Burbank to downtown LA (Riverside, San Pablo: home, buses, airport)

[Sherman9321]

I am thinking of commuting from Burbank (near the airport) to downtown LA (San Pablo St) in the morning, from about 7:30 to 8:30, and from LA to Burbank in the evening (around 6pm).

What is the traffic on the I-5 like? How long would a typical commute take? Is there a way to avoid the I-5?

Thanks for your advice!

[BRinSM]

i can't give you an exact time, but i do know the 5 totally sucks during regular commuting hours. the other option is take barham to the 101, but the 101 may actually be worse in the morning. the metrolink train may also be an option for you.

[UB50]

Barham is worse than taking I-5. There are lots of ways to avoid I-5 but they are all bad during rush hour (and they are all too complicated to post on here - get a map out and start charting ways through Griffith Park or taking San Fernando Road).

You are looking at about an hour commute on the good days. On the bad days, it's worse.

[Sherman9321]

Thanks for your input everyone! I was afraid of that

[Carrillo91]

Originally Posted by Sherman9321

I am thinking of commuting from Burbank (near the airport) to downtown LA (San Pablo St) in the morning, from about 7:30 to 8:30, and from LA to Burbank in the evening (around 6pm).

What is the traffic on the I-5 like? How long would a typical commute take? Is there a way to avoid the I-5?

Thanks for your advice!

You could take the metrolink. Way faster and only about 25 mins. from Union Station then take the Commuter Express shuttle at the Bus Stop Hubs at the front of the Main Gateway Plaza Building, ask if anyone is going to Downtown LA where to catch the bus from which hub there.

[coo77]

Metrolink from Burbank Airport to Union Station = 25 minutes
One of the very frequent buses from Union Station up towards San Pablo St near USC Med Center = 10 minutes.
Leave 6 minutes for connection between Metrolink and Bus.

[JohnG72]

WTF?

That drive is not an hour, not even in rush hour. Its around 15-40 minutes depending on traffic. Average is probably 30-35 minutes.

On the southbound side, after you get south of Zoo Dr, make sure you stay in the right hand lane and use all of the exit/re-enter ramps. Stay in the farthest right lane all the way down to the 2 Fwy and cut into the 5 south at the last minute. You'll make people mad, but really, who cares? They are dumb anyway if the "slow" lane is moving twice as fast as the dummies hitting their brakes for no reason in the "fast" lane.

If traffic is bad south of the 2(use a gps), then get off at Fletcher Drive and use Riverside Dr to San Fernando Road.

What WILL take you an hour is driving from home to the metrolink, waiting for the metrolink, exiting the metrolink, waiting for a bus, taking a bus to USC med, walking from bus to USC med.

[uptown_urbanist]

I know someone who does that drive. It doesn't take anywhere near an hour. I can't remember what it takes him, but they thought it was relatively easy from Burbank, even in rush hour.

[Sherman9321]

Thanks for the ideas, everyone! Would you be able to advise on the times to avoid driving if I had a choice of when to drive - what are the typical rush hours on the freeways or other roads?

Thank you so much!

[Carrillo91]

I would say from 3:30pm-6:30pm << rush hour times (on freeways)