From 2010 to
2014, I crossed the country by air about every 6 weeks on average, as my active
duty military orders placed me in Camp Pendleton, CA – while my wife and kids
had to stay behind in Connecticut. Parking
at the airport for a week was often more expensive than airfare, but I didn’t
feel right constantly asking friends for rides to/from the airport. Airport shuttles turned out to also be quite
pricey, so I turned to mass transit for cheap options. Finding no good advice from the SoCal locals
(car culture is king here); I set out on my own to explore the rail and bus
routes in the region.
Lo and behold, I found that combining some extra planning with
a modest spirit of adventure reaps hundreds in savings, plus the gratification
of taking in scenery, avoiding traffic, enjoying urbanity, and hacking the
system! Here are the ways I managed to
get to and from the major airports in the region on the cheap.
San Diego (SAN)
1. Take rail,
bus, or trolley to Santa Fe Depot (downtown). This is usually less than
$6.
If coming from
points north, purchase flight itinerary where round-trip departure and return
times fall within the regional rail service hours (see Amtrak or COASTER | NCTD). You can actually park
for free (even overnight) at almost any Coaster station!
2. From Santa
Fe Depot, walk about 1 block to the bus stop at the NE corner of Kettner Blvd
and Broadway. Catch bus #992 to the Airport for $2.25 one way.
3. Ride the bus
for 10-15 minute ride, straight to the terminals!
4. Note the
drop-off point at the airport for your return trip, and just repeat the process
in reverse when you come back.
SPECIAL DEAL FOR MILITARY/DoD EMPLOYEES:
If you are unable to get your flight itinerary to match the train
schedule…
- Drive to the Navy Region Southwest Broadway complex, at Broadway and Pac Hwy. The gate is manned 24/7, and you can access with your DoD decals and ID card.
- Park at the far end of the lot for up to 30 days (the near side lots are reserved for those with passes).
- Walk 5 mins to the NE corner of Kettner Blvd and Broadway.
- Follow steps 2 through 4, above.
- Drive to the Navy Region Southwest Broadway complex, at Broadway and Pac Hwy. The gate is manned 24/7, and you can access with your DoD decals and ID card.
- Park at the far end of the lot for up to 30 days (the near side lots are reserved for those with passes).
- Walk 5 mins to the NE corner of Kettner Blvd and Broadway.
- Follow steps 2 through 4, above.
Los Angeles (LAX)
The best deal
going for LAX is a new, revolutionary rental company called FlightCar. If your car is under 10 years old, you can
park at their lot (close to the airport) in exchange for making your car
available for rent during its stay.
FlightCar fully covers you against any damage or loss, screens their
renters, and even PAYS YOU a percentage if your car gets rented out. They drive you to the terminal and pick you
up as soon as you land, to bring you back to their lot, where your car is
waiting for you, cleaned inside and out!
It is not too good to be true – it is legit. FlightCar is also at SFO and BOS <www.flightcar.com>.
If FlightCar
is not for you, figure in approximately 30-45 mins to comfortably work the
following public transit options, which will cost you less than $10.
1. Park for free at SELECTED Metro Green Line stations. It is not always obvious which ones will allow this, but El Segundo stops and Norwalk seem to work well.
2. Purchase one-way fare to Aviation/LAX (TAP card is best) for around $2. This fare gives you access to the "G" shuttle to LAX at no additional charge.
3. The shuttle takes you straight to the terminals.
4. Note the drop-off point for your return trip.
1. Park for free at SELECTED Metro Green Line stations. It is not always obvious which ones will allow this, but El Segundo stops and Norwalk seem to work well.
2. Purchase one-way fare to Aviation/LAX (TAP card is best) for around $2. This fare gives you access to the "G" shuttle to LAX at no additional charge.
3. The shuttle takes you straight to the terminals.
4. Note the drop-off point for your return trip.
SPECIAL DEAL FOR MILITARY/DoD EMPLOYEES: If you feel iffy about parking at a Metro Station…
- Drive to LA Air Force Base, entrance near El Segundo Blvd & N Douglas St. The gate is manned 24/7, and you can access with your DoD decals and ID card.
- After going through the gate, turn left onto the main road and park at the far end of the base in the garage.
- Walk 10 mins to either of the following options. (Check the transit schedule in advance or on the Google Maps app.)
A. El Segundo Metro Green Line station (El Segundo Blvd & Nash St). Follow steps 2 through 4, above.
B. Catch the Torrance Transit #8 bus (westbound) at the NW corner of El Segundo Blvd & N Douglas St. Fare is only $1 each way! Bus takes you to Metro Bus Center in Lot C, where you will catch the "C" shuttle to the terminals.
Long Beach (LGB)
1.
There is
a park & ride for the Hollywood Bowl at the Lakewood Mall, very near to
LGB. Park in this lot (near Forever 21,
Souplantation, and Costco).
2.
Walk
approximately 10 minutes (1/4 mile) to the corner of Candlewood St &
Lakewood Blvd.
3.
Take the
southbound Long Beach Transit Bus #111 or #176 for a 10-min ride straight to
the airport. Fare is $1.25.
Give yourself around 30 mins to make this work, based on the bus
schedule.
Burbank (BUR)
Bob Hope
Airport in Burbank is currently is the only LA area airport with its own train
station, which greatly simplifies transit planning. Both Metrolink and Amtrak
provide service daily, and most points in the region can be reached via easy
connection through L.A. Union Station. From
Oceanside, I took a relaxing, non-stop $30 Amtrak ride each way (about 2.5
hours), completely avoiding the traffic nightmares in and around Orange and LA
Counties!
Santa Ana / John Wayne (SNA)
So simple,
there’s not much to describe. This works
beautifully:
1.
Take
Metrolink to Tustin station.
2.
Take the
complementary iShuttle to the airport (15 mins). The schedules align perfectly. http://www.cityofirvine.org/cityhall/pw/ishuttle/default.asp
