Getting Around Pasadena
Pasadena sits just northeast of downtown Los Angeles and is the primary cultural center of the San Gabriel Valley. As a whole, the city is large enough that you will likely want a car or public transit to cover ground, but it is also a very pedestrian-friendly place, and many hotels and motels sit within easy walking distance of the main shopping and entertainment districts. That combination shapes how most visitors get around: walk for the neighborhood, ride rail or bus for the longer hops.
Rail: The Metro A Line
The backbone of car-free travel in Pasadena is the Metro A Line light rail, which runs through the city and connects it to downtown Los Angeles and points beyond. Within Pasadena, the line serves the Arroyo Seco Parkway area, Old Pasadena, and East Pasadena. Del Mar and Memorial Park stations put you right in Old Pasadena on the west end of town, while other stops sit in the median of the 210 Freeway. From Pasadena you can ride the A Line to connect with other Los Angeles-area rail lines or Amtrak, or continue east toward Azusa.
Riding is straightforward: you can pay directly on Metro trains and buses by tapping a contactless credit card or using Apple Pay, and the system automatically gives you free rides once you hit the daily and weekly fare caps. If you don't have a contactless card, ticket kiosks near station entrances sell tap cards and tickets. When boarding at Union Station, follow the yellow Metro signs to the A Line and be sure to take a northbound (Pomona) train to reach Pasadena.
Buses and Other Public Transport
Pasadena is primarily served by the county-wide Metro system and by the local Pasadena Transit network. Additional bus service comes from Foothill Transit and LADOT (Commuter Express). For a visitor, one useful Metro route is the 180 bus, which runs from Pasadena to visitor-oriented areas of Hollywood — an often interesting ride of about an hour. The same contactless tap-to-pay and fare-cap rules that apply to Metro rail apply to Metro buses.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
Taxis and ride-hailing are available as a door-to-door option, and they are particularly relevant for airport transfers. A taxi from LAX to Pasadena, for example, runs approximately $80. Shared-ride shuttle vans are a cheaper alternative and are covered below.
Walking
Walking is one of the most practical ways to experience Pasadena's core. Old Pasadena, the Playhouse District, and South Lake Avenue are the main shopping and entertainment clusters, and many hotels and motels are located within easy walking distance of them. For anything beyond those districts, plan on transit or a car.
Getting There From the Airport
The closest and most convenient airport is Burbank/Bob Hope Airport (BUR) in Burbank. Other nearby options are Los Angeles (LAX), Ontario (ONT), and Orange County (SNA).
- From Burbank (BUR): The best way into Pasadena is via Prime Time Shuttle or Xpress Shuttle.
- From LAX by shared-ride van: Prime Time offers shared-ride vans serving the Pasadena area. Stand under the orange "shared ride vans" sign on the center concrete island outside the terminal and tell a customer service representative — easy to spot in their red jackets — that you need a ride to Pasadena. If no representative is available, flag down a red van with a "Pasadena" placard in the windshield. The approximate cost is $25 per person, and the trip takes about an hour.
- From LAX by FlyAway bus + A Line: Take the Union Station FlyAway bus, which runs 24 hours a day, then transfer to the Metro A Line light rail. At LAX, stand under the green "FlyAway, Buses and Long-Distance Vans" sign on the center concrete island outside the terminal; the bus stops at each terminal. Board a blue FlyAway bus heading to Union Station — a large charter-style bus that is occasionally not labeled. The fare is $9.75 one way, and the trip takes 45 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes depending on traffic. Buses run every half hour around the clock, except between 1AM and 5AM when they run hourly. You may need to pay once the bus arrives at Union Station, in which case use the little kiosk near the bus stop. At Union Station, walk behind the ticket counter and down the stairs, follow the path, and enter Union Station on the left. Head to the Metro A Line (yellow signs) at track 1, then go up the stairs to the trains and board a northbound (Pomona) train. The A Line stops in Pasadena at Filmore, Del Mar, Memorial Park, Lake, Allen, and Sierra Madre Villa. Travel time is almost 30 minutes depending on system congestion. The entire LAX-to-Pasadena trip via FlyAway plus A Line lasts about 2 hours.
- From LAX by train only: You can also use the LAX Metro Transit Center to ride the train the whole way to Pasadena — for example, taking the Metro K and E lines to Union Station and transferring to the A Line, taking the Metro C line to Willowbrook/Rosa Parks Station and transferring to the A Line, or combining the C, J, and A lines. To reach the Metro Transit Center from LAX, take a bus from the airport and follow signs for LA Metro; pickup is in a different location than the Union Station FlyAway. These routes are cheaper than the FlyAway but longer and require more complicated transfers, so research the route in advance and follow signage for the correct trains and directions. The K and E lines may feel safer for those unused to traveling on public transit in the US.
- By car: From downtown L.A. or other southern cities, take the 110 freeway north until it ends — the 110 ends at the south end of Pasadena. From the east and west, Pasadena can be reached via Interstate 210. California Highway 134 East is the most direct route from Glendale and Burbank.