title: How to Get from LAX to Union Station
url: https://boardspy.site/blog/how-to-get-from-lax-to-union-station/
type: Article
dateModified: 2026-08-16
publisher: BoardSpy
quick_answer: Quick answer: Three real options: Metro rail, the FlyAway bus, or a car. About 18 miles, and which one wins depends less on distance than on how much luggage you have and what time it is.
primary_keyword: how to get from lax to union station
keywords[8]{term}:
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faqs[5]{q,a}:
  How far is LAX to Union Station?,About 18 miles. Driving is 25–30 minutes clear and 50 minutes to over an hour at peak. Metro guidance for downtown to the airport is roughly 45–60 minutes. Pattern estimates, not live times.
  Is the SkyLink people mover open at LAX?,Not as of early August 2026. The LAX/Metro Transit Center is open, but SkyLink was still not carrying passengers. A free LAX shuttle runs between the Transit Center and the terminals until it opens. Verify with LAWA before you travel.
  Should you take Metro or FlyAway from LAX to Union Station?,Light luggage and normal hours: Metro is cheapest and skips the horseshoe. Real luggage: FlyAway is usually better — it goes from the terminals directly to Union Station with dedicated bag space.
  Where do rideshares pick up at LAX?,Not at the terminals. Pickups are at LAX-it, a dedicated lot reached by shuttle. That adds a leg and a wait.
  When is driving LAX to downtown worst?,Los Angeles evening peaks run roughly 3 p.m. to after 7 p.m. Transit is largely insulated from that window. Going to LAX has a deadline; leaving it does not.
citations[4]{name,url}:
  Metro to LAX,https://www.metro.net/riding/lax/
  LAWA FlyAway,https://www.flylax.com/flyaway
  FlyLAX,https://www.flylax.com/
  BoardSpy data sources,https://boardspy.site/facts/data-sources/
internal_links[3]{label,url}:
  Best time to leave in Los Angeles,https://boardspy.site/blog/best-time-to-leave-los-angeles-avoid-traffic/
  How far is Los Angeles to Long Beach?,https://boardspy.site/blog/how-far-los-angeles-to-long-beach/
  Denver Airport to Boulder,https://boardspy.site/blog/denver-airport-to-boulder/