From LAX Airport To Long Beach 2026: A Detailed Guide

 

 

Want to find out how to get from LAX Airport to Long Beach? In this post, I’ll give you full details on all transportation options from LAX to Long Beach with prices and timings.

Long Beach is one of the best places to stay in Los Angeles and the point of departure for many cruise lines.

Most people staying in the area, get to the city through LAX, the city’s main gateway and one of the busiest airports in the world.

Despite being a busy and very important airport, it’s not that simple getting from LAX to your accommodation, no matter where in L.A. you’ll be staying.

One of the reasons is that you cannot just get out of the terminal and jump on a taxi or a train.

Having said that, there is a lot of work going on at the airport and things will potentially change by the end of the year.

If you haven’t booked your Los Angeles accommodation yet, you can also find detailed information about getting to Santa Monica and Venice Beach from LAX, before deciding in which area to stay.

I also cover information on airport transfers from Las Vegas Airport, Denver Airport and from Miami Airport to South Beach, among other places.

About Los Angeles International Airport

LAX is one of the busiest airports in the US and in the world in number of passengers.

If you’re flying from outside the US and don’t have free roaming, you may want to get an eSIM to stay connected during your trip.

How far is Long Beach from LAX Airport? The distance from Los Angeles Airport to Long Beach is 23 miles (37 kilometers).

This is pretty much the same distance from LAX to the cruise terminal.

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How To Get From LAX Airport To Long Beach

Lyft/Uber From LAX to Long Beach

At most airports in the US and around the world, you can just get out of the terminal and jump in your rideshare car.

At Los Angeles Airport, that’s not the case. The airport has a designated area for rideshare users called LAXit but getting there requires a few minutes on a shuttle bus.

Coming through the arrivals gate, look for the signs to LAXit. The signs will take you to a bus stop painted in green that reads “Taxi Ride App”.

The airport to LAXit shuttles run roughly every 7 minutes, 24 hours a day, and are free of charge.

It’s also possible to walk from the airport terminal to LAXit. From terminals 1, 7 and 8, you’ll walk 3-8 minutes. From terminals 4 and 5, you’ll have to walk 20-25 minutes.

​How much is an Uber from LAX to Long Beach? As you know, the price can vary considerably depending on the exact drop-off location and the time of the day.

An Uber to Long Beach from LAX can cost anything between $50 and $150 – again, that’ll depend on what time you’re traveling and on which type of vehicle you choose.

The travel time can vary between 30 and 45 minutes, depending on traffic conditions and your accommodation’s exact location.

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Private Transfer from LAX Airport to Long Beach

The most convenient way to get to Long Beach from LAX is by booking a private limousine service. This way, your driver will be waiting for you by the arrival gate and take you to the car.

This way, you save time and energy, since you won’t need to wait for a shuttle bus to the LAXit and won’t have to walk around carrying your luggage.

You can book your private transfer online, so you won’t need to deal with money or a credit card with your driver when you arrive. Most companies allow you to cancel your transfer 24 hours before arrival time.

Your hotel will be happy to arrange your LAX to Long Beach transfer at an extra charge.

Several companies offer this service, but I have used the two providers below and highly recommend both.

It’s important to remember that the convenience of being met by your driver comes at a cost, but it’s a fixed price and is pretty much in line with the taxi and rideshare price fluctuations.

• Private transfer with GYG provider: From $88 one-way
• Private transfer with Kiwi: From $120 one-way for an economy car

​The travel time also varies between 30 and 45 minutes, depending on the traffic conditions.

Taxi From LAX Airport To Long Beach

Just like with rideshares, you’ll have to make your way to the LAXit area to take a taxi at Los Angeles Airport.

The travel time from LAX to Long Beach will be 30 to 45 minutes on average, depending on where exactly you’re going.

A taxi from LAX Airport to Long Beach will cost $60 minimum, with an average price of $80, based on the local taxi fare calculator. Bad traffic conditions could raise the total fare to over $100.

It’s also important to check with your driver if there are any additional charges, such as luggage or extra passenger surcharge.

Cheapest Way From LAX To Long Beach

​If you’re a budget traveler, public transportation is the cheapest way from LAX to Long Beach. You can choose to go either by bus or by metro train. While these are very affordable options, they’re not the simplest way to make this journey.

LAX Airport To Long Beach Bus

​To take the bus from LAX to Long Beach, follow these instructions: turn left as you come out of the arrivals terminal. Then, walk to the pink sign which reads LAX Shuttles.

You’ll have to wait by the pink LAX Shuttles sign and take shuttle bus C (City Bus Center – LAX). The journey takes no more than 10 minutes.

The free shuttle to LAX City Bus Center does not run between 2am and 4am.

Once you get there, you can board the bus line 232 headed to Long Beach.

The journey time can vary between 1h20m and 2 hours, depending on the time of the day.

The bus line 232 runs daily between 4:22am, with the last departure at 11:47pm, and departs every 15-30 minutes, depending on the time of the day. You can see the full schedule here.

The bus costs $1.75 per person and you can pay the driver directly (only the exact amount!) if you don’t have a TAP card.

Metro From LAX Airport To Long Beach

I recommend taking the metro rather than the bus, since it’s slightly faster and more comfortable.

As you come out of the airport terminal, look for the LAX Shuttles sign (it’s pink). Once you get there, wait for the bus M – Metro Connector. This is a free shuttle service that will take you to Aviation Station.

Once you get to the last stop (Aviation Station), look for the ticket machines. There you’ll have to buy a TAP card, which costs $2. You will need this card to use public transport around the city.

You can then select the “metro one-way” option to load the card with one single ticket ($1.75).

With your TAP card in hand, don’t forget to tap it before going up the platform escalators. If you don’t tap your card before boarding, you’ll be liable to pay a huge fine if you’re caught!

Make sure you take the metro train going to Norwalk. Get off at the 6th station (Willowbrook/Rosa Parks) and follow the signs to Line A (Azusa-Long Beach) downstairs.

The Line A metro has several stops in Long Beach, so make sure you know beforehand at which station you should get out: 1st Street, 5th Street, Downtown Long Beach, or Pacific Avenue.

I hope you found this guide on transportation from LAX to Long Beach helpful!