19 hours ago
L.A. Travelers Can Now Skip Airport Traffic Thanks to This New Metro Transit Center
As of June 6, the LAX/Metro Transit Center is officially open, connecting Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to two Metro lines and 14 bus lines.
Eventually, the LAX/Metro Transit Center will be directly connected to LAX via the Automated People Mover Train, but for now, travelers can take free shuttles between the two points.
The center's opening comes just in time for several huge events that will take place in L.A., including the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the 2027 Super Bowl, and the 2028 Olympics.
In Los Angeles, people often say that the true test of someone's love is their willingness to pick you up from Los Angeles International Airport—enduring the traffic of LAX for a friend or loved one requires a certain selflessness and bravery. But now that the LAX/Metro Transit Center is open, getting to and from the airport could be a little easier.
The new LAX/Metro Transit Center is located just outside the airport, near Aviation Boulevard and 96th Street, close to the LAX Rental Car Center. The new transit center is directly connected to the Metro's C and K metro lines. The C line links L.A.'s West Side to the east, running from El Segundo (where LAX is located) to Downey. The K Line runs north to south, going from the Jefferson Park neighborhood to Redondo Beach. The LAX/Metro Transit Center doesn't just provide travelers easy access to the airport, though. It also closes a key gap in the Metro's rail network by serving as a hub for the C and K lines.
In addition to the two metro lines, travelers will be able to hop on 14 different bus lines at the new station, including Santa Monica's Big Blue Bus, the Culver City Bus, Torrance Transit, and Gardena's GTrans system.
However, the LAX/Metro Transit Center isn't quite directly connected to the airport just yet. The Automated People Mover is slated to open in 2026, and once it does, travelers will be able to take the APM train from the transit center to LAX seamlessly. For now, shuttles will run every 10 minutes between the center and the airport, and will pick up and drop off guests at the lower level of each terminal.
In order to ride Los Angeles' public transportation system (whether you're taking the metro or the bus), you'll need a Tap Card—you can purchase tickets and passes at any metro station or add the card to your Apple or Google Wallet for easy use. If you're driving into LAX from out of town, you could park your car at one of the L.A. Metro System's many Park & Ride facilities, and then hop on a Metro line to get to your flight.
Los Angeles International Airport is one of the busiest airports in the world, and since Los Angeles will play host to a few big events in the coming years, it will likely only get busier. The new LAX/Metro Transit Center debuted just in time for events such as the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the 2027 Super Bowl, and, of course, the 2028 Olympics. The new metro center will hopefully take some of the pressure off of LAX-IT, the airport's ride-share hailing and taxi lot.