Getting Around Hollywood
Hollywood sits in a central spot in Los Angeles, roughly bounded by the 101 freeway to the east, Melrose Avenue to the south, West Hollywood to the west, and the Hollywood Hills to the north. That central location makes it a convenient base for reaching other popular attractions, and it means you have a genuine choice of ways to get around: rail, bus, taxi or ride-hailing, and your own two feet.
By Rail and Subway
The backbone of transit in Hollywood is Metro's subway service, which stops in the heart of the neighborhood at Hollywood/Vine and Hollywood/Highland. This is the most direct transit connection to Downtown Los Angeles, and because traffic along the 101 freeway is often heavy, taking the subway to or from Downtown is usually quicker than driving.
The line also continues north to its terminus in North Hollywood, with a stop in Universal City along the way — useful if you're heading to Universal Studios or connecting onward from the North Hollywood area.
If you're coming from Orange County, you can reach Hollywood by taking Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner or Metrolink's Orange County Line to Los Angeles Union Station and then transferring to the subway. Note that the source material refers to this line both as the "Red Line" and as the "B Line" — they are the same service.
By Bus
Metro buses fill in the gaps across Hollywood, and several lines run frequently along the main corridors:
- Hollywood Blvd between Highland and Vine is served frequently by lines 217 and Rapid 780, while the 180 and 181 from the east terminate just before Hollywood/Vine.
- Sunset Blvd is served frequently by lines 2 and 302.
- Santa Monica Blvd is served by the 4 and Rapid 704.
- Melrose Avenue is served by the 10.
- North–south service: Vine Street is served by the 210, and La Brea Avenue by the 212 and 312.
For long-distance bus travel, note that intercity service does not come into Hollywood itself. If you're using Greyhound, the best option is to take it to the station in North Hollywood and then walk to the subway. Other intercity bus options can be found in Downtown LA.
By Car
Hollywood is close enough to the Westside that car trips there are relatively easy. If you're starting from Downtown Los Angeles — the center of Southern California's freeway network — you can head north on U.S. Highway 101 (the Hollywood Freeway) and exit on Hollywood Blvd or Gower Street.
Traffic is a real consideration, particularly around the hours of 1PM–6PM. When it backs up, consider an alternate route using one of the surface streets. From the west, Santa Monica Boulevard is a major thoroughfare linking Hollywood with Beverly Hills and Santa Monica. Sunset Boulevard links Hollywood with the Westside, Northwest LA, and Downtown, while Fairfax, La Brea, and Vine/Rossmore run north–south between Hollywood and the Wilshire area.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
The source material for this guide does not describe taxi or ride-hailing services in Hollywood in detail. In practice, these are widely available in the Los Angeles area, but you should confirm current options and pricing locally, as this guide cannot vouch for specifics beyond what the source covers.
Walking
The main areas of Hollywood are walkable. You could walk all the way from Hollywood Blvd down to Melrose Avenue, though the distance is far enough that most people would probably drive or take the bus instead. Night-time pedestrian activity in the area is focused on Hollywood Blvd, which is where you'll find the liveliest street scene after dark.
Getting There from the Airport
Hollywood is served by two airports: Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and the closer Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR) in Burbank.
- From LAX: The Flyaway Bus runs from LAX to Union Station every 30 minutes. From Union Station, transfer to the subway to reach Hollywood.
- From Burbank (Bob Hope Airport): BurbankBus offers a connecting route between the airport and the North Hollywood Metro station, where you can ride the subway into Hollywood.
Practical Tips
- For getting to or from Downtown, the subway is usually your fastest bet — traffic on the 101 can make driving much slower.
- Buy your fare or pass through Metro; the same system covers both the subway and the buses described above.
- If you're arriving by intercity bus, plan to connect via North Hollywood or Downtown LA rather than expecting a stop in Hollywood itself.
- Build in extra time for driving between 1PM and 6PM, or stick to surface streets as an alternative.