Buses

The Los Angeles bus system is extensive and it takes a while to learn it but once you get a hang of it you can get from anywhere during any hour of the day. The Los Angeles folks prefer bus as the common mode of transport and pre plan their commute using the www.mta.net or 1-800-COMMUTE. And when you travel in Los Angeles, you will find the city's bus system super convenient for visitors.

The central area, which is below Sunset Boulevard and above Interstate 10 and extends from Downtown to the coast is very well connected by the buses. You do not need to cram the schedule because a bus comes every two minutes or so and routes are panned out on all the stations. Los Angeles people generally prefer the rapids as these have fewer stops and move through the traffic well, which is a major saver as Los Angeles, is famous for its traffic jams.

The best routes to get across the town (east-west) are the #4 local, #704 Rapid, or #304 on Santa Monica Boulevard, the #20 local, #920 Rapid Express, #720 Rapid on Wilshire boulevard, #2 local, #302 Limited on Sunset Boulevard, and the #333 Limited or # 33 Local on the Venice Boulevard. Late night travelers are requested to check schedules as the route change during the night and the frequency of the buses reduces considerably.

Practically speaking schedules are just for per say as the actual frequency of a bus on the route depends upon the traffic. Fares are currently $5 for day pass, which can be used on Metro Rail as well and is available at both Metro bus driver and Metro Rail station. For single boarding with no transfers, the fare is $1.25. Most of the buses change route to make up for the lost time so it is recommended to bring a street map along if in case such a scenario occurs.