Question for Los Angeles DUers - How's Your Subway System?

[Yavin4]

Do you use it? Is it fully operational?

[trackfan]

1. It is nice - as far as it goes - but there is not a lot of coverage.

The subway proper is the Red line, which runs from Union Station to North Hollywood, with a spur to Mid-Wilshire. The other lines are street-level trains. The Gold Line, which runs from Union Station to Pasadena, is the one I most often ride. It's nice if you're going some place near a stop.

[Yavin4]

3. They're Still Building It RIght?

I saw a map for the entire system.

[trackfan]

5. Yeah. They're working on an extension of the Gold Line

right now. They have also resurrected the idea of extending the Red Line all the way to Santa Monica. This was the original plan, but it was abandoned years ago when they kept having explosions and fires due to the nature of that area. Now they say the technology has caught up to allow for safe digging there.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

2. Believe it or not, Los Angeles has a better transit system than Minneapolis

I was pleasantly surprised when I visited there. An online friend who voluntarily lives there without a car gave me some hints, and I got around just fine on buses and subways.

[carly denise pt deux]

11. I rode the train from downtown Minneapolis to Bloomington once

interesting ride, loooong ride...but, didn't have to find a parking place in the MOA.
Carly

[musiclawyer]

4. It's not bad, but it's woefully small in scope given the size of LA

It can get you around downtown eassy, and up the wilshire corridor. Best part is that it can get you right to universal studios. Nice little overland line to Pasadena and South Pasadena. If you need to get to Long Beach, it will do that too (going through nasty neighborhoods) But that's it. It's almost comical how it stops a mile from the airport. LA used to have a great trolley systrem--the red line. But that's a whole other sad story.

[sbj405]

6. Self delete. Oops. Didn't read the whole message.

[Kerrytravelers]

7. It's great---

--- unless you plan to actually go somewhere besides downtown or Hollywood/Highland.

Actually, we do use it, but it just doesn't go enough places to make it extremely useful at this point. We live very close to the Gold Line and would love to use it almost exclusively some day.

[huskerlaw]

8. I use it all the time.

It is fully operational, and mighty convenient if you're anywhere near it.

I live in the Valley (near Burbank) and work downtown. My commute is around 45 minutes door-to-door, which includes walking to a bus stop, waiting for the bus, riding it for about 5 minutes, walking down to the subway, waiting for the subway, riding it downtown, walking up to the street, waiting for a shuttle, taking said shuttle to work, walking across campus and into my office.

It ends up taking about the same amount of time as it would if I drove the 15 miles during rush hour, but costs FAR less.

However, the convenience really does depend on where you live and where you're going.

If you have any questions, PM me. :)

[devilgrrl]

9. I try to use it whenever possible

Wish it was easier to get to Pasadena from W. Hollywood.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

10. I live out by LAX.........

And the Green Line ends near me.......

So, whenever I need to go downtown, esp. for jury duty, I use it....

It isn't fast at all, but it is quite convenient......

Plus, and this is the biggie for me, I don't have to worry about parking!

[Kerrytravelers]

14. Parking is a major factor for us as well!

That's why I wish it went to more areas!

[SouthPasadenaDem]

12. It's great - I use it daily to get to work downtown.

But I'm lucky as I live only seven blocks from the Gold Line station in my town.

The system does seem to cover a lot of destinations, but if you're on the Westside, there's virtually no coverage at all. Hopefully this will be remedied somewhat if they extend the Red Line down Wilshire Boulevard, which they are talking about. In the meantime, there are "RAPID" buses that run down Wilshire and have limited stops that are actually pretty good.

[SouthPasadenaDem]

13. It's great - I use it daily to get to work downtown.

But I'm lucky as I live only seven blocks from the Gold Line station in my town.

The system does seem to cover a lot of destinations, but if you're on the Westside, there's virtually no coverage at all. Hopefully this will be remedied somewhat if they extend the Red Line down Wilshire Boulevard, which they are talking about. In the meantime, there are "RAPID" buses that run down Wilshire and have limited stops that are actually pretty good.

[Yavin4]

15. Thanks for the Replies. This Is Why I Asked

I lived in L.A. for two different periods in my life, and I didn't have a car. Needless to say, my life was miserable there. When I was out there, they were building the subway. I went to USC, and I could have used the subway back then.