Los Angeles Airport Transfers

Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is the main airport for international and long-haul visitors. LAX is approximately 19 miles (31 km) northeast of downtown Los Angeles and offers Metro, FlyAway, taxis, rideshare, scheduled buses, shared-ride vans and rental-car shuttles. For most visitors staying in central, western or southern Los Angeles, start by comparing LAX’s public transport and road options with your accommodation’s exact address. (LAX ground transportation, checked 2026-09-28)

Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR) is approximately 12 miles (19 km) north of downtown Los Angeles. It is especially useful for Hollywood, Burbank, Glendale, Pasadena and the San Fernando Valley. The airport has public buses, Amtrak, Metrolink, taxis, rideshare, door-to-door shuttles and hotel shuttles. (Hollywood Burbank Airport FAQ, checked 2026-09-28)

At LAX, Metro passengers travel to the LAX/Metro Transit Center by C Line, K Line or Metro bus, then take the free, frequent shuttle to every terminal. The airport’s own page lists the same shuttle connection and identifies the FlyAway bus as a separate nonstop service to Union Station and Van Nuys. (LA Metro to LAX, checked 2026-09-28)

FlyAway boards at the blue signs on the Lower/Arrivals Level outside every LAX terminal. It runs between LAX and Union Station or Van Nuys. Union Station is the useful choice for downtown rail connections; Van Nuys is the northern San Fernando Valley option. (LAX FlyAway, checked 2026-09-28)

At BUR, the airport’s Regional Intermodal Transportation Center and nearby rail stations connect travellers with buses and trains. The South station is a quarter mile from the terminal and has a complimentary on-demand airport shuttle. (Hollywood Burbank ground transportation; Metrolink Burbank Airport–South, checked 2026-09-28)

FlyAway is the only airport bus here with a published journey-time range. The operator lists Union Station at 30–60 minutes one way and Van Nuys at 40–80 minutes one way. These are estimates, not guaranteed arrival times: FlyAway says Los Angeles traffic changes from day to day. Add time for baggage collection and the walk from Union Station or Van Nuys to the final connection. (FlyAway frequently asked questions, checked 2026-09-28)

Metro does not publish one fixed LAX-to-downtown door-to-door time because the route depends on the terminal shuttle, the C Line or K Line, bus or rail connections and the final address. The published arrangement is clear: reach the LAX/Metro Transit Center, take the free terminal shuttle, and use Metro’s trip planner for the complete address-to-address itinerary. (LA Metro to LAX, checked 2026-09-28)

A taxi or rideshare takes you directly to your address, but the airport does not publish a guaranteed journey time. The LAX rate chart describes taxi charges as estimates and warns that traffic and demand can change the result. Use the app’s live estimate for rideshare, or ask the official taxi dispatcher about the applicable tariff before leaving. (LAX ground transportation, checked 2026-09-28)

At Hollywood Burbank, Metrolink and Amtrak reach Union Station and other regional stations, but each operator’s timetable gives the journey for the selected departure and destination rather than one airport-wide time. The airport train station is across Empire Avenue, while the South station is a quarter mile away. (Hollywood Burbank Airport FAQ; Metrolink Burbank Airport–South, checked 2026-09-28)

Metro’s regular fare is $1.75. Transfers are free for two hours when you tap to ride, and Metro accepts TAP, physical or digital credit and debit cards, Apple Wallet and cash on buses. The $1.75 fare applies to the Metro part of the journey; the airport shuttle to the LAX/Metro Transit Center is free. (LA Metro to LAX, checked 2026-09-28)

The current FlyAway fares page lists a one-way fare of $12.75 for both Union Station and Van Nuys. Up to two children aged five and under ride free with a paying adult. FlyAway accepts contactless Mastercard or Visa payment and its app; cash is not accepted. (FlyAway fares and tickets, checked 2026-09-28)

The airport does not offer one guaranteed taxi price to Downtown Los Angeles. The trip depends on the meter, route and traffic; use an authorised taxi and confirm the applicable fare before setting off. (LAX ground transportation, checked 2026-09-28)

Rideshare has no single airport fare. LAX identifies Lyft, Opoli and Uber as authorised providers and directs departing passengers to LAX-it beside Terminal 1; the app shows the price for the selected destination and service. Premium ride-app products listed by LAX may collect passengers directly at the terminal. (LAX rideshare and ground transportation, checked 2026-09-28)

Metrolink charges one-way fares by the origin-and-destination pair. Its current products include a $5 L.A. Zone Day Pass covering Burbank Airport–North, Burbank Airport–South, Union Station and other listed stations, plus a SoCal Day Pass at $15 on weekdays and $10 on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. (Metrolink ticket types, checked 2026-09-28)

FlyAway operates seven days a week. The current Union Station page lists departures to LAX from 3:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. and airport departures from 5:40 a.m. to 1:10 a.m. The Van Nuys page publishes a separate, more frequent timetable with overnight gaps. Check the destination-specific live schedule before travel; do not use the airport’s separately linked 2024 PDF for current departures. (Union Station schedule; Van Nuys schedule, checked 2026-09-28)

FlyAway does not guarantee that a bus will reach its destination within the published time range, and boarding closes two minutes before the scheduled departure. Arrive at least ten minutes early; at Van Nuys, preboarding closes five minutes before departure. Check the real-time bus location link when leaving the terminal. (FlyAway frequently asked questions, checked 2026-09-28)

Metro publishes separate schedules for the C Line, K Line and connecting bus routes rather than one combined airport timetable. The LAX/Metro Transit Center page lists Lines 102, 111, 117, 120 and 232 as bus connections, while the schedule page supplies the departure table for each line. Select the route, direction and date before relying on a first or last departure. (LA Metro to LAX; Metro schedules, checked 2026-09-28)

Metrolink likewise publishes train-by-train schedules for Burbank Airport–North and Burbank Airport–South. The South station’s complimentary airport shuttle operates daily from 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.; outside that window, walk the quarter mile or use another airport transfer. (Metrolink Burbank Airport–South, checked 2026-09-28)

LAX operates continuously, but scheduled transport has separate operating windows. FlyAway provides some overnight Union Station departures, while Metro’s airport connection depends on the selected line and the free terminal shuttle. For a late arrival, check the last usable C Line, K Line or bus connection from the LAX/Metro Transit Center before leaving baggage claim. (LAX ground transportation; Metro schedules, checked 2026-09-28)

Sunday is included in FlyAway’s published seven-day service. The exact Sunday departures are the times printed in the current route timetable, not a separate promise of weekday frequency. Check the Union Station or Van Nuys schedule and leave enough time for baggage and the terminal stop sequence. (LAX FlyAway; Union Station schedule; Van Nuys schedule, checked 2026-09-28)

Metro publishes Sunday and holiday timetable rows for each applicable route. Because LAX transfers use several rail and bus lines, there is no single airport-wide Sunday last departure. Enter the travel date and final address in Metro’s trip planner and check the complete chain, including the terminal shuttle. (Metro schedules; LA Metro to LAX, checked 2026-09-28)

Metrolink’s current fare rules include Saturday and Sunday travel, but train availability still depends on the selected line and station timetable. The Burbank South airport shuttle is published as daily from 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.; for a late Sunday arrival, use the station schedule first and keep a taxi or rideshare as the fallback. (Metrolink ticket types; Metrolink Burbank Airport–South, checked 2026-09-28)

Taxis and rideshare are the practical late-night fallback at LAX. Follow the green LAX-it signs, walk from the terminal or take the free LAX-it shuttle, then request the app ride after reaching the designated pickup area. At BUR, follow the airport’s marked taxi and TNC pickup instructions rather than accepting an unsolicited roadside offer. (LAX-it; Hollywood Burbank ground transportation, checked 2026-09-28)