Escape The Heat. Go Metro to the Beach

Want to escape the heat as well as record-high gas prices this summer? New Metro bus service and county shuttles can take you to some of the best beaches in the world. For many, all you need is a Metro day pass.

Two new Metro Rapid buses -- Metro Rapid Line 704 and Metro Rapid Express Line 920 -- both travel to Santa Monica Pier in less time, gliding through traffic lights that change to allow the Rapids signal priority.

Metro Rapid Line 704 from Union Station travels down Santa Monica Boulevard to Santa Monica Pier. Metro Rapid Express Line 920 from Wilshire/Vermont travels down Wilshire to Santa Monica Pier, stopping only at Western, Fairfax, Beverly, Westwood and Fourth Street in Santa Monica. Travel times for the Rapid Express lines are up to 15 percent faster than traditional Metro Rapid service, which itself is up to 25 percent faster than traditional service.

In the San Fernando Valley, a special summer shuttle meets Metro Orange Line riders in Woodland Hills and carries them to Topanga State Beach, Will Rogers State Beach and Santa Monica State Beach. The Topanga Canyon Summer Beach Bus meets the Metro Orange Line at Warner Center on weekdays through Sept. 3, with three trips a day in each direction. The cost is 50 cents each way for children and adults and 25 cents for senior citizens and persons with disabilities. For details go to www.LAGoBus.info, then click on Recreation Transit Services, then on Summer Beach Bus. The shuttle service is sponsored by the office of County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky.

Also at www.LAGoBus.info find shuttles to Santa Monica Beach and Long Beach from Altadena, Antelope Valley, Charter Oak, East Los Angeles, La Crescenta/La Canada Flintridge, Santa Clarita and South Whittier. Many can be used in combination with Metro.

Another shuttle -- the free National Park Service ParkLINK Shuttle -- connects the Metro Orange Line with three Malibu beaches: Zuma, Malibu Lagoon and Dan Blocker. Metro bus line 161 meets the Metro Orange Line at Warner Center two times a day in each direction on weekends and holidays and carriers passengers to the ParkLINK stop at Las Virgenes and Agoura roads. For information go to www.parklinkshuttle.com.

Also bound for the beach this summer:

• Metro Line 4 from downtown originating at Venice Boulevard and Broadway travels down Santa Monica Boulevard to Santa Monica Pier.
• Metro Rapid Line 720 travels from downtown Los Angeles to Santa Monica Pier.
• Metro Line 534, originating at Fairfax and Washington, travels down Pacific Coast Highway past Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica State Beach, Will Rodgers State Beach and Topanga Beach.
• Metro Lines 333 and 33 go to Venice Beach from Union Station.
• The Metro Green Line travels to Douglas Station where it meets Metro Line 125 to Manhattan State Beach and Dockweiler State Beach.
• The Metro Blue Line from downtown Los Angeles travels to Long Beach.

So hit the beach this summer the relaxing and inexpensive way. Go Metro. For routes and details call 1-800-COMMUTE or go to www.metro.net.

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