When you think of a vacation trip to Los Angeles, what comes to mind? You probably believe driving is the only way to get anywhere. This was the classic image of L.A. until very recently.

Flash forward to today. Now, Los Angeles enjoys a much more extensive and efficient public transit system. It is truly possible to visit LA and never drive.

Two months ago, we spotlighted Long Beach (served by Metro’s Blue Line) and Catalina Island, and showed how visitors without cars can enjoy a great vacation here. Today, we will focus on Los Angeles itself.

We will show you how to have a great experience using public transportation. Use Metro’s subways and light rail lines, and supplement them with Rapid and Express bus routes.

These lines generally operate frequently during daylight, evening, and weekend hours. For detailed route and schedule information, visit www.Metro.net, or call (213) 922-6000.

Before starting your trip, go to http://www.metro.net/around/destination-guides for more information about attractions, dining, and other highlights along each of Metro’s rail and rapid bus line.

To find out more about Los Angeles attractions, visit www.discoverlosangeles.com, or call

(323) 467-6412 to speak to a Visitor Center representative.

The Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board provided this introduction to Los Angeles’ transportation choices for visitors who don’t want to drive. (Be sure to read next month’s column that will be a special report by lifelong LA resident Richard Risemberg:

Car Free Los Angeles

Los Angeles is home to one of the country’s best public transportation networks, including subways, light-rail, buses, and shuttles to just about every corner of the Greater Los Angeles area.

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) has an impressive network of subways, light rail and buses. The Metro system serves most parts of the Greater Los Angeles area. The system covers 1,433 square miles with 183 individual bus routes and five rail lines, (six if you count the Expo Line that opened on April 28) including both subway and light-rail trains. (www.metro.net).

Here are descriptions of the different subway and light rail Metro Options and routes:

The Metro Blue Line (light rail) runs north and south between Long Beach and Downtown LA.
The Metro Green Line (light rail) runs east and west between Norwalk and Redondo Beach.
The Metro Red Line (subway) meets the Blue Line in LA and provides service through Downtown, the Mid-Wilshire area, Hollywood and the San Fernando Valley, where it meets the Metro Orange Line
Metro Orange Line (bus rapid transit), runs from the San Fernando Valley to Warner Center in Woodland Hills. This summer, it will be extended another four miles to Chatsworth.
The Metro Purple Line (subway) runs between Union Station in Downtown, Wilshire Boulevard and Western Avenue.
The Metro Gold Line (light rail) connects with the Red Line at Union Station and runs to Pasadena.
The Expo Line (light rail) connects with the Blue Line and Red/Purple Line at 7^th/Metro and runs to Culver City.

Three types of bus service are available in LA. Metro Local (painted orange) makes frequent stops along major streets throughout the city. Metro Rapid (painted red) offers fewer stops and expedited travel times on major streets. Metro Express (painted blue) offers reduced stop service along the city’s freeway systems.

The easiest and most affordable way to use Metro Rail, Rapid and local buses is with a one-day pass on a Tap Card that costs just $5 ($1.80 for seniors age 62 and older) that is good until 3:00 a.m. the following day.

Los Angeles Metro Nightlife Itinerary

LA’s hottest clubs spring up organically, with thriving pockets of nightlife in Downtown, Hollywood and the Valley. The Metro Red Line gives visitors an easy way to connect the dots. Start anywhere you like. You can either work your way to all three regions or concentrate on a single area. The subway system winds down around midnight. Make sure to allow enough time to return to your original starting point. (Follow the links to www.discoverLosAngeles.com) Universal City Station, Hollywood/Highland Station, 7th Street/Metro Center Station, Civic Center Station

Go Metro and Go Everywhere in LA: By riding Metro, visitors can enjoy world-famous attractions and cultural gems throughout Los Angeles (http://discoverlosangeles.com/getting-around/land/los-angeles-metro-rail-itineraries.html).

Walking in Downtown LA

In Downtown LA, you can experience it as a pedestrian with Downtown LA Walks, an urban “wayfinding” program. Take advantage of self-guided tours and podcasts to Downtown LA’s attractions and frequently visited destinations. www.downtownlawalks.com

Of course, if you don’t like walking, just hold on to a few quarters and dimes, so you can ride the DASH bus to Chinatown or pretty much anywhere else in Downtown.

For 35 cents DASH offers quick bus routes through Downtown every five to 10 minutes between 6:00am and 6pm on weekdays, and every 15 minutes between 10am and 5pm on Saturdays and Sundays.

Route A – Little Tokyo to City West
Route B – Chinatown to Financial District
Route D – Union Station to South Park
Route E – City West to Fashion District (weekend, early service only)
Route F – Financial District to Exposition Park/USC (weekend, every 20 min. from 10am to 5pm)

For more information, visit www.ladottransit.com/dash.

Need to get to LAX?

Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) has created the FlyAway® Bus Service. Its 24-hour schedule makes airport transfers easy with buses leaving every 30 minutes from 5 a.m. to 1 a.m. and every hour from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. from Bay 9 of the Patsaouras Transit Plaza, adjacent to Union Station in Downtown LA. Tickets can be purchased from the FlyAway® kiosk in the Patsaouras terminal. The FlyAway® service also includes the San Fernando Valley, with service between Van Nuys and LAX, and Westwood. There is a drop-off and pick-up location on Kinross Avenue, two blocks from Westwood Boulevard near UCLA. For more information, visit www.lawa.org/flyaway, or call 1-866-iFLYLAX (1-866-435-9529).

If you have a little more time or a tighter budget, and wish to see more of the southern parts of the city, a free shuttle [http://www.lawa.org/welcome_lax.aspx?id=1240] will take you to Metro's Green Line train, which connects to Redondo Beach in one direction, and the Blue Line (Downtown to Long beach) in the other, ending up in Norwalk.

Union Station is the Best Place to Arrive by Amtrak or Commuter Train

Here, you can connect to Amtrak trains connecting to cities north, east, and south, the Metrolink suburban commuter trains, the Red and Purple Line subway trains, and the Gold Line light rail train, as well as many bus lines, including the 733 Rapid to Venice Beach and Santa Monica.

Greyhound Buses Arrive at the Bus Terminal at 7^th and Decatur

Los Angeles Union Station

Mackerm Photo-Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike 3.0 United States

Bus travelers arrive at the Greyhound terminal at 7^th and Decatur. Metro Bus route 60 serves the terminal 24 hours every day. The nearest rail stop is the Red Line 7^th Street Metro station. To get there, cross the street. Then take the 60 west bound (marked Sunset and Fugueroa) to 7^th and Flower.

Some Other Ways to See LA Without a Car

Starline Tours: Whether for sightseeing or transportation purposes, the Starline Hop-on, Hop-off Double Decker Fun Tour is a great way to get around. Get on and off the London-style red, double-decker bus along any of the 50 stops. Book a 24-hour or 48-hour tour to catch all the sites on all four loops through Downtown LA, Hollywood, Beverly Hills and Santa Monica. Starline Tours also offers round-trip transportation to Universal Studios Hollywood from its terminal on Hollywood Boulevard and from many area hotels. www.starlinetours.com.

Bikes and Hikes LA: Bikes and Hikes LA is the first full-service bike/hike tour company promoting an eco-friendly, healthy way to enjoy all the glory Los Angeles has to offer. Tours are designed for everyone, from the avid cyclist/hiker to the occasional biker/hiker. www.bikesandhikela.com

Pedal…or Not: Electric Bicycle Tours: “Wow” will likely be your first word when you turn on the power of your electric bike. Semi-private electric bicycle tours daily through Santa Monica, Venice and the Venice Canals. www.pedalornot.net

Cruiser Biking

The best way to see LA’s beaches is to take a ride along The Strand. This 22-mile paved path runs from Will Rogers State Beach to Torrance County Beach. The best section for a beachside ride in flip-flops is from Venice Beach to Hermosa Beach. You’ll pass by street performers, surfers commuting on skateboards and muscle-bound weightlifters before ending up at Hermosa Plaza and Pier — a great place to grab a bite and rest up for the return journey. Bike rentals are available at Perry’s Beach Café & Rentals, which has eight beach locations. www.perryscafe.com

For More Information

Before you start your trip, go to http://www.metro.net/around/destination-guides for more information about attractions, dining, and other highlights along each of Metro’s rail and rapid bus line.

For detailed route and schedule information, visit www.Metro.net, or call (213) 922-6000.

The most affordable way to use Metro’s rail, rapid and local buses is with a one-day pass that costs $5 ($1.80 for seniors age 62 and older) and is good until 3 a.m. the following day.

For more details about Los Angeles attractions, visit www.discoverlosangeles.com, or call (323) 467-6412

Part 2 of this series about visiting Los Angeles without a car will include a special report by Richard Risemberg: a lifelong Los Angeles resident who writes about sustainable cities. Risemberg’s report will spotlight specific attractions, hotels, and eating places that are within a short walk of either a rail or rapid bus station.

Read many of Steve’s Car Free Journey columns (along with his Car Free Living Reports, and e-book: Car Free at the Beach) at www.pubtrantravel.com. Steve would love to hear any comments or suggestions for future columns. (Also let him know if you want to be a guest reporter and contribute a special column about your community or area. E-mail Steve at steveatlas45@yahoo.com. (Put Car Free Journey in the subject line.)