Rail access arrives at Los Angeles International Airport
Los Angeles took a huge step toward linking airplanes to trains on Friday, as the nation's fifth busiest hub joined the modern travel world and offered car-loving Southern Californians an off-ramp from traffic-clogged freeways.
The LAX/Metro Transit Center is set to open at 5 p.m. PT and will connect travelers to the K or C rail lines, which can then whisk them north in the direction of central Los Angeles, south toward beach cities or east along Interstate 105.
The breakthrough is an absolute necessity for organizers of the 2028 Olympics if they're going to fulfill their vow of making it a "no car Games."
"This is a big day for L.A.," County Supervisor Janice Hahn said in a statement shortly after a ceremonial ride at the new station.
Hahn, the MTA chair, used good humor and invoked the memory of an arch conservative to toast this new rail option.
"President Reagan once said the nine most terrifying words were, 'I'm from the government, and I'm here to help.' But here in L.A., we know they have always been: 'Hey, can you give me a ride to LAX?'" quipped Hahn, the daughter of late political titan Kenneth Hahn who played a key role in bringing the Brooklyn Dodgers west in 1957.
"Well now — for the first time ever — you can say: 'No way. Just take Metro.' '
This option still isn't a 100% tire-free experience.
Arriving LAX passengers still have to take a bus shuttle, which is set to run every 10 minutes, from the airport to the new station, which is about two miles east of Terminal 1.
The LAX People Mover is being built and targeted for completion by year's end.
Once the People Mover is rolling, LAX will have rail service that its peers have offered for decades.
The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) has been rolling passengers in and out of America's busiest airport, Hartsfield–Jackson, since 1988.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE He wrestles crocs on TV but being a Dad to young kids is what scares Steve Backshall most
On television he's the fearless adventurer who has wrestled with some of the world's deadliest predators, from 15ft crocodiles to killer sharks, and venomous snakes to ferocious polar bears. But for wildlife expert and naturalist Steve Backshall, whose BAFTA-award winning CBBC series Deadly 60, continues to inspire and educate children, it's at home where he faces his toughest challenge. In an exclusive interview with The Mail on Sunday, the much-loved and renewed explorer admits that having three children under six in his 50s, is physically challenging. While he absolutely loves what he does, and never expected to still be a huge children's television star at his age, there's no escaping the emotional struggle of spending long periods of time away from his family filming all over the world. Steve is married to two-time Olympic champion rower Helen Glover, 38, and the couple have son Logan, six, and five-year-old twins, Willow and Kit. He describes his wife as a 'mega-mum' and is incredibly proud of the fact that she was the first British female rower to go to an Olympic games after having children. Explaining what it's like being an older dad, Steve said: 'I do wish I had the energy that I had when I was in my 20s and 30s, to have the ability to sprint around playing football and rugby all day long with my kids, and for me to still be popping and buzzing with energy at the end of the day. 'But obviously I haven't and it's really tough to keep going when you're 52 and you've got three kids under six. But I've got knowledge and experience and a whole array of different things that I can teach them about, help them with, and also I've got no choice! These are the cards that I was dealt with and I've got to make it work.' While Steve's three young children are all proud of their 'cool dad' and love hearing about his dangerous expeditions, having to go away for weeks at a time is something that they struggle with. So much so that he reckons they'd all much prefer it if he had a normal 9-5 office job because it would mean he'd be at home with them a lot more. Steve said: 'I think they are very excited by it and very proud but also the fact I go away a lot, they don't like at all. 'They really, really struggle with it and it's been hard ever since they could understand what it was doing and actually, they would take me doing an office job and see me every day over me having this incredibly exciting job but always kind of leaving, and being away for long periods of time. 'Especially at the age they're at. Right now for this one little precious period of time in their lives all they want is to be with Mummy and Daddy.' When he is at home Steve loves nothing more than getting outdoors and exploring nature with his children, something which they all love. He said: 'From the moment they could crawl they were pond dipping, they were out in the canoes, they were climbing trees, doing all the kind of things that I did as a kid that I really wanted them to embrace and enjoy. 'They've kind of had no choice when it comes to that sort of thing but you can see how switched on they are. They are never more alive, more enthused, sparkle in the eyes than when they're out doing something active, physical, in nature. 'It's the same with animals too, whether it's domestic animals or wild animals, they just love it. I've got something that I can give to them that I know can make them happy and enthused.' Steve admits that he's quite an old fashioned dad, he said: 'I do think that discipline and rules and structure are important for kids, and I do think the things we've been doing for generations are timeless and they work for a reason. I think I'm quite an old fashioned dad.' Family time is also really important, and he's conscious of how quickly the years are going by. He said: 'It feels like an absolute heartbeat since they were crawling around and now all three of them are at school and all three of them have got quite grown up personalities, they're all very different from each other. Everything that everyone says about being a parent is so true.' While Steve's passion for nature has inspired generations of youngsters to appreciate and protect wildlife, there is one cheeky clip that will always follow him around. Back in 2013, while demonstrating the hydrodynamics of tuna for Deadly 60, he lost his swimming trunks while clinging onto a rope attached to the back of a speeding boat. He laughed: 'That will be there for the rest of my career no matter what I do! I could be winning endless awards and be knighted by the King, but that will still be out there, imagery of me being dragged around as naked as the day I was born. 'There's no getting away from it. I've been doing this a long time now and there are an awful lot of those "It'll be alright on the night" out takes of me being pooed on, having animals doing inappropriate things in the back ground behinds me, it's just one of those things, you've got to embrace it. 'I do quite a lot of big shows and talks, I've got a big one coming up in October, an arena tour which is rather exciting, I always play bloopers in those shows because people just love them, they find them hilarious.' So what do the school mums think of having a hunky explorer in the playground? Steve said: 'The mums in the playground are all much more adoring of Helen. There's no getting around it, she is mega-mum and she is this incredibly inspiring, iconic figure, so they're all like... 'Oh yeah, the old git who likes bothering bugs or the four-time Olympian who basically went to her third Olympic games when she had three kids under two? 'Who you going to be more admiring of? She's been to four Olympics, she's got two gold medals and one silver medal. She did her third Olympic games post-pandemic, she'd just had the twins, trained herself at home, with no coach, no special diet or routine and became the first British female rower to go to the Olympic games after having kids.' Steve recently filmed a special expedition in the Arctic, which saw him walk the same path that King Charles did 50 years ago to see how the area has changed over time. He's just launched his new podcast That's Just Wild, which went straight to the top of the science podcast chart, and is preparing for his first big arena tour this October. He said: 'The podcast is so exciting. We've just launched. It's with my two good friends Lizzie Daly and Sarah Roberts, and we basically sit around and talk nonsense about nature, the both of them have real academic backgrounds, so there's some really eye-popping science in there as well, it is very funny, sometimes very serious, full of a lot of amazing stuff that people would not have heard before about animals. 'We had a really exciting launch and went straight to the top of the science podcasts which was just fantastic. Then arena tour that I've got coming up in October is something that I've wanted to do for a very long time. 'I've been doing stage shows since about 2008, and I've been developing them over time to make them more and more spectacular, the idea of doing a one man show, in a 20,000 seater arena is both the most exciting and intimidating thing I've ever had on my plate. 'That's the big thing I'm wanting to tick off. It's incredibly exciting and very very frightening. If it goes well, it's going to be epic.' And although he appeared on BBC's smash hit Saturday night show Strictly Come Dancing back in 2014, Steve's response to any other big celebrity shows has been a blanket 'no' because he is just too busy doing what he loves. He said: 'Strictly was an incredible experience with the best people. But I have a fairly blanket 'no' I'm up to my eyeballs in the stuff that I love and that is dear to me. 'An awful lot of people in my position do not have all that work, so I do feel that breath down the back of my neck, and I do need to keep doing the stuff that I am good at, and while the opportunities are there I need to take it because they might not be there in a couple of years time. 'So yes occasionally, there will be mentions of things but I'm not really interested. Anything physical like Strictly, Dancing on Ice, you have to give it six months of your life and not do anything else, and right now I've too many other things that I want to do. 'And as for I'm A Celebrity, I can't imagine for a minute, why would they take me to the jungle? I spend my life in the jungle. 'This may sound big headed but I spend more time in the jungle than the people that they would have as their advisors so why would they take me? I would be the worst person to take. It sounds so pretentious, but we're in June and I've had five weeks in the jungle already this year.' Readers can listen to Steve's new podcast, That's Just Wild, podcast here and tickets for his huge arena tour this October are available via Tickemaster.
Metro
10 hours ago
- Metro
Peru should be your next travel destination – and not for Machu Picchu
While most of us are familiar with Machu Picchu, the country that lays claim to this wonder of the world has only recently come to the fore of global travel consciousness. Drawn by the ancient Incan citadel, a growing number of travellers are waking up to the wealth of attractions that Peru has to offer. Blending indigenous, Spanish, and international influences, the rich cultural fabric of this South American destination rewards visitors with breathtaking landscapes, wondrous wildlife and fascinating history — plus top-tier hotels and some of the finest cuisine in the region. Here, Metro makes the case for Peru, with six reasons it should be next on your holiday hit list. Kicking off with the obvious big ticket item, this stone fortress is perched some 2,500 metres above sea level, shrouded in clouds, and ringed by a crown of mountain peaks. Fuel your wanderlust with our curated newsletter of travel deals, guides and inspiration. Sign up here. Regarded as one of the world's most important archaeological sites, Machu Picchu is UNESCO-protected and was chosen as one of the 'New Seven Wonders of the World' in a worldwide internet poll in 2007. Cut through the queues and get to the heart of it by joining a Mountain Lodges of Peru walking journey to this historic icon. The prestigious locally owned and operated Andean Lodge travel organisation offers a unique route paired with expert guides to facilitate the best possible experience, traversing uncrowded trails and traditional communities before reaching the jaw-dropping ruins themselves. For proximity to these ruins, the Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo is your check-in of choice. Sitting in the shadows of the Lost City, the luxury lodge resembles a quaint Andean village with terraced hills, waterfalls, stone pathways and only 83 whitewashed suites tucked into the lush cloud forest. The idyllic eco-resort also offers the perfect pre or post-Machu Picchu experience: a traditional Andean sauna. Constructed from bamboo and fresh eucalyptus leaves, hot stones are heated in a fireplace at its centre, over which more eucalyptus leaves are placed. Guests sit in candlelight, inhaling the vapours. Post-sweat, you can jump into the natural spring water pond outside for a refreshing dip. Winning the 'world's leading culinary destination' title for six years running, Peru and its food – a fusion of tradition and exciting ingredients – has exploded onto the world stage. And at the centre of this explosion is the country's capital, Lima. Legitimately a global gourmet hotspot, the 'World's 50 Best Restaurants' guide puts Lima in the same league as New York and London after featuring it more times than any other city. To experience the lauded fare firsthand, book a table at Kjolle. The first solo restaurant from celebrity chef, Pia Leon, who rose to fame as the head chef of Central (named the 'World's Best Restaurant' in 2023) a tasting menu here is truly money well spent if you want a celebration of Peruvian produce and its culinary history. For a double whammy of haute hotel and haute cuisine, base yourself at the prestigious Hotel B. Easily the coolest check-in in town — and Lima's only Relais & Chateaux property — this restored colonial mansion turned 20-suite, boutique hotel is set in the bohemian, artsy district of Barranco. True to its location, the hotel houses a unique art collection with over 300 original installations. Food-wise, the in-house restaurant focuses on native ingredients and local delicacies (including crispy guinea pig). After dinner, head upstairs to the rooftop terrace bar and sink a few pisco sours while the sun sets over the Pacific Ocean. For a grassroots look at the culinary aspect of the capital, book a spot on Viator's Food & Art: Lima Colours and Flavours Walking Tour. A half-day walking tour through the city's Chorillos and Barranco neighbourhoods takes in top sights and local markets, with pit stops to sample delicious, authentic Peruvian snacks and staple dishes. Situated in southeastern Peru among dramatic Andean panoramas, the culturally rich city of Cusco is one of Peru's most popular destinations. Recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the mountain town is a medley of ancient Inca temples and monuments, colonial architecture and modern buildings. A destination in itself, it's also a great base for exploring nearby Inca sites such as the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu. Base yourself at Inkaterra La Casona, a 16th-century, former colonial manor (one of the first Spanish buildings in Cusco) that is now a 5-star hotel located steps from the main square. The 11 suites are set around a Spanish courtyard, replete with antique furniture, pre-Columbian textiles and original murals. Each room features plush touches such as freestanding tubs and heated floors to soothe tired feet after a day of trekking. A small yet perfectly formed spa offers bespoke treatments. Top tip: the 'De-Stress' treatment comes highly recommended. A small dining room and terrace serves a delectable menu showcasing local ingredients, including slow-roasted merlot lamb shanks and Andean trout. For an immersion into Cusco's best street grub, snack and sightsee on a Curious Monkey Food Tour. Locally owned and operated, this small group tour offers a tasty lesson in the culture and traditions of Peru. Over half a day, expert guides connect you with food vendors, from the oldest empanada stand in the city, to a lauded, local Peruvian coffee and chocolate emporium. Come evening, meat-lovers should beeline to Cusco's best steakhouse, Uchu Peruvian Steakhouse where a selection of meats — including 20 hour slow-cooked pork ribs and delicious alpaca — are presented on volcanic hot stone platters and marinated in drool-worthy sauces. While Machu Picchu gets all the hype (and the tourist traffic), there are ways to get off the tourist trail to visit small, relatively unknown Incan temples, that you'll likely have to yourself. Peru is set for a record-breaking tourist year in 2025, and it pays to plan ahead. Viator offers a horseback tour that takes in four temples in the nearby Sacsayhuaman Archeological Park. The half-day guided adventure follows a portion of the Inca Trail and traverses spectacular Andean countryside and temples. You'll learn about religious sites and Andean culture from your guide, and even join in an ancient ritual to experience the mysticism of the Andes yourself. History lessons and cultural encounters aside, exploring near-deserted temples on the back of a horse will make anyone feel like Indian Jones. Machu Picchu is the most visited site in South America and the iconic Inca Trail to its boundaries is, by proxy, heaving with tourists. Annually, millions upon millions flock to the mysterious citadel via the well-worn hiking trail. It's crowded, pricey and hectic. For those who want to experience the dramatic and unspoiled Peruvian Andes without jostling for elbow space, look no further than the Lares trail. Mountain Lodges of Peru offers the ultimate crowd-free multi-day alternative to reaching Machu Picchu on their Sacred Valley and Lares Adventure to Machu Picchu experience — a journey that takes guests through the ancient history, living culture, and magnificent landscapes of Cusco and the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Expert guides tailor your experience from a daily list of activities and cultural exploration options as you wind through remote communities, farms and friendly faces. Next, as the afternoon hits, you will settle into one of the eco-lodges that sit along the route. Here, your luggage awaits you, along with a specially prepared dinner made using fresh ingredients, alongside spacious beds and personal hot tubs with views overlooking the landscape. It's post-hike pampering at its absolute best. For nature lovers, a journey to Peru is not complete without exploring the Amazon. Winding through countless jungles, it is the world's largest rainforest. No river is bigger in volume than the mighty Amazon; its banks are home to some 40,000 plant species (with 16,000 types of trees alone) and over 5,000 animal species. It's this immense biodiversity that makes the Peruvian Amazon an absolute must-visit for wildlife enthusiasts. And you don't need to have the prowess of Bear Grylls to do it. Delfin Amazon Cruises offers visitors the chance to sail the waters of the Amazon on three and four-night cruises on its 42-passenger ship, the Delfin III. More Trending If you've always wanted to see this storied jungle, this is the way to do it — with great food, expert naturalist guides, activities such as piranha fishing, and a private cabin where you can rest and refuel. Skiffs carry passengers out on jungle hikes, bird-watching expeditions and even river swimming and kayaking. All the while, guides will help you spot everything from endemic pink river dolphins and piranhas, to sloths and jaguars. No machete or mosquito netting required. MORE: Europe's 'nowhere place' is a quiet Italian gem with flights from £17 MORE: TUI relaunches UK flights to forgotten year-round sunshine destination after 3 years MORE: I tried to do Cannes on £30 a day – a champagne town on a Fanta budget
Time Out
19 hours ago
- Time Out
The LAX/Metro Transit Center is opening today—here's what you need to know
L.A. has never been exactly renowned for its public transit, but Metro is working overtime to change that—specifically in time for next year's FIFA World Cup, the 2027 Super Bowl and, of course, the 2028 Olympics. One huge step in the right direction? Starting today, June 6, access to the Los Angeles International Airport —one of the busiest airports in the country—will become more streamlined, thanks to the LAX/Metro Transit Center, the ambitious new station Angelenos have long been asking for. In the words of L.A. Mayor Karen Bass, today marks the 'beginning of a new era in our city.' And to celebrate the big opening, rides across the entire Metro system—rail lines, buses, Metro Bike Share and rideshare service Metro Micro—are free from Friday through Sunday. The LAX/Metro Transit Center officially opened to mariachi music and remarks from city leaders including Mayor Bass, Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts, Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins and Metro Board Chair Janice Hahn, who joked that the nine most terrifying words in the English language are 'Hey, can you give me a ride to LAX?' Here's hoping the new station means fielding fewer of those dreaded requests from your friends. LAX/Metro Transit Center Station rail and bus connections The new station, located at 9225 Aviation Boulevard, closes the final gap in the K Line, which will now run directly from Expo/Crenshaw to Redondo Beach—the airport-adjacent center fills a gap in that line that used to require you to take a bus to continue south. And it's the new terminus of the C line, which starts in Norwalk (it also connects the C and K lines—an added benefit). If you live along the C or K lines, the station is a godsend for airport visits. But if you don't live in, say, Inglewood or Downey, will this benefit you? Well, as you can see in the map below, these lines also intersect with other lines, meaning that with just one transfer, you can find yourself on a train bound for the airport. The A line (Azusa to Long Beach) allows you to transfer to the C line, and the E line, which reaches all the way from Santa Monica through Downtown and into East L.A., meets up with the K line, meaning those riders can also map a car-free route to LAX. (Though from Santa Monica and Downtown, there are buses that can probably get you to the station more directly and quickly.) In addition to the two light rail lines stopping at the station, the LAX/Metro Transit Center will also serve 14 bus lines—including six Metro bus lines and partner lines including the Big Blue Bus, Culver CityBus, Torrance Transit, GTrans and Beach Cities—with 16 bays for bus transfers. The station will also offer a Metro Micro bay. What about the Automated People Mover? Now, once you've done all the mental navigation and actual navigation of getting to the LAX/Metro Transit Center with your luggage in tow, unfortunately you're not done yet. That's when you'll need to board a free Los Angeles World Airports shuttle to LAX, which will run every 10 minutes and deposit you at your terminal. That's not a bad solution, but it's a placeholder until the long-awaited Automated People Mover is ready—which is projected to finally open in early 2026 (though you can see it doing some test runs through the station now). When that glorious day arrives, the APM will allow travelers to step onto elevated, entirely electric train cars and bypass traffic on their way to the terminals. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (@metrolosangeles) And now for the station itself. While the idea has been decades in the making, actual construction on the nearly $900-million project began in 2021, and it's the eighth completed project in Metro's ambitious Twenty-Eight by '28 initiative—which is prioritizing projects that will provide more connectivity to major sports venues for the city's upcoming 'car-free' Olympics. The entire site of the station is approximately 500,000 square feet (the size of almost nine football fields). It boasts 11 elevators, 12 escalators and nine staircases where you can access the bus bays on the ground level or ascend and then descend to the concourse, where you'll find the light rail trains. The MTC will be able to accommodate up to 5,000 passengers an hour. While there aren't dining and shopping options like you'll find in some cities' major transit stations, there are public restrooms, a customer service center and automated storage for 50 bikes. The visual centerpiece is an origami-like spiral sculpture, 'The Distance of the Sun,' by L.A. native artist Glenn Kaino that hangs above the escalators. Elsewhere in the station, digital displays depict 18 poignant portraits of Metro riders created by local artists. There's still more work to be done, but the LAX/Metro Transit Center is an impressive achievement that the city and its residents can be proud of. Any step toward making the airport experience a bit easier and connecting the disparate parts of L.A. is a huge win.
