Metro Green Line

Around 2:30pm today, the Green line driver of Car #227B purposely left a passenger on the Douglas station. He was standing at the door and the driver did not care to open the door.

I loved that this was a convenient and inexpensive way for me to get back to Long Beach after dropping off my car at the dealer near the Redondo Station. I did not like that I had to guess what the options on the ticket machine meant and that there wasn’t a legend to define the terms. The train was clean, but I was sort of sorry that when the janitor found a sweatshirt on the ground of my car he simply threw it in the trash. It was fun to head down the 105 and feel so much faster than all of the cars. I did not feel nearly as safe on the Metro as I do on BART, and it was even worse when I transferred to the Blue Line and had to pass through a shifty group of young men blocking the door and looking each passenger up and down, one of whom yelled to another who had gotten off, «Careful, man, this place is just loaded with cops!»

The Metro Green Line is a solid mode of transportation.
The TAP CARD is a decent system, ‘tho without any staff to help through the purchasing of tickets, it can be challenging for tourists and visitors, especially those from not only out of town, but especially those from out of the country who may have language barrier issues and require assistance. It’s not well explained and it should be as simple as how the Nor Cal BART system has it showing from the departing place you are currently at, how much exactly it costs to get to each destination and fees for changing colored train lines if transfers are required. It should be that simple to lay out and explain. Otherwise, everyone is probably just buying the $ 6 All-​Day Tap Card.
The Redondo Station is really nice, the parking lot is near Tommy’s Burgers, the VW Dealership and Costco. Parking is FREE, I’m not sure if it’s secured or not and speculate those who park there are parking for a longer term, so opportunistic criminals probably know that (‘tho it’s heavily traveled and occupied so there’s witnesses galore and it’s not that secluded). Be smart. Be safe. Especially in the early morning or late at night. Don’t leave valuables neither visible nor stored inside if you can avoid it.
This train station is clean, and it probably gets «worst» from here as it travels from the suburban feeling South Bay beach cities through the urban jungle known as Los Angeles and all of the lower socio-​economic areas, so you’ll see some sketchy folk (read the signs about not using your cell phones to avoid grab n’ snatch thieves who will yank your phone from your hands and run out of the exit door quickly if you’re not paying attention).
If you show fear, and look nervous, you’ll appear to be a ripe victim, so be confident and aware of your surroundings. Don’t look around or up. Don’t stare at people. Keep to yourself.
The seats are comfortable, and know that some seats are sideways (reserved for elderly and handicapped) and others are turned backwards (and forwards) since the train goes in both directions, not a circle. People bring their bikes inside the train too.
I was going to the Chinatown area, so took the Green to the Blue to the Red and the end of the line is Union Station. It took about 1 hour, and we went by El Segundo, parts of ‘tha ‘hood”, and even the LA Convention Center and Staples Center, which is good to know how easy it is to get to downtown and avoid both traffic, gas and parking expenses.

The Green Line is pretty good for all the in between stops such as the Blue Line. However I am completely aghast why they didn’t connect the Green Line to the Amtrak Metrolink station. The Norwalk bus link is not predictable and you can’t tell how long it will take to get between Norwalk Green and Norwalk/​Santa Fe Springs Metrolink/​Amtrak as the bus gets stuck in traffic on Imperial Hwy. I have had to wait up to 30 minutes for the bus which then takes another 20 minutes or so to get to the station. I have given up entirely and taken a taxi which is expensive. Once, the taxi driver wasn’t sure how to get there. The Green Line needs to go to LAX on the west end and the Amtrak Metro station on the east. What were they thinking by not going all the way? I can only imagine.

The city of L.A.‘s transit system has nothing on Chicago but it’s great for people watching and getting you from the beach into the city. I like that the trains run late on the weekend nights. Get out and experience some culture.

I rode the Green Line on a Saturday from Imperial to Hawthorne, the train came within 5 minutes & I got to where I needed to go .
UPS:
The train is clean
Its a very fast ride since it runs on the I-​105 Freeway
DOWNSIDES
This train doesn’t make enough runs, I’ve waited 20 minutes for the train to come
This line doesn’t go anywhere like the Red & Blue lines do

Been riding the Green Line to LAX for years. I have parked my car at Norwalk for up to 10 days with no problem. Saved thousands of dollars in parking over the years. Also, the bus connection is great because it drops you right at your terminal. No walking for up to a mile like the so call transit friendly airports in Europe.

I actually like this train. Its a little slow running. I’ve waited as much as 20 minutes for a train before. But, the cars are super clean compared to the Red and the Blue lines.
What I dont like about this train are the stations. The connecting station for the blue and green lines is the Rosa Parks station. Its always filled with shady looking people and a million police hassling people for tickets. On one occasion, I was asked 4 different times, by 4 different police officers, for my ticket. This was within 5 minutes. I thought that was a little excessive.

I realized that my previous review was peachy, so I needed a refresh.
An extension on both sides of this line is definitely necessary.
From Norwalk it’s a 27min trip to the Aviation station (LAX) and all you need to is one transfer and you’re at Staples Center. But other than LAX, which still isn’t a direct shot (you have to hop on to a shuttle to take you to the terminals), this line doesn’t go anywhere.
On one end you have Norwalk, which has a Metrolink stop but you have to take a bus to catch that train. On the other end is Redondo, but you still have to hop on a bus to go to the beach. Not exactly sure the Metro’s thought process on this.
Also, after ‘peak time’ which I’m still uncertain on what Metro considers peak time, the train is only 1 car (peak = 2 cars). Which is totally inconvenient because if people, like myself, hop on the train after 8pm during the week we have to somehow cram ourselves as well as our crap with the rest of the people on the train. I understand we have to cut costs, but this is ridiculous. I feel bad for the elderly riders who have to stand up their entire ride because even if someone offers them a seat, they still can’t get to the seat.
But, 2-​cars during the peak time isn’t great neither but some of the station can only fit 2 cars in the terminal, so I guess that was another complete fail on their part.
All complaining aside, it’s nice to be able to ride to LAX for $ 1.50.

Have been using MEtro rail for two years. It’s bike friendly and worth the trip. Saved tons of money compared to driving

I enjoy riding this train. The green tends to be one of the faster routes. The cars are much cleaner compared to .say the red line or blue lines. Best part about riding the metro is that they will usually if not ALWAYS be on time. During peak hours it’s every 7 mins and on leaner hours hours, every 12 – 15 mins.
I’ve never had to worry about safety on this train, as most people would just tend to themselves. (The Blue line is another story). There is definitely a shift in demographic as the line takes you from norwalk towards the industrial, yet properous areas of El Segundo /​Redondo beach.
GO GO Metro!

Having spent a lot of time riding subways in Europe, Latin America, NYC, Chicago and SF. The LA metro is the cleanest and overall most pleasant subway/​light rail I have ever ridden — DC a close second. It does not have the coverage of European systems & of course NYC BUT if it is going where you need/​want to go it is excellent. BTW 1% of all metro costs must go to art — so the stations are very creative and artistic. This fits with 21^st century Angelenos — representing the largest number of creatives ever assembled in one place in world history!

For those headed to Downtown via Blue Line during rush hours, you now have the option of using the new Metro Silver Line instead from Harbor Freeway Station. It is about 10 min faster than the Blue Line because it flies down the I-​110 HOV lane on brand new 45 foot buses. If you have a $ 5 Day Pass, it doesn’t cost you any more to use the Silver Line. Other riders will still need to pay an additional $ 1.20 upcharge or have a Zone 2 stamp. Just be sure to check the Silver Line timetable online at

For those headed up Sepulveda Blvd and up to West LA/​UCLA during rush hour, you can also try Culver CityBus’ new Rapid 6 from Aviation Station.

Only In Los Angeles you can take a train that comes from nowhere to another nowhere place. It’s amazing how both ends of the route comes SO close to LAX (& South Bay Galleria) and the Norwalk/​Santa Fe Metrolink Station, yet, it’s still put in the middle of «the most urban nowhere…»
Sigh… Los Angeles…
At least it’s tolerably clean…

This line gets me to where I want to go. It’s pretty clean compared to the Blue Line, and less crazy people. Although, I love the Blue Line and the Red Line as well, because they also get me to where I want to go.
The only problem I experienced was trying to buy day passes with my tokens from work. They only allowed me to buy one way tickets… which would cost me double by the time I got back home.
I remember one time I was on the metro and a legless man on a skateboard was riding down the isle while saying «I have no legs.» Wait… that might not be MY memory… but its what I think of every time I take the metro.

I love this line only because of the diversity and weirdness it holds.
I live in Eaglerock, but work in El Segundo, so ever since my car took a major dump on me (blown motor), ive been riding this thing to the blue line, to the red line then get picked up in L.A.
so i yeah, i hop on @ The El Segundo station and all the boarders are normal, el segundo 9 — 5ers, but once we hit the next stop over, from hawthorne to wilmington, you definitely need to watch your back.
My first time taking this, i caught it from the Norwalk station (where my buddy from Cerritos dropped me off) and damn were there psychos on this piece. This woman had just just gotten slapped and robbed for her cell phone, and she was telling me all about. so i lend her my phone to call her husband and explain to him whats goin on.
i mean damn, this thing is fast, but so is the lifestyle on it!!!
next stop… BLUE LINE

I took this line once from the Norwalk station in order to go to Hollywood and Highland (Green to Blue to Red) one weekend with my college roommates. I did it because I’ve never taken Los Angeles public transit, although, I used it extensively back in the East Coast.
I have to commend Metro for providing free parking at their stations. I just wish that the lots were better monitored or guarded, since it is in a rougher part of the county (Norwalk).
Although it’s an honor system to board the train, you should still buy the pass to ride. The 3 or 5 bucks you save is not worth it if the cops do a random search and ticket verification and you so happen to be on the train.
The Green Line is fully automated, so it runs constantly on time. My gripe about this line is the lack of actual trains running. There doesn’t seem to be that much, as waiting in Norwalk can take 20 minutes at any one time. When this train transfers to the Blue Line over in Wilmington, I feel like a fish out of water. While waiting there under the bridge, I’m visually reminded of why I should just suck it up and drive the distance. I quickly learned that the Blue Line could be the «roughest» train in the group, but that’s for another review.
The Green Line itself is clean physically and emission-​wise. It runs smoothly, and when you see the slow traffic building up on the 105 Freeway, you’ll be glad you decided to take the train. You’ll also have a chance to finish reading the paper, which is a rare luxury these days. If you’re going to be using just the Green Line, I highly recommend it, although, you may want to go before and after the rush hour crowd if you’re traveling for leisure.

I use the Green Line almost weekly to avoid traffic, parking and driving to Downtown. The Redondo Station is at the west end of the line and Norwalk is the East end of the line.
The parking at the Redondo station is almost always empty and I have parked there, took the green line to the LAX station and used their free shuttle to LAX to avoid airport parking costs. I have asked parking security if there was a maximum amount of days you can park there and he said no. This is a safe lot too because it is by the Northrup Grumman building and it is not a place where people hang out.
Usually though I am taking the Green Line to the Blue line to go to Staples Center. The Pico exit from the Blue Line is ½ block from Staples and it makes it an easy commute. It costs $ 3 for a day pass and you do not have to worry about traffic or $ 20 parking either (it takes about 45 minutes to go from Redondo to Pico station)
From the Redondo/​Marine Station you can catch the Beach Cities Transit:
Northern Route #102 operates between 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., on 20 to 45 minute headways, serving the Redondo Beach Pier, Civic Center, Redondo Union High School, Beach Cities Health District, South Bay Galleria, aerospace companies in North Redondo and the Marine Avenue Greenline station.
Pacific Coaster Route 109 operates between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m., on 20 – 40 minute headways serving the Redondo Beach Riviera Village, Pier Avenue in Hermosa Beach, Downtown Manhattan Beach, Downtown El Segundo, the Metro Aviation Green line Station and the LAX City Bus Center.
Some of the info on the website is has not been updated. For current info see