December
16,
2003
CONTACT:
Dave Sotero/Marc Littman
MTA MEDIA RELATIONS
(213) 922-3007/922-2700
www.metro.net/press/pressroom
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
County
Transportation Providers Offer Holiday Travelers Attractive Options for Getting
to/from L.A. County Airports
Bus
and rail options can alleviate need for driving, parking at LAX, Burbank,
and Long Beach Airports
Holiday
travelers seeking an alternative to the hassles and costs of driving to and
parking at L.A. County airports this holiday season will find a host of bus and
rail options that can provide convenient, cost-effective transportation to Los
Angeles International, Burbank Glendale Pasadena and Long Beach Airports.
Together,
MTA, Metrolink and local bus operators provide several transit options to county
airports, helping to relieve traffic loads typically found at or near airports
during the Christmas and New Year's holidays.
The Automobile Club of
Southern California is projecting a 3 percent increase in the number of Southern
California residents who will be traveling by car this holiday season.
Los Angeles World Airport
authorities expect approximately 2.6 million passengers passing through the Los
Angeles International Airport between Dec. 19 and Jan 4. Burbank Airport
authorities estimate an average of 17,000 to 19,000 people at the airport
between Dec. 21 and Dec. 27 alone. The Long Beach Airport expects a total of
290,000 passengers for the month of December.
"Many
L.A. travelers are simply unaware that there are alternatives to driving to and
from county airports," said Roger Snoble, MTA CEO. "In the case of LAX, by
far the county's busiest airport, travelers can take Metro Buses or the Metro
Green Line and then board a free connecting shuttle directly to their terminal.
It's quite easy and is an attractive choice for many holiday travelers."
The cost savings to airport
travelers who want to avoid parking fees is substantial. Parking rates at LAX
range from $8 to $30 per day. Burbank Airport parking fees range from $4.55 to
$15.45 per day. At Long Beach Airport, daily parking fees range from $6 to $15
per day. Metro Bus and Rail tickets currently cost $1.35 for a one-way trip, and
an additional 25 cents for transfers.
Beginning Jan. 1, 2004, the
cash fare for a one-way trip will be reduced 10 cents to just $1.25, transfer
fares will be discontinued and MTA will instead offer a convenient $3 Day Pass
that allows for unlimited local travel on the Metro system within a 24-hour
period.
MTA operates nine Metro Bus Lines serving LAX and four lines serving Burbank Airport:
Los Angeles
International Airport
Line
42 -
service between Patsaouras Transit Center in downtown Los Angeles and LAX City
Bus Center.
Line
220 --
service between West Los Angeles and LAX City Bus Center.
Line
111
- service between Whittier and LAX City Bus Center.
Line
117
- service between Downey and LAX City Bus Center.
Line
220
- service between West Hollywood and LAX City Bus Center.
Line
232
- service between Long Beach Transit Mall and LAX City Bus Center.
Line
315
- service between Playa Del Rey, LAX City Bus Center and Norwalk.
Line
439
- service between Patsauras Transit Plaza in Downtown Los Angeles, LAX City
Bus Center and Redondo Beach.
Line
625
- service between Westchester, Aviation/ I-105 Metro Green Line Station and
LAX City Bus Center.
Burbank Glendale
Pasadena Airport
Line
94/394
- service between downtown Los Angeles, Burbank Airport and Sylmar.
Line
163
- service between West Hills, Burbank Airport and Hollywood.
Line
165
- service between Canoga Park and Burbank Airport.
All Metro Buses will adhere
to their normal operating schedules during the holidays, but will follow a less
frequent holiday schedule on Christmas Day and New Year's Day.
Long Beach
Airport (Service by Long Beach Transit)
LBT
Line 111
- Service between Lakewood Mall, Long Beach Airport and Long Beach Convention
Center and Transit Mall.
MTA also operates the Norwalk
to Redondo Beach Metro Green Line, which connects with free shuttle service to LAX
terminals. Santa Monica Big Blue Bus and Culver City Bus provide additional
local services to LAX. These bus operators will also adhere to a holiday service
schedule on Christmas Day and New Year's Day.
Metrolink, operated by the
Southern California Regional Rail Authority, provides 14 weekday trains from Los
Angeles to the Burbank Airport. Another 13 trains
travel from Los Angeles to Burbank Station, where passengers can get a free
shuttle to the airport.
There are also 10 Metrolink
trains coming south on the Ventura County line that stop at the Burbank Airport.
Trains will adhere to their normal operating schedules throughout the holiday
season, but will not operate Christmas Day and will not stop at the Burbank
Airport on New Year's Day.
The Flyaway Bus Service is
also a convenient way to travel between LAX and the San Fernando Valley. Round
trip fare is $6. The 24-hour non-stop service from Van Nuys leaves from the Van
Nuys Airport Bus Terminal located at 7610 Woodley Ave. Service runs every 15
minutes between 4:45 a.m. and 8 a.m. and every 30 minutes from 8 a.m. to 1 a.m.
Parking costs $4 per day.
From LAX the FlyAway Bus
leaves Terminal 1 and picks up passengers at airline terminals at the green sign
for Bus and Long Distance Vans on the lower level. Service is every 30 minutes
from 5:30 a.m. to midnight.
Airports
recommend that holiday travelers allow for extra time at airports, have travel
arrangements as complete as possible, carry proper identification and understand
that post 9/11 security measures will be in force.
Travelers interested in
taking public transportation to airports can use an interactive Trip Planner on
MTA's web site at WWW.METRO.NET.
The site also contains all Metro Bus and Rail timetables. They may also call
1-800-COMMUTE to obtain this information. Metrolink service timetables are
available at WWW.METROLINKTRAINS.COM.
Commuters may also call 1-800-371-LINK. For additional information on FlyAway
Bus service, call 818-994-5554.
MTA-204