“President Ronald Reagan once said that the nine scariest words in the English language were ‘We’re from the government, and we’re here to help,’” Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn remarked to the standing-room only crowd of VIPs, press, and Metro workers gathered at the official opening ceremony of the new LAX Metro Transit Center, adding, “but in Los Angeles, the scariest words have always been: ‘Will you drive me to LAX?’”
Hahn’s remarks were meant to celebrate the fact that as of June 6, the Transit Center will make it possible to travel to and from Los Angeles International Airport via either the C & K rail lines, numerous city buses, and a shuttle bus. Up until now, there was no direct way to access the airport via public transit, requiring drivers to circle in traffic-choked lanes. Although public officials have been hoping since the 1970s to have a public transit option, airport officials, taxi drivers and their app-equivalents, and even the FAA actively discouraged the addition of such access.
In 2026, a people mover will replace the shuttle bus and provide the final leg of the journey to the terminal from the new station. As Hahn and a number of other local luminaries spoke, the people mover—in test mode only—quietly docked at its overhead platform, and then scooted back to the world’s eleventh largest airport.
Actor and transit advocate Ed Begley Jr. (who famously takes public transit everywhere, even to the Oscars), former L.A. Mayors Antonio Villaraigosa and Eric Garcetti, and current Mayor Karen Bass were all in attendance, with the latter stepping up to address the crowd and salute the hard work of the Metro board and its associated employees, who were not invited to enjoy the free food offered to the official guests at the conclusion of the ceremony.
Bass also mentioned the upcoming L.A.-based 2026 World Cup and 2028 Olympics, both of which have been a significant motivating factor in making it possible to access the airport, and the city beyond, without a car. Before Hahn and Bass spoke, the ceremony began with a lively performance by the Las Catrinas and Cielito Lindo mariachi bands, followed by a land acknowledgement that the station occupies Tongva and Chumash territory (among several other tribes).
The ceremony was as much a celebration of the diverse culture and stakeholders of Los Angeles as it was about car-free access to the airport. At the plaza level, a wide-ranging array of food trucks, from Gourmet Wagyu Smashburgers to Compton Vegan, were parked in the bus bays. Also present in tent form was local favorite Pink’s Hot Dogs, serving up a choice of beef, turkey, or vegan delights.
The expansive station not only includes a 16-bay bus center and seamless connections with the C & K lines, but also a bike docking center with showers and public bathrooms. The spacious design of the station, coupled with the prominent display of public artworks, imbues Los Angeles with a long-awaited world-class gateway, or at least one that is on par with Denver, Seattle, and London. The opening of the station will now also make it possible for riders of the K line to travel without transferring from the Crenshaw district to Redondo Beach. The public will be able to access the new station beginning at 5 p.m. on June 6.
