Commuting for Lake Forest to downtown LA (Santa Ana: home, maintenance)

[goofeymonkey]

I have tried effortlessly to get a job near my home. Apparently there is a demand for my line of work in LA. I really don't want to commute but find I don't have tons of options. So, with that being said what's the most efficient way to travel to downtown LA? Get on the road early, say 6:00, take the train or just not even do it. Help, I'm new to California (1 year) and need advice. Thanks in advance for your help/advice!!

[BRinSM]

that is a long train ride, but it might make the commute somewhat bareable. If you don't currently have a job, you could always take a job in LA and try it out for month or so and see if you can handle it. If you don't own a house, then I would highly consider moving to a location that is more conducive with regards to commuting to LA.

[bhcompy]

the train ride is the best way. read a book or do work on the train. if you cant do that you're probably better off moving closer or not taking the job

[goofeymonkey]

Thanks for the responses. So the train would be better than getting an early start and driving?

[bhcompy]

it would be more predictable and would give you more time to yourself since you dont have to focus on the commute. i couldnt tell you which would cost more though.. you'd need to figure you're mileage and maintenance costs vs train fare

[BRinSM]

i used to drive from anaheim to sylmar (much farther commute than LF to downtown), if you're not on the LA country portion of the 5 freeway before 6am, it is going to be a long slow drive. in the afternoon, you can forget about it. unless you leave work around 1, maybe 2, you're going to be sitting in traffic to the county line, which is just north of the 91 freeway. its brutal!

[Coldjensens]

Walk - you will get there faster.

Train is your next best bet. I rode the train from Santa Ana to LA for most of 2 years. It is pretty neat. You will make new friends. train friends get very close. It is an odd phenomenon. You can eat, read, sleep, chat, surf the internet (withthe rigth equipment), talk on the telephone and lots of other things. I was able to leave work early becuase I could usually get half an hour of work done on the way home. It takes about a week to really get to know and understand the system, but it works great.

The train is pretty consistent while driving, you will need to leave 3 hours to be certain that you usually arrive on time. Most days, it will take you less than 2 hours (1.5 hours is average from santa Ana). Some days it might take less than 1 hour. However the only thing that will be consistent is the inconsistency. Some days 3 hours will nto be enough time.

The few times that trains get delayed are generally when somoen puts something ont he tracks (like a shopping cart) or where some poor idiot tried to use a train as a suicide device. The mos I was ever delayed was about half an hour. Usually only ten to fifteen minutes.

One downside is that there are few trains returning to OC before 3 p.m. and very few after 6:30. so it can be difficult to get home sometimes. In the off hours, you ahve to switch to Amtrack whcih costs a little more.

[goofeymonkey]

Wow, I didn't realize that driving really wasn't an option. I was thinking if I was on the road by 6:00 a.m. the drive may be easier but I guess not. Thanks for the replies.

[bhcompy]

everyone else starts out that early too.. and the commercial traffic starts that early as well. my grandma would have to get up at 5am to drive to el segundo from lakewood for work to beat traffic when she worked there

coldjensens: doesnt the train pass for metrolink allow you to switch back and forth at no extra fee?