. Everything we needed or places to go were all accessible via the Gold Line. When we decided to visit Simi Valley, it was our first experience riding on the older metro lines, so we were not accustomed to seeing homeless people sleeping or groups of teenage wannabe gang bangers. Plus, the trains were crowded and hot. Just the same, I used the metro to travel to the locations mentioned previously.
Thx for the ride Michael. Always happy to be on a nice trip like this with you! :-)
Thank you!! Appreciate the kind words!
I enjoyed your vlog Michael. As a native Californian I will say our public transportation, or lack of, sucks big time! Traffic is just so bad anymore it gives me anxiety to drive. I’d gladly use public transportation in lieu of driving if it was expanded and rider friendly. Thanks for posting! Stay safe!
✌🏻🙂✌🏻
This is the thing though, as non-transit riders we have no idea how to advocate for the type of transit we want. Everyone around here assumes that transit just grows out of the ground by the will of god, or something. No! You have to pressure your elected representative to build you the system that you would want to use. You have to yell at them until they clean up and secure the lines that exist and until they build you the lines that you want to use for your daily trip.
With enough of this work, you'll have the transit system that you want. But people actually have to do the work! If you don't care (not saying you don't) then no one will!
Great video and very informative. I’m flying out to LA from Germany in July and plan to use the metro to get around the sites with my family. Should be fun.
Normally you wouldn’t have to make that bike transfer. They’re testing a new extension to that line under Downtown right now. But Runyon and Santa Monica are as far apart as JFK and the Brooklyn Bridge. Not a short trip.
So main problem was the 'service interruption' - but other than that, seems to work. LA is a massive place, bigger than NY area. I'll try to the metro next time I'm in LA.
Wow, interesting video! I had to choose between job offers in LA and NYC and this makes me so glad I chose NYC actually haha
LA is amazing for different reasons! But enjoy NYC :)
I don't know why you got off the Expo Line before it got to the 7th Street Metro Station. Maybe there was some sort of track maintenance. If so, there should have been directions where to go to a connecting bus. The MTA doesn't just let things dangle like that, leaving passengers wandering for miles.
Yes, I think I mentioned this somewhere in the video - there was a free bus shuttle transfer but I chose to take the bike for a more scenic and solo route, and not wait around for the shuttle :)
@@MichaelMartello Thanks. I don't take the Metro that often, and mainly for when I have to meet people downtown. Rail service is limited in L.A. when compared to elsewhere, but it's better than nothing.
@@MichaelMartello The bus shuttle (free so you don't even have to Tap/transfer) from the Trade Tech station to 7th/Metro is like 5 minutes. You wouldn't have had to bike and exhaust yourself.
Work on the Regional Connector fyi
@@MichaelMartello That's a quick way to discover that DTLA is not only quite large but its got some quite steep hills in it.
I love LA, I never been there but I hope know it very soon and make a lot of videos from there.
Greatings from México!
I hope so too!
I live within walking distance from the Madre Street metro station in Pasadena and my girlfriend and I were always taking the metro to downtown LA on weekends to visit the museums and see the other interesting stuff downtown LA has to offer. It was usually about a 40 minute ride.
There’s a lot of work being done to the metro at the moment so some of the stations we used have been closed, and since Covid hit the conditions on the metro have deteriorated a bit with lots of people with mental issues using the metro as a home. Our use of the metro has been put on hold a bit until things hopefully improve.
This video provide an insight and perspective on traveling through L.A. First of all, L.A. is really spread out over a large area. Depends on where you are/live that will determine access to public transit services. Also, those that talk about traveling through 'horrible' or 'crappy' places, some of us live in those places (freeways go above/through us). That's where these projects go through. They may be allowed adjacent to nicer more pristine communities, but not in them. They really don't want them there. The further away you are from the L.A. area, the less frequent regular transit services are. Then you're dependent on local services to get around those areas. The main goal is for commuting to/from major areas for workers. Additionally, L.A. hosted an Olympics in 1984 with the transit system as it was then (and car/tires/aerospace, etc., still active & thriving here). No commuter rail service. Very little traffic, as businesses altered workweeks and/or shut down during the Olympics. Some visitors to L.A. only use public transit. I've met them while commuting. Enjoy your next visit!
Maybe I just didn't think of it much
I used to ride the metro all the time when I was younger and didn't have a car. It's been 12 years and I kinda miss it sometimes. I have friends who've lived in the LA area as long as I have and never rode the metro. They always say they're scared to ride, which yeah I've seen some stuff but I never had anybody bother me, just the occasional stranger trying to make conversation.
Alone time
I tried to get from Downtown to Newport Beach in 2006. It took me three hours with the metro and buses and the same time on my way back. So six hours in total. A lot of room for improvement, but perhaps today there are trains that would get me to Newport Beach faster than the buses.
that is called uber
Newport Beach isn't in LA county, so you'd need to transfer systems. Really the only convenient way to get around socal is by car.
@@alexperazzo9761 A good public transport system should not make you feel that you cross the "border" to another county. To get to Newport Beach I had to first take the Blue Line of the metro to Long Beach, then take a bus to that giant "Veterans Affairs Department" and from there take another bus to Newport Beach. Instead there should be a local train with not to many stops from Downtown Los Angeles all the way to San Diego and a high speed train on the same route for people who want to go all the way. Los Angeles-San Diego is a good example of a trip that would last way below one hour with a fast train. An ICE or TGV could do it in 40 minutes.
At least the prices were extremely low. $3 per day for all public transport in LA County and another $3 for Orange County. I am sure though that prices went up since I went there.
Im an ex Chicago guy who loved the CTA and EL trains. On a recent visit to LA staying in Santa Monica i took the exact same train and like you finding the Metro station was a chore. Once on getting to near Silver Lake was easy. I did use a rental bike from the station back to near where i stay in Santa Monica
Yasss queen! great video.
I always loved going on Metro. I used to go with my grandma to her work on the metro railroad but after she got disabled we couldn’t anymore. We still go on the busses but we don’t go on the railway anymore. Long bus trips do scare me a bit whenever my grandma wants to go to downtown LA since it is almost a 1 hour trip on just 1 bus and since she’s on a wheelchair I do have to paw attention to where we are going. But my grandma does know her way around lol.
I'm from LA but am currently in the military so I haven't lived in LA for about 3yrs and a half but from I remember all you have to do is tap on the other station and it automatically transfers and it's simple as that I'm pretty sure you got off too early but either way looked like a fun trip
I stayed in DTLA this Spring and I stayed right near the Pershing Square metro station and I was able to get around just fine to destinations like LACMA, the Grove, the Wiltern and (yes) even the Hollywood walk of fame. I had wanted to take the light rail to Santa Monica too but I ran out of time. Next time!
I missed California while I was watching your video!!! Great work Michael!
Thanks Carlos!! How can you not miss CA haha
I'm familiar with the New York City map and on it the 8th Avenue Subway which has the A Train is indicated by a blue line. The LA Metro system map you showed indicated that their A Line is also indicated by blue and used to be called the Blue Line!
I love this video lol I had a friend that visited from London and she was shocked at how poorly our transit system was, as well. L.A. definitely favors cars over metro rails, tho they are relatively new - hopefully they'll improve over time. They really need a better transfer access from the metro rail to the subway station!!
Los Angeles is actually one of the better places in the US for public transit. Many US cities don't have light rail.
@@DrCruel Portland has put money not on highways but on the MAX light rail. Going there by train and bus is a dream. I was able to travel from my airport Hotel at PDX to a rental car station in Beaverton, OR to get my rental. Even smoother than in Germany.
@@Canleaf08 Probably a good idea. Many of Portland's roads and sidewalks are blocked by meth gypsies.
@@Canleaf08 As usual it depends on where you live and where you need to go. I lived in a crappy place for transit and Portland's light rail was less than useless for me.
It's the same thing in LA. It's only useful if you happen to live next to a station. But this problem fixes itself as they built more lines. Thankfully, this is exactly what LA is doing and at a pretty rapid clip compared to the rest of the country!
I never had a problem getting from Santa Monica to Hollywood, it's pretty straight forward. The 7th street Metro Ctr station at the end of the Blue Line has a transfer Point to the Red Line that runs all the way to Hollywood, It's a two train journey. Now I've come in from Azuza so to reach Santa Monica it's a three train journey, I've had to take the Yellow Line all the way to Union Station, transfer to the Red Line, then to the Blue Line at 7th St.
I really loved this video!! I have heard so many things about how bad the metro is in la compared to places like nyc and Chicago but I like how you actually show it
Thanks!! It’s not necessarily bad, just less convenient IMO
@@MichaelMartello lol take the long beach line at night and you will quickly think different
@@hw6271 Hey hater! Still trolling against public transportation I see. Cool!
what an adventure, Michael! well, now I see it's possible to survive in LA without a car
It’s possible, but not very convenient 🤣hopefully in a few years!
Lol it's not possible to survive in la without a car
@@hw6271 yeah I get it 😂
@@hw6271 Yes it is, I've been doing it for 14 years.
Not easily. I used to live in los Angeles. Public transportation isn't good.
I love the LA Metro and know it like the back of my hand, the way you know NYC. It's cool to watch someone figure it out on the fly.
Unless you live within a ten minute walk of the few stops that exist, this system is just about totally useless. No Express service? Committing by metro is something only a tiny percentage of ppl can honestly do here
Pretty frustrating for tourists too. Back in the day there were bus companies that would do 1 day tours from the Disneyland area to places such as Universal Studios, Longbeach Queen Mary etc. And the same company did transfers from LAX to the Disneyland area. Last time I was in L.A. I hired a car to get around and that was 10x easier than public transport.
Did you make it to the Coral Sands, I did 20 years ago, on my last LA trip. Sadly the rattrap is closed for good.
I discovered this video because I sought out LA Metro content after popping my metro cherry yesterday. Having lived my whole life 40 miles from DTLA but rarely, if ever, venturing there, I was just so amazed that such a system existed that I willingly overlooked all of its obvious flaws. I spent 5.5 hours roundtrip traveling a distance of 40 miles and it was not good but the potential is there and so I'm hopeful for the future of SoCal, ill-advised though it may be
You should have got off the train at LaBrea, then take the 212 bus which would have dropped you off within blocks of the entrance to Runyon Canyon. Normally the train would have been quicker even with a longer route, BUT, the track work closure meant the bus ride would have been quicker.
great video! really entertaining! native angeleno here and for the majority of my life i have not riding the metro ever. i was forced to drive my mom and siblings around when i was only 16 yrs old. lol i should hop on the metro sometime just for fun! :)
Omg thanks for making this video. This NY-er here is about to take her first trip to LA. Hopefully it's less crowded after labor day. Probably gonna get unlimited pass
Good luck and enjoy LA!!
Years ago way before the Metro was even built I tried to take the bus from Mt Washington via Figueroa/Santa Monica Blvd to Santa Monica to have a day at the beach. Should have left at dawn - it took 2 1/2 hrs each way - no express buses going west and coming back - no express buses. My first Metro ride was between Hollywood and downtown LA when there was only that one line operating. Nice looking stations and notice in this video they have added fare gates. When it first opened they had an honor system w/LA cops checking fares.
you can go to universal studio soley by LA metros now.
Welcome to Cali my friend. You look frazzled. But some friendly advice I'm not sure anyone else shared this with you but I recommend you purchase a "Day pass" the next time you want adventure out like this again. It's a whole lot cheaper!! And you can use it on ALL BUSES!!! And plan your trip on "metro trip planner" it's a whole better and it saves time and it saves you from having to walk around for so long and prevents you from getting lost!! Try out the other trains they are fun and great things to see!!! Trust me I've been on almost all of them and I love it!!! Thanks for this!!! I enjoyed watching you. Take care.
Nice video, Michael. The best part was just looking at you. Cheers. Pete.
I've just visited LA and I found the metro system pretty good. I also used Metrolink to go to Burbank and I love it.
If you'd taken the bus from Wilshire and Ocean and changed at Wilshire and Sta Monica, you could have been on your hike in about an hour. Yes, bus seems slower, but with the construction on the Expo Line [there used to be a shuttle to 7th Metro], that was your bike hole. If you'd taken the PCH bus to Sunset, you could have gotten closer, but the bus runs less frequently. And you didn't magically become used to the NYC subway, you used it for 10 years. Yes, LA Metro could be better, but you could have gone online and planned your trip.
I have tried taken a "leisure" ride from Monterey Park to Santa Monica 2x now. It takes 2 hours coz I have to walk to a nearby bus station to get to 7th/Metro, which is an hour, and the transfer, which takes me straight to the end of the line is another hour. The last time I do it, I didn't tap my card on the bus properly, so even though I paid, the fare wasn't loaded. I had to pay again when I was transferring. After riding the metro trains and busses are few times, I am surprised the busses are much cleaner compared to the trains. The trains usually has trash and that smell, and the busses don't.
I'm curious. What did you think of the stations themselves compared to the NYC subway? BTW, I think we call it the Metro, as a catch-all, because it's a combination above ground light rail and below ground subway. Though there is a lot more light rail than subway because the distances are so long so it's less expensive to build light rail.
The stations were OK - less crowded than NYC, but more dark.
@@MichaelMartello I've heard from other people who have ridden metros in other cities that the LA Metro stations seemed to be bigger than most including usually much higher ceilings which they found interesting. I wonder if that is because LA's Metro was build relatively recently so the stations need to be built deeper into the ground. That's just my two cents. The other thing they noticed was that there was no single design aesthetic. Many stations look very different from each other though I think Metro has now changed that and new stations will look more similar going forward.
@@theexmann Part of the different look to each station is that there is a California state law that requires a small percentage of projects like this to be set aside to public art, which changes up the exact look of each a bit. They are also fully ADA accessible which tends to make them bigger.
@@Geotpf True, but the stations themselves were very different and not just because of the art included. However, Metro has changed that with new stations. New stations will now have a more common look, but still have public artwork within the more unified look. The main reason for doing that is that it would serve to more easily identify the stations as Metro stations. It makes sense, but I also like just about all the subway stations look so different. I'm curious to see what the new stations on the subway extension to the Westside will look like.
@@theexmann The real factor that moved the agency to a systemwide design approach was maintenance costs. Imagine what it's like to maintain different station typologies all over the system - different materials, architectural features, and construction techniques... that might be fine for a small system but with Metro's expansion the costs would have become astronomical. A systemwide design standard can still be attractive and provide elements of variability (like public art and landscaping) as well as elements of continuity (finishes, architectural features, etc.)
Hope you kept the TAP card you bought for this trip. Ir's reloadable , you can call the regional TAP service center or got to a station , or go online to find vendors like Ralph's supermarkets near you to reload or add more stored value. The RTSC number is on the top of the back of the card and the Tap card number starts with zero and is on the bottom right hand corner on the back of the card. You'll need that when you call to reload or to add $ to it. If you do call the RTSC to add $, do it a couple of days before you plan on traveling. As a rule of thumb, it can take up to 48 hours for any money to be posted on the card, but really it's on there within 24-36 hrs at most. You can also call RTSC to register your TAP card, and if you lose it and have to buy another one, the CS rep at the service center will see if it is registered in their computer system and transfer any remaining balance from the lost card to the new one.
I subscribed af. I'm from buffalo ny and I have been planning on moving there for years. I am currently the past year saving to move there. Thanks for the info vids !
Haha of course! Good luck!
I'm originally from east coast I moved to California in 2017 I thought it was gonna be awesome , can't wait to leave this$#!+hole , a really good place to spend a nice vacations, but that's all
@@youonlyliveonce2556 I'm 27, I move in and out of New York all the time. If I end up wanting to leave california i will just come right back to new york.
Hello! LA metro worker here, whenever a train doesn’t go all the way to its usual final destination, we usually provide free shuttle buses. Did they not announce shuttle buses ? I find it strange that there wasn’t employees directing patrons to the shuttle buses. I’m sorry you had to walk/scootered and go through the trouble of finding 7th/metro station.
Also if you did take too long to where your transfer expired, always find a worker and we will gladly get you in for free because tourists get lost all the time and their transfer expires.
Great to know, thanks! There was a free bus shuttle but I willingly chose to take the bike. I believe I said that in the vid but should have been more clear
@@MichaelMartello oh ok maybe I missed you saying that. Glad you had fun tho.
Who is making the thumping sound and where is it coming from?
This was me about 20 years ago when I visited L. A I saw my uncle out there. The LA Subway in his built up. As it is now, but having to walk everywhere is a huge challenge even as in New Yorker. Oh yes, the crosswalks take a huge amount of time even when you think you have the light. I had a driver yell at me saying I was crazy for Jaywalking while on the crosswalk. Although it was impossible, I managed to get to where I was going. And you're talking to a person who took a bus from Downtown LA to Disneyland and back. The thing ISL a Sol's spread apart. That you can't even get to certain places within walking distance. You literally have to drive everywhere. Except in Downtown LA and in Hollywood, where it's somewhat walkable. I would love to come back to LA 20 years after my first visit and see the vast improvements they have made on it's Subway/Light Rail system. And start getting used to LA traffic!!
It is also very touristy to call Hollywood “the Eastside”, although it is east of Santa Monica. LA. Is so big spread out Runyon is not even east Hollywood. The way I translate directions to people not from here. The beach areas from Malibu to El Segundo heading east is the “lower-Westside”. Passed “the” 405 is the westside up until Main Street or just east of “the”110 Freeway. The Eastside begins east of Main street.
Literally laughed out loud at 6:49. Thanks for sharing what I'm missing by not taking the LA Metro!
LOL Hollywood is a weird place! No problem 😂
I live in LA now and still don’t drive I do take the bus here and there but haven’t taken the metro. Did it feel safe? I always took the metro in Montréal but cause you hear so much things about metro and transports here I never dared to take the metro alone. But it looked pretty chill when you took it what were your thoughts
I've been riding the Metro for a little while now. I'd recommend staying off the Blue and Green lines, which run through some of the worse parts of town. I've had a really comfortable experiences with the buses though I've only used them in Westwood and Santa Monica so probably not the most representative. As for the rails and subways, I'd say to always be alert though I've always felt relatively safe. Try to stay closer to the normal looking people and you'll be alright.
As most people are saying, a lot of work needs to be done but with the Olympics coming, I hope a lot of improvements happen. Hope this helps
@@walterblanco7983 thank you so much for your response! I also take the bus sometimes on the west side and have always felt safe too! I need to try taking the metro to santa monica from the culver city area :)
@@marineinlalaland No problem! Hmm, so I'd assume that you'll probably be taking the Expo line then. I occasionally use it and found it to be better than the ones I mentioned and the red line so I think you won't find it too bad. Hope all goes well!
Generally speaking it usually pays to download the app of the local transit agency or company and check for routes they propose. Then you can make an informed decision whether you prefer to stick to rail services only even Tatze cost of time and distance or whether a mix or a bus trip will be better. And you will get exact (well kinda) times even (or especially) in systems that offer less frequency. Obviously that is less of an issue if your destination is in a denser and higher frequency network.
But even in only middlin systems I usually find that you can go to an amazing number of places far quicker than you thought you invest the initial 10 minutes into research….
The public transportation in los angeles is awesome easy and cheap, it gets you to lots of different cities, amazingly fun.
the second you got of the Santa Monica line and you were above ground I knew you were lost, and that is a crazy long trip, when I read Santa Monica to Hollywood I was thinking this was going to be a major time commitment for you. next time you want to a horrible metro experience take the blue line to Long Beach, now THAT is an insane journey through a horrible part of town. I lived in Koreatown and worked in Hollywood so I rode the metro every day, the thing is if you aren't paying attention when you transfer from the red to the purple you can end up getting back on the Red again and you have to get off, come back and do it all over again making sure you get on the correct line.
I think the LA Metro could be a little confusing if you’re not from there great video showing us how to use the metro! 😊
Excellent video, very real
Don’t even get me started with the atrocity of Google Maps Transit directions in LA…lolll
As a L.A. native I have never taken the Metro, and would imagine exactly this experience, which is why I depend on my car.
I lived in la for twenty years allways on the bus or train once the metro came it was fantastic
Next time get an all day pass. Right now, it costs the same as two fares on the Metro. And you get unlimited access until 3 am the following day. You will find that the Metro is great for bridging long distances quickly but you need to combine it with a bus to hit with pinpoint accuracy. I live in West LA and own a car. But I find the Metro/Bus system very useful for local distances, when parking is an issue. I just returned from a vacation. And found out I could take the Culver City bus from LAX to a stop 3 blocks from my house. It cost a dollar and was just as fast as an Uber. The bus was uncrowded and safe. And there were also students from UCLA who were doing the same thing! Saved my 65 bucks!
As a tourist, we used the Metro from Hollywood to Santa Monica. It was very easy, quick and cheep. No parking problems. Perfect service!
Santa Monica is the best line.
I tried to ride the Metro once and the station was closed. It was almost 4AM though lol Maybe the transfer didn't work because you had also had to tap on your way out? Not sure.
I don't understand the hate public transportation gets in the US. When I was in LA I was stuck in traffic for 3 hours during the Summer heading to Santa Monica. And the Expo line in comparison took 45 minutes or so.
is there a tram to downtown la from santa monica?
yes. yellow line up to a line. can take bus to anywhere.
Funny enough, the Expo line connected to the Red Line on 7th street. There should have been stairs either adjacent or across the street. Biking through DTLA was actually a detour you didn't have to take. but then again there must of been some maintenance. As for the LA Metro, it has done me well at times. I anticipate more metro lines for the city.
Sometimes weekend maintenance is done. When that happens there are buses that would take you around the closed segment of the train line (this work is very common for the Blue and Expo Lines around Washington)
@@nataliajimenez1870 it's nice to know they have bus lines to accommodate riders during maintenance. Because keeping transit moving without hindrance is a challenge during some projects
Welcome to L.A. I moved here from Queens in 1977 to go to USC and stayed. I’m a car guy so it’s better here except for the traffic. Do some research on the “Big Red Cars”. Those were the Los Angeles Metro of their time but were ended in the very early sixties. They went everywhere. Metro is using some of the old right of ways now. Some are gone forever. If the Expo went to the end the transfer would have been easy. I assume by now you have the Metro app. It may have told you how to get to the last stop, then. They’re building this huge interchange under downtown to connect the lines. It’s almost ready and have been shown to politicians and press. I can’t ride a bike so I’d have been screwed. I enjoyed seeing your new eyes experiencing L.A. from a current NYC perspective. I know this was a year ago but CZcams just algorithm’d you to my feed. Cool. I enjoyed your video and will check out your channel.
Another faster option is The Big Blue Bus from Santa Monica to Wilshire and Western and then the Purple line to Wilshire/Vermont and then the Red Line to Hollywood and highland
That’s why people of LA prefers their cars
Not sure why you didn't take the Metrolink all the way into Fig & 7th station where you could easily transfer to the Red Line? Hmm.
Cool video dude! Pretty sure you could’ve just transferred at union station to get on the red line no?
I don't get it. If he's an original New Yorker, why only ten years on the NY subways? I'm from New Jersey and taken the the subways more than him somehow.
Come try out the San Francisco public transportation system! As a former Angeleno, it's a trip!
Subscribed and waiting lol
I only visited SF a few times but omg I was blown away by the public transit. It came (mostly) on time??! You could travel just fine by walking or taking bus/train? In fact, having a car would be a detriment.
Also SF seemed far more more pedestrian friendly, although the bicyclists were assholes with cutting through crosswalks at dangerous speeds that could hurt/kill a pedestrian.
Took the metro from DT LA to Santa Monica. It was a good experience but they was about 5 years ago. Not sure how ride would be today.
Mandela effect: I remember that LA NEVER HAD A SUBWAY SYSTEM :OOOO
Only someone from Santa Monica would call Hollywood the 'east side.' For a native Angeleno there's a whole lot more territory to cover heading east before you get to the 'east side.'
Well, we'll see how much transit improvements LA can accomplish before the next Summer Olympics, really, only five years of building time. Not much time really. Angelenos will probably be seeing a lot of road detours, closures, and resulting added congestion during the next six years or so. I've read that they're studying bringing back the electric street cars. Good luck, be patient, stay cool.
LA needs desperately a growth of their Metro network. The purple line will be extended until UCLA, but it's necessary other extensions.
As an Oregonian I rode the LA metro as well and it was way different than the trimet .
I lived in L.A. from 1992 to 1996. Back then, if you did not own a car (like me), you were riding the bus. There was no Metro rail back then. I lived in Hollywood and took the bus to Pasadena to go to school, the Valley to work, Downtown L.A., Santa Monica, etc. Yes, it took forever to get around but the L.A. bus system was great for those of us with no vehicle. I wish the Metro Rail that exist today was in place 30 years ago.
Overall a good and interesting video. Even with Metro expansion, you need to combine bus with rail. Google maps helps plan trips. LA is too spread out, and some north to south trips can be tough to plot out.
Looks like a few less lines than here in Chicago, but overall the trains are clean asf, and they look way more modern tbh than the one's here in Chicago.
Why did you have to get a bike to get to downtown LA? That's bizarre. I have done that trip, stayed on the Metro, and didn't have to get a bike.
On a visit to LA, I usually rent a car. One time, I decided to eschew cars and see if I could do it on public transportation. I was able to do it.
you can just ride metro bus, same fare as train.
Hey what is the name of the app at 6:16?
That's just Apple Maps 🙂
@@MichaelMartello ok thanks!
It makes me sad to see this trip being so much more arduous than it should have been. Transferring from the E line (Expo) to the B line (Red) should be incredibly simple at the 7th Street Metro center, can the train made it there. Maybe this interruption was due to construction of the Regional Connector? Don't give up hope! LA Metro can be very liberating to use if you take the time to learn it's quirks and limitations, and enjoy NOT being in a car!
i wonder who filmed you while you were walking down the trail
The expo line connects to the red line at 7 and metro.
What a hoot. At least you're doing it. Don't know what in hell happened for you on this day, but AGES ago BEFORE the covid, I was quite easily able to go from Santa Monica to Downtown. I had actually parked in a garage in Long Beach, and as we've accomplished a number of times (because we HATE driving dowtown), we went over to Santa Monica. Tap card for the WHOLE DAY. Don't goof around. The line goes right by Staples. Both Blue Line from Long Beach, and Exposition.
I was just in Santa Monica on Saturday and spent $33 to Uber to WeHo, plus I had to wait 30 minutes. Would have loved to have taken the metro and saved a couple bucks
Uber has been very expensive lately! If only the metro was a bit more convenient, but definitely cheaper
You could take the Expo line, get off on Palms and then taken an Uber from there and it would've been cheaper.
If you are new to LA, this is pretty accurate.