U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > California > Orange County
 [Register]
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
Reply Start New Thread
 
Old 05-24-2008, 01:29 PM
 
Location: Baltimore
1,346 posts, read 4,145,410 times
Reputation: 667

Advertisements

I currently live in Milwaukee, WI, but during the end of June I will be flying into LAX, then needing to get to UC-Irvine. I have a test with the Orange County Fire Authority. Is there a way to get there by rail or bus from LAX? I know that there is the metrolink, but I'm not sure if this would work getting to the college. It would be nice not having to drive. Thanks.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 05-24-2008, 01:46 PM
 
Location: Mission Viejo, CA
2,498 posts, read 11,273,013 times
Reputation: 1619
I would do a shared ride van. Super Shuttle or something, although there may be a few stops a long the way taking more time. You could take the Fly Away bus to Union Station in Downtown LA and ride the Metrolink to Irvine or Tustin station, but then the OCTA bus service sort of sucks for getting you to UCI. You have to make like three transfers. Even in LA public transport is iffy and not the best, but in Orange County public transport literally is the worst. It makes LA public transport look amazing.

If you want to leave the UCI campus, you will probably want a car or something anyhow, so renting a car might be the best option. There aren't many places to walk to from UCI
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 05-24-2008, 02:01 PM
 
Location: Baltimore
1,346 posts, read 4,145,410 times
Reputation: 667
Thanks a lot. I might end up just renting from LAX. Otherwise is there a place near the Irvine Metrolink station with car rentals? I could definitely get to Union Station in LA without a problem though. I went to LA in both Jan and Feb for interviews with the LAFD and used the rail there.

I could also fly into San Diego if it would be easier, but I think LA might work better?
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 05-24-2008, 02:18 PM
 
Location: TX
742 posts, read 2,033,298 times
Reputation: 296
Getting from LAX to UC-Irvine is most convenient by driving there yourself. Just get on 405-South and keep driving until you reach Culver. Then make a right. UC-Irvine is 5 minutes away.

Public transportation is no good, whether MetroLink, bus or what have they. It may take half a day to get there. Depending on time of day, driving yourself can take as little as under an hour.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 05-24-2008, 02:20 PM
 
Location: Mission Viejo, CA
2,498 posts, read 11,273,013 times
Reputation: 1619
There are Enterprise Rental Car locations adjacent to both Tustin and Irvine train stations. It is a five to ten minute drive from these stations to the university.

Do know that in free flowing traffic, driving from LAX-Irvine is substancially faster. I have done this route in as little as 50 minutes when there isn't traffic. When there is traffic though (which is often), it is a nightmare, usually 1.5 hours.

You could also do your driving in your area and fly out of Chicago Ohare (which I know is a nightmare airport) instead of Milwaukee and go nonstop into John Wayne Airport (SNA) which is about 1 mile from UCI. United and American Airlines both fly that route nonstop and at least you won't have to spend as much time navigating our freeways which you are not as familiar with.

Here is metrolinks website: Metrolink :: Welcome ,you want schedules for the Orange County Line. You will probably find the schedules are bad or trains slow, but at least you will see how long it takes. Going to downtown LA from LAX is sort of out of the way for going to Irvine. Taking public transport is going to probably be 2 hours or more anyhow since you go so out of the way.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 05-24-2008, 02:40 PM
 
Location: Baltimore
1,346 posts, read 4,145,410 times
Reputation: 667
Thanks again to both of you. I'm thinking I'll just rent a car.

I actually need to fly from Milwaukee. I recently started at Midwest Express Airlines so that I could fly for free to test at fire departments since I want to work somewhere else in the country. I haven't been there long enough for the agreements we have with a few other airlines. So I'll just end up going to LAX.
Would San Diego be close? Because that is an option as well.

I also get a 25% discount with AVIS so the drive sounds like the best option right now.

Last, are there any hotels in the area? My test is probably going to be early on a Saturday morning so I want to be close by.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 05-24-2008, 03:03 PM
 
Location: Mission Viejo, CA
2,498 posts, read 11,273,013 times
Reputation: 1619
There are plenty of hotels in the area. With John Wayne Airport being so close and UCI being adjacent to one of Orange County's largest emplyment centers, the Irvine Business Park, there are lots of clean business hotels in the area. The Irvine Marriott, Bayview Marriott, Hyatt Irvine, Embassy Suites Irvine, and Fairmont are some of the more expensive hotels. The Courtyard Irvine, Residence Inn, Ayres Suites Costa Mesa (a very good local chain by the way), and Atrium Hotel (a boutique hotel trying to cater to the "hip" hotel look) are mid range hotels. Can't think of any motels in the area, the airport area generally is a pretty professional area.

I like the Hyatt best of the more expensive hotels and the Ayres Suite for the midrange.

All these hotels are five to ten minutes to UCI. LAX is probably going to be quicker than San Diego.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 05-25-2008, 09:06 AM
 
Location: Orange County, CA
68 posts, read 189,201 times
Reputation: 51
Quote:
Originally Posted by ffknight918 View Post
Thanks again to both of you. I'm thinking I'll just rent a car.

I actually need to fly from Milwaukee. I recently started at Midwest Express Airlines so that I could fly for free to test at fire departments since I want to work somewhere else in the country. I haven't been there long enough for the agreements we have with a few other airlines. So I'll just end up going to LAX.
Would San Diego be close? Because that is an option as well.

I also get a 25% discount with AVIS so the drive sounds like the best option right now.

Last, are there any hotels in the area? My test is probably going to be early on a Saturday morning so I want to be close by.
Even with the 25% discount at AVIS you might still want to check the rates with Dollar. I find that they are often half of what AVIS is and I have never had any trouble with them. I just rented with Dollar at the beginning of May for a week and the cost was $85. + taxes for a Dodge Caliber.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 05-25-2008, 10:01 AM
 
Location: Baltimore
1,346 posts, read 4,145,410 times
Reputation: 667
Thanks again everyone. What the Irvine Metrolink station like? Are there shuttle buses or cabs that might be easier? I'll check out Dollar though. So far the cheapest I found was I think Enterprise at $80.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 05-25-2008, 11:29 AM
 
11,715 posts, read 39,842,321 times
Reputation: 7581
Definitely rent a car at the airport. A navigation system is also a good idea. If you don't own a portable GPS, see if you can rent one from the car rental place, borrow one from a friend, or just buy one yourself. It'll save tons of aggravation. Having a car will give you the flexibility you need. Public transportation is for people who live and work right next to the stations or don't mind making lots of transfers and taking forever to get anywhere.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:


Settings
X
Data:
Loading data...
Based on 2000-2020 data
Loading data...

123
Hide US histogram


Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > California > Orange County
Similar Threads

All times are GMT -6.

© 2005-2023, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top