America’s notoriously car-mad, clogged city can now be explored by train

I’m standing on the Santa Monica Pier, gazing at the Pacific and thinking about Roger Rabbit.

The popular 1988 comedy movie Who Framed Roger Rabbit starred animated characters alongside live-action humans. That was novel enough, but what really caught my attention were the devious anti-railway antics of its villain, Judge Doom. In the story, set in 1947, Doom purchases a Los Angeles tram company so he can close it down and force residents into driving cars on his new freeway.

The city’s rail system focuses on beautiful Union Station.Credit: Getty Images

What’s interesting is how much this fiction drew on reality. In the early 20th century LA’s Pacific Electric was one of the world’s largest rail operators, delivering more than 2000 daily interurban services over 1600 kilometres of track in the city and its neighbouring urban areas. Its network was complemented by the trams (streetcars) of the Los Angeles Railway, which served a more central area.

By the 1960s it had all closed, after the accelerated construction of freeways and the widespread adoption of cars. In the end the tram network was sold to a company that converted it to buses; a development in which corporations with road transport interests were complicit. Pacific Electric’s interurban network also closed about the same time.

Los Angeles famously became a car-mad city with a reputation for poor public transport. But since 1990, largely unnoticed by overseas visitors, the city’s rail network has been rebuilt. Focused on the marvellous Union Station, served by Amtrak’s long-distance trains, LA County has crafted the Metro Rail network, comprising six rail services (supplemented by two rapid-transit bus routes). Interestingly, it’s a hybrid network: two lines are underground railways while the other four are light-rail lines running vehicles that are basically trams. But Angelenos call them trains, so I’ll use that terminology, too.

All the fun of the fair … Santa Monica Pier.Credit:

Every time I’m in LA I get a lot of use out of the Metro, zipping along dedicated lines while others are stuck in traffic on congested freeways. Which is why I’m at Santa Monica – from my hotel in Downtown LA I caught a train along the E Line to the popular seaside locale for a mere $US1.75 ($2.70). That’s another attraction of the Metro: it’s cheap.

And Santa Monica Pier is worth travelling to see. Dotted with attractions including restaurants and a funfair, its broad timber deck has a view of the sandy ocean shore as it bends around to the north. On this weekday morning there’s a lazy, relaxed vibe on the pier, with people sipping coffee as they saunter along its length. With the low, rhythmic crash of waves in the background, it’s very mellow, though in the evening this place must heave with excited visitors and the sounds of the funfair.

Back at Downtown Santa Monica station I catch an eastbound train to Expo/Crenshaw station, which is where the E Line (yellow on the Metro map) intersects with the brand-new K Line (a cheery pink). Changing to the K on a whim, I hop off at Leimert Park station in search of lunch and find an outlet called Delicious Southern Cuisine, which serves soul-food staples such as fried chicken, smothered pork chops, gumbo and jambalaya. I order a Cajun mustard meatloaf po’ boy with a side of black-eyed peas, then take my lunch across the road to the shady oasis of Leimert Park.

LA has been quietly rebuilding its rail network over the past 35 years.Credit: iStock

Returning to the E Line, my next stop is Grand Avenue Arts/Bunker Hill station. This is a useful jumping-off point for cultural attractions including the Walt Disney Concert Hall, The Broad art museum and the Museum of Contemporary Art. Taking in MOCA’s collection, I particularly enjoy the work of abstract artist Mark Rothko.

Nearby is another special railway: Angels Flight. This funicular opened in 1901, allowing Bunker Hill residents to travel down the hillside to downtown LA. It’s still a useful part of the public transport system, its dollar fare reduced to 50 cents if you use the city’s TAP card. The short journey is delightful, as a restored timber carriage delivers me to the Grand Central Market, where I order a beer from Golden Road Brewing and relax.

Hotel Per La’s Bar Clara and pool.Credit:

I had intended to head further east on the E Line to check out Mexican eateries near Mariachi Plaza station. But it’s such a hot day that I end up at the rooftop pool of the Hotel Per La, my accommodation, for a swim. That’s what I love about downtown LA – it’s full of gorgeous old buildings from before the age of cars that now make perfect hotels (the Per La was once a swanky Italian bank). And as the hub of LA Metro’s rail network, downtown makes a great base from which to explore the city by train.

More LA Metro highlights

A Line

The striking Watts Tower.Credit: Getty Images

Believe it or not, the blue A Line is the longest light-rail line in the world – stretching 78 kilometres from Long Beach in the south to Azusa in the north-east. Sights of interest include the Queen Mary ocean liner (Downtown Long Beach station); Watts Towers art complex (103rd St/Watts Towers station); the Grammy Museum (Pico station); the Japanese American National Museum (Little Tokyo/Arts District station); Chinatown’s restaurants (Chinatown station); and the Pacific Asia Museum in Pasadena (Highland Park station).

B & D Lines

The large dome of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.Credit: Getty Images

These two underground lines share much of their route, diverging after MacArthur Park. The red B Line has popular drawcards including the Walk of Fame (Hollywood/Vine station), the Chinese Theatre (Hollywood/Highland station) and Universal Studios (Universal City/Studio City station).

On the purple D Line you’ll find great Korean food near Wilshire/Normandie station. The useful new Wilshire/Fairfax station, slated to open in 2025, will serve the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, the LA County Museum of Art, the Petersen Automotive Museum and the La Brea Tar Pits.

C Line
The green C Line is of limited interest to visitors, running east-west across southern LA. However, it does provide a way to travel to/from LAX via the regular airport shuttle bus that calls at the new LAX/Metro Transit Centre Station at the line’s western terminus.

E Line
As well as the attractions mentioned above, the yellow E Line is notable for Expo Park/USC station, which provides access to various attractions including the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (soon to host a third Olympic Games in 2028) and the California Science Centre (with a real space shuttle on display).

K Line

The Metro K Line (Pink Line) train arrives at Expo/Crenshaw Station.Credit: Getty Images

The pink K Line heads into the heart of LA’s Black community, symbolised by Destination Crenshaw, a two-kilometre-long series of art installations celebrating African-American history and culture. Starting near Leimert Park Station and stretching south along the K Line’s route, it should be fully open by the end of 2025.

Also, in June this year the new LAX/Metro Transit Centre Station opened on the K Line, served by regular free shuttle buses to and from the international airport. In 2026 this option will get even better when LAX’s new Automated People Mover opens, delivering passengers directly to/from the Metro station.

THE DETAILS

FLY & RIDE
Fiji Airways flies to Los Angeles via Nadi, see fijiairways.com

To ride the LA Metro, pick up a TAP card from a station vending machine. One-trip fare is $US1.75, with a daily $US5 cap and free transfers between lines. See taptogo.net

STAY
Hotel Per La is a charming hotel with a spectacular restaurant in downtown LA, an easy walk from Metro stations. Rooms from $US269 a night. See hotelperla.com

MORE
metro.net, discoverlosangeles.com

The writer travelled courtesy of LA Tourism and Fiji Airways.