Visiting LA (Los Angeles, San Diego, Long Beach: crime, hotels, transfer to)

[sailo]

Hi everyone,

I am due to visit your city soon. I got a few questions to ask:

1. At LAX airport, where can I find a free shuttle to the airport metro/train station?

2. Just want to double check if metro/train can go from airport to greyhound long beach station because I used the trip planner (metro.net | Transit Services and Information for Los Angeles County) and it suggested buses instead. I prefer rail so I know where to get off.

3. Where/How do I find which areas in LA are no-go zones due to high incidence of crime?

4. Is downtown/chinatown, santa monica, long beach waterfront safe to be around at night?

5. Is it safe to travel from LAX airport to my hotel at Hollywood Sunset Blvd (seem to be about 3 blocks walk from chinese theatre on google earth) via public transport/walk around 10-11pm at night?

If there is any other things you could suggest, that would be very much appreciated.

Thanks so much.

[missionhome]

1. Upon exiting the terminal, procede to a shuttle island and wait under a sign saying "LAX Shuttle & Airline Connections," and board shuttle "G" to "Green Line"

2. You can take Light Rail to get to the Long Beach Greyhound, but it doesn't go through Southern California's finest neighborhoods (nor is the Greyhound station in a very nice neighborhood). Ride the Green Line East to Imperial/Wilmington Station. Connect to the Blue Line, and take it south to Pacific Coast Highway Station. Then walk south on Long Beach Blvd. about .5 miles (through a not so great neighborhood).

3. You will want to basically avoid South Los Angeles (places like Compton, Watts, Crenshaw, etc..). The northern portion where you plan on going in Long Beach isn't that grand either.

4. Fairly safe if you are in the right areas. The Long Beach waterfront and Santa Monica are both popular places, even at night. In downtown you will want to avoid the skid row area (I'm not so sure about around chinatown specifically at night).

5. From LAX- your hotel, take the Flyaway Bus (this is a nice charter bus) from your terminal to Downtown Union Station. At Union Station take the Red Line subway north (headsign: North Hollywood) and get off at Hollywood/Highland station. Your hotel should be close by. Hollywood will have other people at night out at that time, just be cautious like in any big city.

One question: Why on earth are you going from LAX to two different places??? You typically would leave the airport straight for your hotel, but you ask to go from there to a hotel and to a Greyhound Station???

[sailo]

Thanks very much for your info.

My LA stay is towards the end of my 23 day trip. My first stop is San Diego via LA, then I go on a loop to Las Vegas, San Fran, Seattle, Vancouver, then back to LA to spend 5 days.

With greyhound station, you said it is not very safe. Is there another greyhound station to San Diego? I see feedbacks online saying that the LA downtown greyhound station is very unsafe so I thought Long Beach one is safer. Could you please advise? Also, is Anaheim station closer to long beach greyhound than pacific coast highway station?

I am not exactly sure where the skid row area in LA is. I assume it is near greyhound downtown station? Is greyhound downtown station = downtown union station?

What's the area like around greyhound Long Beach? Is there anything good to check things out? Is there any supermarket nearby?

Thanks

[missionhome]

Originally Posted by sailo

Thanks very much for your info.

My LA stay is towards the end of my 23 day trip. My first stop is San Diego via LA, then I go on a loop to Las Vegas, San Fran, Seattle, Vancouver, then back to LA to spend 5 days.

With greyhound station, you said it is not very safe. Is there another greyhound station to San Diego? I see feedbacks online saying that the LA downtown greyhound station is very unsafe so I thought Long Beach one is safer. Could you please advise? Also, is Anaheim station closer to long beach greyhound than pacific coast highway station?

I am not exactly sure where the skid row area in LA is. I assume it is near greyhound downtown station? Is greyhound downtown station = downtown union station?

What's the area like around greyhound Long Beach? Is there anything good to check things out? Is there any supermarket nearby?

Thanks

I highly recommend you forget Greyhound altogether.

If I were you, I recommend you take the Amtrak train from Los Angeles to San Diego instead of Greyhound. Amtrak trains are cleaner, have safer stations, have more professional passengers, and better service. One-way Amtrak ticket from Los Angeles Union Station (totally different than Downtown Greyhound Station, Union Station is much nicer) usually run around $30 with occasional fare sales. A Greyhound ticket is usually around $20 one-way, but the extra $10 is WELL WORTH IT to be on Amtrak over Greyhound.

Here is Amtrak's website: Amtrak
Departure Station is LAX (Los Angeles Union Station) and if you want downtown San Diego, your arrival station code is SAN. Then just plug in your dates and pick the fare and departure time that fits your schedule.

You can also get to Los Angeles Union Station very easily from the airport. The buses depart from in front of each terminal and the cost is $6 one-way. The Metro Day Pass you would need to get to Long Beach Greyhound is $5, so the cost is comparable. The website for Flyaway Bus is here: http://www.lawa.org/flyaway/
Flyaway Buses look like this:


Plus, traveling by Amtrak is a trip in itself as a tourist. Instead of being on a bus on an ugly freeway to San Diego, you will be front row to the ocean for a portion of your journey with beautiful views! Be sure to sit on the right side of the train to enjoy the scenery.

[Drowningintherain2]

I agree with missionhome, avoid the downtown L.A greyhound station. I took the greyhound from Vancouver to downtown L.A a few years ago and I couldn't get out of there fast enough...very frightening. A passanger on the bus told asked how I was getting to Santa Monica from the station, I told her the bus and she looked at me like I was nuts. She told me to grab a cab and get the hell out of there. I thought she was exagerating...she wasn't. While in the bathroom a huge, homeless looking guy started screaming at me... I grabbed a cab and took it all the way to Santa Monica...through brutal traffic, but it was the best $70 I ever spent. After that expierence I always drive to L.A. I never want to be in that position again..although I did get lost and end up in Compton instead of Long Beach so driving isn't perfect either.

[sailo]

I had a look at amtrak before. Most of their services are in the morning. My flight lands in LA at 9.50am. So there is only one night train that suits me at 10.10pm, arriving in San Diego at 12.40am. So, between noon and 10.10pm, I can't go anywhere with so much luggage with me. It also pose another security issue over at San Diego side. I had all hotels and domestic flights booked & fully paid for so, that really only leave me with the greyhound option as I can't stay overnight in LA.

I know downtown LA greyhound station is very dangerous. But would long beach greyhound station be better?

[ferretkona]

No, not any better at all.

[katenik]

anyone who has ever taken a ride on a greyhound bus probably wasn't all that surprised by this incident: Homeland Security News » Man Decapitated ‘Beheaded’ Aboard Greyhound Bus - Canada - Updates

the shadiest characters ride greyhound buses.

[Todd.LA]

I second the suggestion of taking the Amtrak train rather than the Greyhound bus; it's a more pleasant experience by far. The Amtrak station also connects to the Red Line subway, which can take you to Hollywood, where you're staying. The subway is safe to ride at night.

If you're looking for a Greyhound station in a better neighborhood, I'd look into the North Hollywood station, which is closer to the Hollywood part of Sunset Blvd. than Long Beach or Downtown. The downtown Greyhound station is in the middle of the "skid row" area, which is a essentially a large homeless person encampment. Many of said homeless have drug, alcohol, and mental health problems. It is also not near any subway or light rail lines.

[sailo]

I just checked Hollywood's timetable, there's no direct bus to San Diego. It involves a transfer to another bus at downtown, so I think it is dangerous.

So downtown is the worst station, long beach is bad, but better than downtown? Actually, is there a secure waiting area inside long beach greyhound? If so, I might take a taxi from a safe nearby train station, say long beach waterfront? Would it be feasible?

I hope that traveling during the day time is less likely to have that freak crime happening in Canada.