Traveling from LAX to Disneyland on a budget is easier than you think! This guide breaks down the most affordable and comfortable route using the public transportation to get to Anaheim. With step-by-step instructions, fare details, and travel tips, you’ll be on your way to the happiest place on Earth without spending a fortune. The extra money saved in transportation can be put towards making your Disneyland adventure even more magical!
Full disclosure: On this travel guide I will reference separate websites I used for my trip through different travel agencies. I have not been paid or sponsored to post this content. The content below is purely based off my experience during my time there and using the services.
The Problem
Imagine you’re a foreigner/tourist and this is your first time to California. You just landed at LAX because it was cheaper than landing in SNA John Wayne Airport (smaller airport closer to Disneyland). You know that you’re going to have to take a Uber/Lyft to get to your vacation destination which is Disneyland. Problem is the cheapest flight was from your hometown to LAX. You open up the Uber/Lyft app to check taxi rates and you realize it will cost you around $90-150 USD (without tip included).
That was exactly my situation. My hometown is near Disneyland and my flight landed at LAX around peak hours around 4-5pm. Normally if Uber/Lyft is around $40-50 USD I’d just bite the bullet and take the hit. But this time it was astronomically expensive. That got me thinking, as a solo traveler how would someone get from LAX to Disneyland comfortably and cheaply? Public transportation isn’t really a big thing in California since everyone prefers to drive and sit in traffic. If you are a solo traveler this method works great when traveling alone. If you’re with a group of people it might actually be worth it to split Uber/Lyft Taxi costs since the more people in the car decreases the cost. For me, since I solo travel around frequently this method works great for me. My hope is that I can help my fellow travelers who may happen to stumble upon this blog when planning their trip to Los Angeles anytime soon!
Step 1: LAX FlyAway Bus to Union Station
I honestly never looked into public transportation so I never heard of the LAX FlyAway Bus. The bus has been running for many years and is considered one of the best kept secrets for getting to the airport cheaply and comfortably. The first step in getting to the Disneyland area is looking for the LAX FlyAway Bus at the Arriving Terminals at LAX.
📍LAX FlyAway Bus (LAX to Union Station)
Price: $9.75
Payment Methods: NO CASH, Credit Card (tap to pay), FlyAway Bus Ticket App
Estimated Duration: 50 minutes (depending on traffic)
A normal trip from LAX to LA Union Station will take 50 minutes to an hour depending on traffic conditions. The trip will cost you around $9.75 USD at the time I’m writing this blog. You will find pillars and signs outside the drop off area like this:
LAX FlyAway Bus Passenger Pickup Terminals
There are two buses that run simultaneously. You want to take the bus that goes to LA Union Station. You DO NOT want to take the one that goes to Van Nuys because that will be the opposite direction of where you want to go. Even if you miss the bus they’ll keep running in intervals of 30 minutes each almost 24 hours in a day. The buses make their rounds picking up passengers at:
- LAX Passenger Pickup Terminals
- LAX Terminal 1 Lower Level
- LAX Terminal 2 Lower Level
- LAX Terminal 3 Lower Level
- LAX Terminal B Lower Level
- LAX Terminal 4 Lower Level
- LAX Terminal 5 Lower Level
- LAX Terminal 6 Lower Level
- LAX Terminal 7 Lower Level
There will also be sign placards placed. You can also check the LAX FlyAway Bus Live Shuttle Tracker to see when the bus will arrive at your terminal
You can check the big sign in front of the bus to ensure you are going to Union Station. The bus is your typical tour bus and the operator will come out and help load the luggage below the bus.
Paying for the Bus
There are several ways you can pay for the bus ride (one way):
- Credit Card (Tap to Pay)
- QR Code Ticket from the FlyAway Bus App
They DO NOT take Cash and the price at the time of this post is $9.75 USD / one way
At the time I didn’t know if the bus was going to be full so I decided not to buy my bus ticket on the FlyAway Bus app. I instead opted for the Credit Card (Tap to Pay) and it worked perfectly. The operator will instruct you to tap your credit card near the NFC terminal to pay for your fare. When you see the VALID with a green checkmark you are good to board!
I was quite surprised that the bus wasn’t even filled to capacity even though I arrived a couple days before the holiday rush. The bus was spacious and there’s even compartments overhead for small carry on luggage if you didn’t want to put it underneath the bus
The bus will go around the entire LAX horseshoe picking up passengers, but once everyone is picked up the ride will be pretty fast.
If there’s one thing that shocked me the most it was the fact that the bus actually takes the 101 freeway FastPass lanes to get to LA Union Station. Normally during peak traffic hours the toll road is super expensive so usually the toll road express is not crowded up until the downtown exits. It honestly cut down the commute time a lot especially since this was during peak LA rush hour.
Step 2: LA Union Station to Anaheim ARTIC (Metrolink)
After approximately 50 minutes on the bus (longer depending on traffic), you’ll arrive at Los Angeles Union Station. One of the major transportation hubs in the city. Once you get off the bus the bus operator will start unloading everyone’s luggage. Grab your luggage and head inside towards LA Union Station. From there you will take the Metrolink train from LA Union Station to Anaheim Station (ARTIC). The ride will be approximately 35 minutes with intervals running up until 8pm.
📍MetroLink Train (LA Union Station to Anaheim)
Price: $8.75
Payment Methods: Cash, Credit Card, MetroLink Bus App
Duration: 35 minutes
You can either buy the ticket from a person at the ticket booth or a physical vending machine that says Metrolink. It was pretty easy to buy the ticket. You just have to select one way trip > choose starting destination > choose ending destination. Once you get the printed ticket you can head off to the train and bus platforms
MetroLink Train Platform (OC Line)
I actually ended up getting lost so I asked someone where the train line is at. He told me to take the OC Line towards Orange County. Take the MetroLink OC Line towards Oceanside.
I chose the MetroLink train instead of the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner train that also goes to Anaheim as well. Amtrak was more expensive and there wasn’t any luggage storage areas. I knew that at least with MetroLink you’d be able to keep your luggage with you. I was so surprised to see each train had areas for suitcases / luggage areas. The train was also not that full so this made the train ride so enjoyable.
After a couple stops I was finally at the Anaheim ARTIC station. Super close to Disneyland now!
From here you can either call a Uber / Lyft if you wanted to your destination near Disneyland or take the Bus. Since this is geared for solo travelers I’ll be showing you the bus route to take if you choose to not take rideshare to get to your last stretch destination.
Step 3: Anaheim ARTIC Station Bus to Disneyland Resort
You’ll then exit the ARTIC Station and look for signs that show Bus 50 which is the bus route that takes you to the front of Disneyland. For easy payment you should use the OC Bus App downloaded from the app store to pay for the bus.
📍Anaheim ARTIC Station Bus to Disneyland Resort
Price: $2
Payment Methods: Cash (no change given), OC Bus App
Estimated Duration: 26 minutes (depending on traffic)
With that being said, your total cost of the trip from LAX is under $21. Whether you take rideshare or bus to get to your final destination will be up to you. Your total time will be around 1 hr 35 minutes to get to the Anaheim ARTIC and add another 20-30 minutes for the bus if you’re planning to ride the bus! So the grand total of getting to Disneyland is around 2 hours travel time at $21.
