Getting Around Simi Valley
Simi Valley is a city in southeastern Ventura County, California, set in the valley of the same name and surrounded by the Santa Susana Mountains and the Simi Hills. It sits within the Greater Los Angeles Area, northwest of Downtown Los Angeles, and borders Thousand Oaks, Moorpark, and the Chatsworth neighborhood of Los Angeles. It grew up as a bedroom community for Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley once a freeway was built over the Santa Susana Pass, and that history still shapes how people get around today.
For a visitor, the single most important thing to understand is that Simi Valley is primarily a car-oriented city. The practical guidance below covers the alternatives that do exist, and how they connect.
How Tourists Move Around the City
The primary way residents and visitors get around Simi Valley is by automobile. The city's main artery is the 118 Freeway, also known as the Ronald Reagan Freeway. It can be reached from the east via Interstate 5, Interstate 405, and the 210 Freeway, and from the west via the 23 Freeway, which in turn connects to the 101 Freeway. If you prefer to avoid the freeways, alternate routes provide access toward Highway 126 in Santa Paula and Ventura.
Bicycling is gaining in popularity, and the city has committed to installing more bicycle lanes and bicycle parking. Walking is generally safe, but it is not recommended for anything more than a short stroll. Distances in the valley can look deceptively small on a map, so it is worth mapping your route carefully before planning to walk or cycle from one point to another.
Rail: Amtrak and Metrolink
Simi Valley has a train station at 5050 E Los Angeles Ave, served by both Amtrak and Metrolink. This is the anchor of the city's public transport for anyone arriving from outside the valley.
- Amtrak operates train service around the United States, and two of its routes stop in Simi Valley. The Coast Starlight runs daily between Seattle and Los Angeles, while the Pacific Surfliner runs daily between San Luis Obispo and San Diego via Los Angeles.
- Metrolink provides commuter rail from Los Angeles via the San Fernando Valley on its Ventura County Line.
For a visitor, the rail station is the most useful link between Simi Valley and the wider region, whether you are coming from Los Angeles, the San Fernando Valley, or further along the coast.
Buses and Other Public Transport
Simi Valley does have a local bus system, operated as Simi Valley Transit, with an office at 490 West Los Angeles Avenue. A few practical points are worth knowing before you board:
- Fare is $1.25 per trip.
- Tickets can be purchased onboard, but exact fare is required, as drivers are unable to make change.
- Stops are spaced roughly a quarter to a half mile apart, so be prepared for a walk at either end of your journey.
- No smoking, eating, drinking, or radios are allowed on the buses.
Beyond the local buses and the rail station, there is no metro or tram network serving Simi Valley. The city's public transport is essentially the bus system plus the Amtrak and Metrolink trains.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
The source material does not describe a local taxi or ride-hailing market in Simi Valley. Given that the automobile is the primary mode of transport for residents and that the city is spread across a valley, visitors who do not have a car should plan around the bus system, the train station, and rides arranged in advance rather than assuming taxis will be readily available on the street.
Walkability
Walking in Simi Valley is described as safe, but not recommended beyond a short stroll. The key caution is that distances can seem deceptively small. If you are considering walking or cycling between points in the city, map the distance first rather than judging it by eye.
Getting There from the Airport
The airports in close proximity to Simi Valley are Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and Hollywood Burbank Airport in Burbank (BUR). There are also several small airports in the area that welcome private or charter flights.
Once you have landed, the practical route into Simi Valley is by road or by rail. By car, the city is reached via the 118 Freeway, which connects to Interstate 5, Interstate 405, and the 210 Freeway in the east and to the 23 Freeway in the west. By rail, Amtrak and Metrolink both serve the Simi Valley station, with Metrolink's Ventura County Line running from Los Angeles via the San Fernando Valley.
Putting It Together
If you are visiting Simi Valley without a car, the most workable approach is to build your trip around the train station and the local bus system, and to accept that some walking will be involved given the spacing of bus stops. If you do have a car, the freeway network makes the city straightforward to reach and to cross. Either way, plan your distances in advance: in a valley ringed by mountains, things that look close on a map can be further than they appear.