The Los Angeles Metro Rail is an urban rail transit system serving Los Angeles County, California, United States, consisting of six lines: four light rail lines (the A, C, E and K lines) and two rapid transit lines (the B and D lines), serving a total of 102 stations. The system connects with the Metro Busway bus rapid transit system (the G and J lines), the Metrolink commuter rail system, as well as several Amtrak lines. Metro Rail is owned and operated by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro).
Los Angeles Metro Rail has been extended significantly since it started service in 1990, and several further extensions are either in the works or being considered. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 61,981,300 or about 208,300 per weekday as of the third quarter of 2024.
Los Angeles had two previous rail transit systems, the Pacific Electric Red Car and Los Angeles Railway Yellow Car lines, which operated between the late 19th century and the 1960s. The Metro Rail system uses many of their former rights of way, and thus can be considered their indirect successor.
In Los Angeles Metro terminology, common with most other metro systems, a line is a named service, defined by a route and set of stations served by trains on that route. (The word does not refer to a physical rail corridor, as it does in New York City Subway nomenclature.)
Metro also uses the same line letter naming system for its Metro Busway services (which are bus rapid transit routes operating in transitways).
Six Metro Rail lines operate in Los Angeles County: [3]
Line name | Stations | Termini | Type | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Western/Northern | Eastern/Southern | |||
A Line | 44 | APU/Citrus College | Downtown Long Beach | Light rail |
B Line | 14 | North Hollywood | Union Station | Rapid transit |
C Line | 11 | Aviation/Century | Norwalk | Light rail |
D Line | 8 | Wilshire/Western | Union Station | Rapid transit |
E Line | 29 | Downtown Santa Monica | Atlantic | Light rail |
K Line | 12 | Expo/Crenshaw Aviation/Century | Westchester/Veterans Redondo Beach | Light rail |
The B and D lines follow a fully underground route, and the C Line follows a fully grade-separated route. The A, E, and K lines run in a mix of environments, including at-grade in an exclusive corridor, street running, elevated, and underground. [3]
The two rapid transit (subway) lines (B and D) share tracks between Union Station and Wilshire/Vermont, while two of the light rail lines (A and E) share tracks between Pico and Little Tokyo/Arts District.
The Los Angeles Metro Rail system consists of 102 stations. The light rail stations are either at ground level or elevated, with some trenched or fully underground. All rapid transit stations are fully underground. [3]
Stations include at least two ticket vending machines, wayfinding maps, electronic message displays, and bench seating. Call boxes are available at stations to allow employees at the Metro Rail Operations Control Center to assist passengers with concerns. Unique artwork is integrated into every station, showcasing local culture and improving the aesthetic of the system. [4]
Street-level stations are typically simpler with platforms designed with shade canopies, separated from nearby roads and sidewalks, where passengers can purchase fares and board a train. Free or paid park and ride lots are available at 44 stations and most have bike storage available. [5]
Underground stations are typically larger with a mezzanine level for fare sales and collection above a platform level where passengers board trains. Underground stations and tunnels are designed to resist ground shaking that could occur at a specific location. There is no general magnitude of an earthquake that the entire system is expected to withstand. However, the Metro Rail system has not suffered any damage from earthquakes since its opening in 1990. [6]
Metro Rail uses a proof-of-payment fare system, with Metro's fare inspectors randomly inspecting trains and stations to ensure passengers have a valid fare product on their Transit Access Pass (TAP) electronic fare card. When passengers enter a station, they encounter TAP card validators which collect fares when a customer places their card on top. Additionally, fare gates (turnstiles) connected to TAP card validators are at all underground stations, all elevated stations, and some surface stations. Once passengers pass these validators or board a train, they have entered the "fare paid zone", where fare inspectors may check their TAP card to ensure they have a valid fare. Passengers who fail to comply may be penalized and removed from the system. [7] [8]
Metro Rail maintains two distinct systems of rail: a light rail system and a rapid transit (subway) system, which use incompatible technologies, even though they both use 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge and use 750 V power. Metro's rapid transit lines are powered by third rail, whereas its light rail lines are powered by overhead catenary. Also, the two separate systems have different loading gauge, and platforms are designed to match the separate car widths.
The Los Angeles Metro Rail system runs for about 19 hours each day between 5:00 am and 11:45 pm. Limited service on particular segments is provided after midnight and before 5:00 am. [9] There is no rail service between 2:00 am and 3:30 am, except on special occasions such as New Year's Eve. [10] Before the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, service operated until approximately 2:00 am on Fridays and Saturdays but was removed to accommodate train cleaning. [11]
Trains operate more frequently during weekday peak hours and less at other times. During peak hours, the light rail A and E lines run every 8 minutes and the light rail C and K lines run every 10 minutes. The light rail lines operate on 10-minute headways during off-peak periods and weekends. The B and D rapid transit lines operate every 12 minutes throughout the day. During early morning and late night hours, train frequency on all Metro Rail lines is reduced to every 20 minutes. [9] [12] Metro plans to increase train frequencies, proposing to further reduce headways on the B, C, D, and K lines by 2025. [13]
The standard Metro base fare applies for all trips. Fare collection is based on a partial proof-of-payment system. At least two fare machines are at each station. Fare inspectors, local police, and deputy sheriffs police the system and cite individuals without proof of payment. Passengers are required to purchase a TAP card to ride Metro Rail. Passengers using a TAP card can transfer between Metro routes for free within 2 hours from the first tap. [14]
Metro introduced daily and weekly fare caps in July 2023, replacing daily, weekly, and monthly passes. [15] With fare capping, the cost of each trip is credited towards the cost of a daily or weekly unlimited pass, automatically ensuring that all passengers pay the lowest fare possible. Due to this, passengers will never pay more than $5 (3 rides) in a day or $18 (11 rides) within seven days; rides are free once the cap is reached. Discounted or free fares are available for seniors, disabled individuals, Medicare recipients, low-income individuals, and students. [16]
The following table shows Metro fares, effective July 1, 2023 (in US dollars): [14]
Fare type | Regular | Senior (62+) Disabled Medicare | Student K-12/ College | Low Income (LIFE) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Base fare | $1.75 | $0.35 (off-peak) $0.75 (peak) | $0.75 | 20 Free Rides then Regular fare |
1-Day Cap | $5 | $2.50 | $2.50 | |
7-Day Cap | $18 | $5 | $6 | |
Metro-to-Muni Transfer | $0.50 | $0.25 | — | — |
Metro has implemented a system of electronic fare collection using a stored-value smartcard called the Transit Access Pass (TAP Card). This card was intended to simplify fare collection and reduce costs. [14] In 2012, paper monthly passes were phased out and replaced with the TAP Card. As of September 2013, first-time Metro riders must deposit an additional $2 (or $1 at TAP vending machines) on top of their first fare payment to obtain a reloadable TAP Card. In addition, in 2008 Metro began installing fare gates at all underground stations, all elevated stations, and some surface stations. Implementation of both programs (the TAP Card and the fare gate program) has turned out to be expensive ($154 million in total, so far) and its initial rollout was problematic. [17]
In 2023, the Metro Rail system had a ridership of 61,981,300. [2]
As of the third quarter of 2024, the combined Metro B and D lines averaged a weekday ridership of 67,300, making it the ninth busiest rapid transit system in the United States. [1] Taking overall track length into consideration, Metro Rail's rapid transit lines transport 7,960 passengers per route mile, making this the fifth busiest U.S. rapid transit system on a per mile basis. Metro's light rail system is the second-busiest in the United States with 141,000 average weekday boardings as of the third quarter of 2024. [1] In terms of route length, Metro's light rail system is the largest in the United States.
Year | Bus | Rail | Total | Change |
---|---|---|---|---|
2009 | 370,983,141 | 92,540,577 | 463,523,718 | n/a |
2010 | 358,228,816 | 95,596,698 | 453,825,514 | 2.09% |
2011 | 359,604,569 | 97,762,378 | 457,366,947 | 0.78% |
2012 | 360,076,040 | 108,879,123 | 468,955,163 | 2.53% |
2013 | 363,319,498 | 114,790,046 | 478,109,544 | 1.95% |
2014 | 352,058,138 | 112,535,260 | 464,593,398 | 2.83% |
2015 | 333,971,187 | 106,974,667 | 440,945,854 | 5.09% |
2016 | 304,160,857 | 111,458,473 | 415,619,330 | 5.74% |
2017 | 284,708,290 | 112,783,075 | 397,491,365 | 4.36% |
2018 | 275,777,661 | 108,017,525 | 383,795,186 | 3.45% |
2019 | 277,308,845 | 93,171,898 | 370,480,743 | 3.47% |
2020 | 161,171,528 | 51,918,949 | 213,090,477 | 42.48% |
2021 | 179,859,174 | 47,866,883 | 227,726,057 | 6.87% |
2022 | 197,952,375 | 60,565,995 | 258,518,370 | 12.78% |
2023 | 222,922,677 | 65,165,346 | 288,088,023 | 10.99% |
Half of the Metro Rail's trains and stations are patrolled by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department under a law enforcement contract. The Los Angeles Police Department and Long Beach Police Department patrol stations within their respective cities, also under contract. [19] The system is monitored by security personnel through closed-circuit television cameras. [20] Metro Ambassadors are an in-house outreach team to provide a better user experience. They help riders navigate and provide information about the system. [21]
In June 2024, the Metro Executive Board voted 10-0 to create their own transit police force. A cited reason included frustration with a lack of control over the existing contracts. This force is planned to consist of officers, crisis workers, and homelessness outreach teams. [22]
In the early 20th century, Southern California had an extensive privately owned rail transit network with over 1,000 miles (1,600 km) of track, operated by Pacific Electric (Red Cars) and Los Angeles Railway (Yellow Cars). [23] However, from 1927 revenue shortfall caused Pacific Electric to begin replacing lightly used rail lines with buses. In 1958 the remnants of the privately owned rail and bus systems were consolidated into a government agency known as the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority or MTA. By 1963, the remaining rail lines were completely removed and replaced with bus service.[ citation needed ]
In the following decades, growing traffic congestion led to increased public support for rail transit's return. Beginning in the 1970s, a variety of factors, including environmental concerns, an increasing population, and the price of gasoline led to calls for mass transit other than buses.[ citation needed ] The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA, now branded as Metro) began construction of the initial lines throughout the 1980s using revenues from a voter-approved increase in sales tax.[ citation needed ] The Blue (A) Line opened on July 14, 1990, 27 years after the final streetcar line closed. The system has been progressively expanded since. The following table shows this expansion's timeline:
Just before the opening of the Metro Rail, Proposition U passed, which halved the allowable residential density throughout much of Los Angeles. This reduced the viability of the Metro Rail by limiting dense residential housing near transit stations. Before 2000, none of the land near the stations was converted to residential use. [24]
Segment description | Date opened | Current line(s) on segment | Endpoints | Number of new stations | Length (miles) | Construction cost |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Blue Line Initial Segment | July 14, 1990 | Pico – Anaheim Street | 17 | 19.1 | $2.2 billion | |
Blue Line Long Beach Loop | September 1, 1990 | Anaheim Street – Pacific Avenue | 4 | 2.2 | ||
Blue Line To Financial District | February 15, 1991 | Pico – 7th Street/Metro Center | 1 | 0.7 | ||
Red Line MOS-1 | January 30, 1993 | Union Station – Westlake/MacArthur Park | 3 [a] | 4.4 | $3.1 billion | |
Green Line | August 12, 1995 | Redondo Beach – Norwalk | 13 [a] | 20.0 | $1.5 billion | |
Red Line MOS-2 West | July 13, 1996 | Westlake/MacArthur Park – Wilshire/Western | 3 | 2.0 | $3.4 billion | |
Red Line MOS-2 North | June 12, 1999 | Wilshire/Vermont – Hollywood/Vine | 5 | 4.7 | ||
Red Line MOS-3 | June 24, 2000 | Hollywood/Vine – North Hollywood | 3 | 6.3 | $2.3 billion | |
Gold Line Initial Segment | July 26, 2003 | Union Station – Sierra Madre Villa | 12 [a] | 13.7 | $721 million | |
Gold Line Eastside Extension | November 15, 2009 | Union Station – Atlantic | 8 | 6.0 | $887 million | |
Expo Line Phase 1 | April 28, 2012 | Flower/Washington – La Cienega/Jefferson [b] | 8 | 7.6 | $1.3 billion | |
Expo Line To Culver City | June 20, 2012 | La Cienega/Jefferson – Culver City | 1 | 1.0 | ||
Farmdale station | Farmdale | 1 [c] | – | |||
Gold Line Foothill Extension | March 5, 2016 [25] | Sierra Madre Villa – APU/Citrus College | 6 [25] | 11.5 [25] | $714 million | |
Expo Line Phase 2 | May 20, 2016 [26] | Culver City – Santa Monica | 7 [26] | 6.6 [26] | $1.5 billion | |
L Line Little Tokyo Closure | October 24, 2020 [27] | – | Little Tokyo/Arts District | -1 [d] | -0.3 [e] | – |
K Line Initial Segment | October 7, 2022 [28] | Expo/Crenshaw – Westchester/Veterans | 6 [a] | 5.9 [3] | $2.1 billion | |
Regional Connector | June 16, 2023 [29] | 7th Street/Metro Center – Little Tokyo/Arts District | 3 | 1.9 | $1.8 billion | |
Aviation/Century station | November 3, 2024 [30] | Aviation/Century | 1 | – | – | |
Total | 102 | 113.3 [f] | $21.5 billion |
Metro has worked to plan and prioritize project funding and implementation. Metro's 2009 Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) was developed to provide a long-term vision of transportation system development for the next 30 years. [31] Metro worked to update the 2009 LRTP citing new housing trends and fiscal changes. Metro released the updated LRTP in 2020. [32]
Beginning in 2014, Metro saw its ridership numbers begin to decline. Many explanations exist for the decline, including safety concerns, an increase in ride-hailing service usage, low-income housing opportunities drying up in L.A. because of the increase in rents, and a shortage of housing. [33] Ridership declines also coincide with passage of AB 60, signed into law by Governor Brown in 2013, which provides for issuance of a vehicle operators license regardless of immigration status. [34] [35]
The fiscal changes are the passage of Measure R, a countywide incremental sales tax increase passed by voters in 2008, providing funding for many of the highest priority projects in the LRTP. [36] [ non-primary source needed ] On November 6, 2012, Metro attempted to pass Measure J, [37] but failed as it did not reach the two-thirds majority needed to pass. [38] [39] In November 2016 election, Metro decided to place another sales tax on the ballot. The voters then approved Measure M, a half-cent permanent sales tax increase to fund many local projects, including Metro Rail expansion. [40]
In 2018, Metro approved renaming its rail lines using a letter-based scheme, similar to those in New York City. [41] [42] Metro recommended the opening of the refurbished A Line in 2019 as a starting point to rename the lines, [43] and then continuing with the opening of the K line, finishing in time for the opening of the Regional Connector in 2023. [44] [45]
The following rail projects have been given high priority by Metro. They all appear in the 2009 LRTP constrained plan, [31] and all have funding earmarked from Measure R. [36] [46] With the passage of Measure M in 2016, Metro released an updated Long Range Transportation plan in February 2017, and released a full report in 2020, [47] along with its Twenty-eight by '28 initiative. [48]
Concept name | Description | Construction | Operational | Status | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
LAX Automated People Mover and K Line stations | Will connect LAX terminals and a new rental car facility to the Metro Rail system through the construction of an automated people mover system. LAX/Metro Transit Center station of C and K lines will open as this project is completed. | 2018–2026 | 2025 (C & K lines) 2026 (APM) | Under construction | [49] |
D Line Subway Extension Project Sections 1, 2, and 3 | Section 1 extends the D Line west along Wilshire Blvd to La Cienega, Section 2 extends a further three miles west from La Cienega through Beverly Hills to Century City. Section 3 extends west to Westwood/UCLA and the VA Medical Center. All phases are under construction with plans to finish in time for the 2028 Summer Olympics. | 2015–2027 | 2025 (Section 1) / 2026 (Section 2) / 2027 (Section 3) | Under construction | [55] [56] [57] [58] [59] [60] [61] |
Foothill Extension Phase 2B | Further extends the northeast segment of the current A Line eastward from APU/Citrus College to Pomona. | 2019–2025 | 2025 | Under construction | [62] [63] [64] [65] [66] [67] |
East San Fernando Valley Light Rail Transit Project | Constructs a light rail line connecting the east San Fernando Valley to the G Line, largely along the median of Van Nuys Blvd and San Fernando Road. The line will connect with Metrolink and Amtrak at the Van Nuys station and the future Sepulveda Transit Corridor. | 2024 | 2031 | Under construction | [68] [69] [70] [71] [72] [73] |
Southeast Gateway Line | Creates a new light rail line connecting Downtown Los Angeles to Artesia and the Gateway Cities, much of it along the West Santa Ana Branch. | 2025 | 2035 [74] | Under construction | [75] [76] [77] [78] [79] [80] [81] [82] |
Eastside Transit Corridor Phase 2 | Further extends the southeast segment of the current E Line eastward along Washington Boulevard to Whittier. | 2025 | 2035 | Final EIR certified / NEPA clearance underway | [83] [84] [85] [86] |
C Line Extension to Torrance | Extends the C Line from its current terminus in Redondo Beach towards Torrance and South Bay cities. By the time this extension is complete, the K Line will have taken over this extension after the C Line is rerouted to LAX/Metro Transit Center. | 2026 | 2033 [87] | LPA adopted / Draft EIR in progress | [88] [86] |
Sepulveda Transit Corridor Project Phases 1 and 2 | Planning is underway on a rail connection between the G Line and the East San Fernando Valley Transit Corridor (see above) in the Valley to the D and E lines on the Westside. Modes under consideration include a standalone rapid transit line; or a monorail, which unlike the other modes could traverse the Sepulveda Pass without tunneling. Existing local funding sources will provide approximately $5.7 billion for the project for a scheduled opening in the early 2030s; additional funds, including from public–private partnerships, are being sought to complete the line before the 2028 Summer Olympics. | 2028 | 2033–2035 (Phase 1) / 2057–2059 (Phase 2) [89] | Five LPA's analysis in progress / Draft EIR in progress | [90] [91] |
K Line Northern Extension | Create a new underground light rail line connecting the B Line's Hollywood/Highland station south to the D Line, and the K Line's Expo/Crenshaw station via Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood. Possible north–south routes include Fairfax, La Brea, and San Vicente Boulevard. An extension north of the K Line is included as a Tier 1 Strategic Unfunded Plan project in the 2009 Long Range Transportation Plan. | 2041 | 2047 | Three LPA's analysis in progress / Draft EIR Completed | [31] [92] [93] [94] [95] [96] |
Arts District/6th Street station | Extend the B and D rapid transit lines from their eastern terminus at Union Station, south along the L.A. River to the Arts District, and possibly across the river along Whittier Bl to the Eastside. However, Metro is studying the possibility of adding one or two stops along the river in the Arts District as part of a project to improve and expand the rail yard already in the area to accommodate increased headways once the D Line extension west is completed. | Unknown | Unknown | Draft EIR in progress | [97] [98] [99] [100] |
Vermont Transit Corridor | Create a new north–south route down Vermont Avenue between Wilshire/Vermont station, the Metro E Line and C Line. Included as a Tier 2 Strategic Unfunded Plan project in 2009 Long Range Transportation Plan; a bus rapid transit line has been funded in the near term by Measure M, but studies will be conducted for possible heavy rail rapid transit, as the Vermont corridor is Metro's second busiest public transportation corridor. | BRT 2020; HRT 2060 | BRT 2028–2030; HRT 2067 | Three LPA's analysis funded / Pending Draft EIR for BRT | |
G Line LRT Conversion | Converting the current G Line bus rapid transit route into light rail. Made possible after the 2014 repeal of state legislation prohibiting light rail along the G Line right of way, which had been enacted due to neighborhood opposition in the 1990s. Long term plans include complete conversion in phases with full replacement by 2057. Metro commenced BRT upgrades in 2018 to add grade crossing gates, and two new elevated segments at Van Nuys Bl and Sepulveda Bl, reducing travel time by 20%. | 2051 | 2057 | No current funds available for LRT until 2051 | [101] [102] [103] |
Lincoln Blvd BRT/LRT Line | Extends the C Line from LAX northwest to Venice and Santa Monica Beach and possibly connect with the E Line's western terminus. The C Line was originally engineered to maintain compatibility with this extension. Included in City of Los Angeles Westside Mobility Plan, and as a Tier 2 Strategic Unfunded Plan project in 2009 Long Range Transportation Plan. | BRT 2043; LRT Unknown | BRT 2047; LRT Unknown | No LPA or EIR conducted | [31] [104] |
Metro's Long Range Transportation Plan was published in 2009, [31] and was updated in 2020. [32] The following proposed line/system expansions do not have funding or high priority in Metro's long-range plans. Some are listed as "strategic unfunded" in the last Long Range Transportation Plan, indicating some possibility they could be constructed should additional funding materialize. Others have been the subject of Metro Board discussion, with the possibility of future feasibility studies. (More information on each project can be found in the references.)
Concept name | Description | Source |
---|---|---|
Burbank–Glendale Line | Would connect Downtown Los Angeles to Glendale and Burbank. Studied in the 1990s, and included as a Tier 1 Strategic Unfunded Plan project in 2009 Long Range Transportation Plan. [31] | [105] [31] |
B Line To Burbank Airport | Extend the Metro B Line 3.2 miles (5.1 km) from its northwestern terminus to Hollywood Burbank Airport. Included as a Tier 1 Strategic Unfunded Plan project in 2009 Long Range Transportation Plan. [31] | [31] |
C Line To Norwalk Metrolink | Extend the C Line east to Norwalk/Santa Fe Springs station (Metrolink). Included as a Tier 1 Strategic Unfunded Plan project in 2009 Long Range Transportation Plan, [31] but is included among the Major Transit Projects (Figure 8) in the 2020 Long Range Transportation Plan with an estimated "open year" of 2052. [32] | [106] |
"Pink Line"/"Silver Line" (former names) | DTLA Union Station thru Hollywood to Beverly Hills terminating at the under construction D Line Century City Station. Stops in or near Silver Lake, Dodger Stadium, Echo Park, West Hollywood and Century City. Mostly a Sunset Boulevard and Santa Monica Boulevard east–west route. Possibly using the already built HRT B Line tracks thru Hollywood or the LRT K Line under consideration in West Hollywood. East of Union Station would head to the City of La Puente or El Monte, CA. With possible stops in East L.A., Cal State LA, San Gabriel and Baldwin Park. No LPAs listed. No funds available. Listed as one of several "Strategic Unfunded Plan" project in the 2009 Long Range Transportation Plan, Tier 2. [31] Eastside route no longer met by the removed Eastside Transit Corridor option along The 60 Freeway. | [107] [108] [109] [31] |
Harbor Line | Light rail line to connect harbor area (San Pedro) to Metro A Line or C Line. Floated in LA City Council motions and Metro Harbor Subdivision studies. Also, a further southward extension of the C Line is included as a Tier 1 Strategic Unfunded Plan project in the 2009 Long Range Transportation Plan. Other plans could lead to the J Line being converted to rail. [31] | [110] |
D Line Extension Phase 4 | Extend the Metro D Line 3.5 miles (5.6 km) from its under construction western terminus, Westwood/VA Hospital station to Downtown Santa Monica station. No funds available. | [111] [112] |
Venice Boulevard Corridor | Restore the Venice Boulevard right-of-way train service from Venice Beach in the west to Culver Junction area possibly heading north on La Brea Avenue to Hollywood or east into Downtown Los Angeles. Would service the westside and Central Los Angeles. Pacific Electric Venice Short Line was last used in the 1950s. | [113] |
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA), branded as Metro, is the county agency that plans, operates, and coordinates funding for most of the public transportation system in Los Angeles County, California, the most populated county in the United States.
Metrolink is a commuter rail system in Southern California, serving Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Ventura counties, as well as to Oceanside in San Diego County. The system consists of eight lines and 69 stations operating on 545.6 miles (878.1 km) of track. This includes Arrow, which Metrolink operates under a contract with the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA).
The A Line is a light rail line in Los Angeles County, California. It is one of the six lines of the Los Angeles Metro Rail system, operated by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro). The A Line serves 44 stations and runs east-west between Azusa and Pasadena, then north-south between Pasadena and Long Beach, interlining and sharing five stations with the E Line in Downtown Los Angeles. It operates for approximately 19 hours per day with headways of up to 8 minutes during peak hours. It runs for 48.5 miles (78.1 km), making it the world's longest light rail line since 2023.
The L Line and Gold Line are former designations for a section of the current Los Angeles Metro Rail system. These names referred to a single light rail line of 31 miles (50 km) providing service between Azusa and East Los Angeles via the northeastern corner of Downtown Los Angeles, serving several attractions, including Little Tokyo, Union Station, the Southwest Museum, Chinatown, and the shops of Old Pasadena. The line, formerly one of seven in the system, entered service in 2003. The L Line served 26 stations.
The E Line is a 22-mile (35 km) light rail line in Los Angeles County, California. It is one of the six lines of the Los Angeles Metro Rail system, operated by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro). The E Line runs east-west and serves 29 stations between East Los Angeles and Santa Monica. It interlines and shares five stations with the A Line in Downtown Los Angeles. Service operates for 21 hours per day with headways of up to 8 minutes during peak hours. The E Line, the second-busiest light rail line in the system, saw an average of 41,902 passengers on weekdays in October 2023.
North Hollywood station is a combined rapid transit and bus rapid transit (BRT) station in the Los Angeles Metro Rail and Metro Busway systems. It is the northwestern terminus of the B Line subway and eastern terminus of the G Line BRT route. It is located at the intersection of Lankershim Boulevard and Chandler Boulevard in the NoHo Arts District of the North Hollywood neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles.
The C Line is a 19.3-mile (31.1 km) light rail line running between the Los Angeles neighborhood of Westchester and the city of Norwalk within Los Angeles County, California. It is one of six lines forming the Los Angeles Metro Rail system and opened on August 12, 1995. Along the route, the line also serves the cities of Downey, Hawthorne, and Lynwood, as well as several unincorporated communities in the South Los Angeles region including Athens, Del Aire, and Willowbrook. The fully grade-separated route runs mainly in the median strip of Interstate 105 for its latitude portion and in a mixture of viaducts, embankments, and an open trench for its western leg. A free shuttle bus to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is available at Aviation/LAX and Aviation/Century stations.
The D Line is a fully underground 5.1-mile (8.2 km) rapid transit line operating in Los Angeles, running between Koreatown and Downtown Los Angeles. It is one of six lines on the Metro Rail system, operated by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
The K Line is a light rail line in Los Angeles County. It currently consists of two separate noncontiguous segments. The 5.9-mile (9.5 km) northern segment runs north–south between the Jefferson Park and Westchester neighborhoods of Los Angeles, California, passing through various South Los Angeles neighborhoods and the city of Inglewood. The southern segment runs north–south between the Westchester neighborhood of Los Angeles and the city of Redondo Beach. It is one of six lines in the Los Angeles Metro Rail system operated by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro). The northern segment, the oldest segment of the line, opened on October 7, 2022, making it the system's newest line.
The J Line is a 38-mile (61.2 km) bus rapid transit line that runs between El Monte, Downtown Los Angeles and the Harbor Gateway, with some trips continuing to San Pedro. It is one of the two lines in the Metro Busway system operated by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro).
Little Tokyo/Arts District station is an underground light rail station on the Los Angeles Metro Rail system. It replaced an at-grade station with the same name that was located on the east side of Alameda Street between 1st Street and Temple Street, on the edge of Little Tokyo and the Arts District in Downtown Los Angeles. The at-grade station opened in 2009 as part of the Gold Line Eastside Extension and was served by the L Line. The at-grade station closed in October 2020, and the new underground station on the south side of 1st Street between Central Avenue and Alameda Street opened on June 16, 2023.
Measure R was a ballot measure during the November 2008 elections in Los Angeles County, California, that proposed a half-cent sales taxes increase on each dollar of taxable sales for thirty years in order to pay for transportation projects and improvements. The measure was approved by voters with 67.22% of the vote, just over the two-thirds majority required by the state of California to raise local taxes. The project was touted as a way to "improve the environment by getting more Angelenos out of their cars and into the region's growing subway, light rail, and bus services." It will result in the construction or expansion of a dozen rail lines in the county.
The Los Angeles Metro Busway is a system of bus rapid transit (BRT) routes that operate primarily along exclusive or semi-exclusive roadways known locally as a busway or transitway. There are currently two lines serving 29 stations in the system: the G Line in the San Fernando Valley, and the J Line, serving El Monte, Downtown Los Angeles, Gardena, and San Pedro. The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) operates the Metro Busway system.
Leimert Park station is an underground light rail station on the K Line of the Los Angeles Metro Rail system. It is located underneath Crenshaw Boulevard at its intersection with Vernon Avenue in the Leimert Park neighborhood of Los Angeles.
LAX/Metro Transit Center station is an under construction light rail transport hub in the Los Angeles Metro Rail system, located near Aviation Boulevard and 96th Street in the Westchester district of Los Angeles. The station was designed as a station for the C and K lines. It will serve as the transfer point between Metro Rail and the LAX Automated People Mover (APM) serving the Los Angeles International Airport terminals and facilities. Additionally, the station will have connections to Metro Bus, other municipal bus lines, a customer service center, and a Metro Bike Share hub. Metro is scheduled to start serving the station sometime in 2025, although the APM connection is not scheduled to open until early 2026.
Grand Avenue Arts/Bunker Hill station is an underground light rail station on the A and E lines of the Los Angeles Metro Rail system. The station also has street level stops for the J Line of the Los Angeles Metro Busway system. The station is located under the intersection of 2nd Place and Hope Street, near the Grand Avenue Arts district and in the Bunker Hill neighborhood of Downtown Los Angeles, after which the station is named. In planning documents, the station was originally referred to as 2nd Place/Hope.
The Eastside Transit Corridor is a light rail line extension that currently connects Downtown Los Angeles with East Los Angeles. However, the extension is planned to extend further southeast to connect with the Gateway Cities, continuing from a relocated Atlantic station southeast to a new Lambert station in Whittier.
The K Line Northern Extension, formerly known as the Crenshaw Northern Extension, is a project planning a Los Angeles Metro Rail light rail transit corridor extension connecting Expo/Crenshaw station to Hollywood/Highland station in Hollywood. The corridor is a fully underground, north-south route along mostly densely populated areas on the western side of the Los Angeles Basin; it would be operated as part of the K Line. The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) is prioritizing the project along with pressure from the West Hollywood residents. Construction is slated to start in 2041 and begin service by 2047 unless means to accelerate the project are found.
The history of the Los Angeles Metro Rail and Busway system begins in the early 1970s, when the traffic-choked region began planning a rapid transit system. The first dedicated busway opened along I-10 in 1973, and the region's first light rail line, the Blue Line opened in 1990. Today the system includes over 160 miles (260 km) of heavy rail, light rail, and bus rapid transit lines, with multiple new lines under construction as of 2019.