How To Use The Beach Cities Transit, Green Line Train & Silver Line Bus
Here’s how to get from the South Bay Beach Cities to USC games at the Coliseum using the LA Metro system.
• Take the Beach Cities Transit, or the “white bus” from the Beach Cities to the Metro station. There are two buses, the 102, which goes to the Metro Station at Marine Street, and the 109, which goes from Riviera Village through Hermosa and Manhattan Beach, El Porto and onto the Douglas Street station.
Be sure and get the Metro transfer “TAP” card for an extra 25 cents. Travel time: On the 109, from Riviera Village, 30 minutes, Hermosa Beach Pier 20 minutes, Manhattan Beach Pier 10 minutes. Cost: $1.25 (exact change required).
• Take the Green Line (that’s the far platform; the sign says Norwalk) to Vermont. This is one stop before the Blue Line and the PA announces USC as a stop. Travel time: 20 minutes. Cost: Free (with your BCT bus transfer).
• Take the Silver Line Bus to USC. Go downstairs and catch the Silver Line; USC is the third stop. Travel time: 10-15 minutes. Cost: $2.50
• Go downstairs and walk two blocks east to Figueroa Blvd. The USC campus is straight ahead and the LA Coliseum is to the left.
Total travel time: 1 1/2 hours (appx. and depending on your South Bay starting point). Cost: $2.75
Public Tranportation Need To Know Details
• The BCT buses are a great way to get around the South Bay. The 109 goes from Riviera Village and past the Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach piers, and turns up Rosecans from Highland. It costs a buck (a buck-25 with the Metro transfer) and since hardly anybody is ever on it, Surfside Sam refers to it as the “Dollar Taxi.” You can download its schedule from the BCT website, or just get on it for a “trial ride” and pick up a pocket schedule.
• The Metro train is fine but getting on it is confusing for newbies. First, you need something called a TAP card. Good luck figuring out the confusing ticket machine but hopefully you have obtained the card from the Dollar Taxi driver. Confusion abounds when you get to the turnstile, but just know you place it on a big light blue button-looking thing that says “TAP.” There are three things that say “TAP,” by the way.
• The Silver Line bus is surprisingly quick and pleasant. Instead of slugging its way up surface streets (through one of the worst neighborhoods in L.A., no less) it takes the Harbor Freeway. In the Diamond Lane. There are two prior stops along the freeway, and the third is 39th Street. This is just two blocks from the USC campus.
To get home, use an Uber-type of service. You don’t want to be taking the bus and Metro at night. Plus, the last “Dollar Taxi” stops are 8:30 p.m., for the 102 at the Redondo Beach (Marine Street) station and 9 p.m., at the Douglas station for the 109 (on weekends).
• Forget trying to get to the Expo Line. Yes, it drops off right at the Rose Garden and across from the USC campus, but you can’t get to it from the South Bay. Not without considerable effort. And time.
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