We took the Metro A line today from Long Beach Downtown to Azusa and it was a disgusting experience, not safe. Someone urinated on one of the seats, homeless smelly people everywhere and there was no security. MTA Security hop on and off the rail, but do not enforce anything. Not taking Metro any line anymore. read more

Train smells the whole time. Lots of homeless people. Dirty seats and floors. Train stops too frequently; we need trains to start getting the priority for the traffic lights to be honest. And annoying people selling pepper spray and tasers. What's scary is that they demonstrate the taser while trying to sell it, and it makes popping sounds, which is frightening at times read more

This train line is filthy and disgusting. There was urine on the floor of the first train we boarded and the second train smelled awful. The atmosphere is scary and it feels dangerous. read more

It is February 2022. I just used the Blue line, err, A line for the first time in a month. I got onboard at Willow Station at about 6AM on a Saturday. Every train car was filled with smelly sleeping homeless. Yes, those are harsh words. I don't care anymore. You could not escape the stench. Fortunately the "Federally" mandated masks help a little bit more with the stench than they do with the super bug. We get to Vernon Station and the train stops. No word from the driver or else the garbage speaker system was out. He could have stuck his head into each car and let everyone knw that service was down between Vernon and San Pedro stations. There were no Metro reps there nor security nor cops. There were no Metro reps on the street where you were supposed to wait for the shuttle bus. Just a big TYPICAL for Metro Cluster-EFF. My conclusions remain the same. It's NOT incompetence, it's criminal negligence. The folks whom run Metro just do NOT care. They could care less. read more

i feel sooo safe today. 4 security officers were on for 10+ stops. ALL of them simply stared down at their phones the ENTIRE TIME!!! great job you hacks. 6/14/21@ 4:45p read more

MTA - Metro A Line - "security" hardly working. on his phone the entire time! - Public Transportation Near Me

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I took the Metro Green Line via Redondo Beach and the South Bay beach cities and connected to the BLUE LINE. The Blue Line is where the urban concrete jungle begins, so it is a bit more sketchy based on the socio-economic make up of the neighborhoods this line passes through... yes, it's in part a stereotype, but in truth, stereotypes are based somewhat on trends or reality, not necessarily rules of course nor absolutes... so practice educated odds-making, and just be respectful and cautious. I've never seen any incidents, nor have I seen any security nor police paroling either. I think they need more obvious (not undercover) security to keep everyone in check. Some of the people on the Blue Line at times looks guilty of something, so try not to stare and just mind your own business. Don't take out your fancy expensive stuff like your cell phone or anything that can get snatched or taken away. It's like being around wild animals, if you show fear, they can sense it. Same here, if you look like a victim, you'll become one. I'd probably say travel with someone and don't use it early morning or late at night, so in other words only during daylight hours where it seems safe. I did encounter overhearing one funny conversation where 2 urban guys got on board and were talking to each other, one criticizing the other in friendly jest over his poor eating habits, then somewhere in the conversation it was said... "Crepes! That's French for Pancakes, N'ga!" (he had the birthright to say that last word as he was Black) During that same ride, a homeless woman smelling like a rancid walking bathroom stall was walking around panhandling for money, then settled down and sat next to a lady, who then the lady got up angry moved back and said (talking to herself) "Damn, they shouldn't allow this here, she's got mental problems. I have mental problems too, but I don't do that." Sometimes you can smell the weed in the clothes of the patrons, but it's a better fragrance than either B.O. or urine, so I'd take sweet MJ every and any day over any other odor. So, in fact the "BLUE LINE" should actually be re-named "THE GREEN LINE" for the marijuana aroma that permeates the route. :) It's still a reliable mode of transportation, maybe not during certain parts of the day, but when passing through, it's convenient and affordable. You save on gas and parking too. The MTA system and the fees for riding and transferring is still very cryptic, and I'd wish it took a page from the Nor Cal / SF Bay Area's BART system where you can see the price from where you are to where you want to be, quite easily without confusion. This is a good way to get to Staples Center / LA Live and The Los Angeles Convention Center (get off at the PICO EXIT). You can also go downtown and Chinatown as well, but transfer from the Blue Line to the RED LINE if you're headed to Union Station, the end of the line. read more

MTA - Metro A Line - MTA Metro map - Public Transportation Near Me

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I got into a tiff over a casual remark between Expo vs Blue, so it's about time that I wrote up some proper thoughts on it. I've ridden all the lines except Gold. And Blue is the one you should avoid at all costs. Reliability: There's always delays due to various problems. Most of the time it's in the DTLA area. They even offer a "late to class/work" note for students or hourly workers. That's how chronic the issue is! Regular riders should be following @metrolaalerts and @metrolosangeles. Speed: It's very slow. Thru DTLA it has to snake through congested roads and various lights. And even once out of DTLA - it doesn't improve much. If it wasn't for the extended connection waiting time for Green and Silver (bus) lines, transferring over to those would be a better & faster option. Comfort & Safety: During the past winter's cold & flu season, I never got ill riding metro until I rode the Blue. Yep sitting in my seat, listening to people in front and behind me hacking nonstop for 1 hour without covering their mouths. Sure enough, I got very sick a few days later. Bring a travel mask for your commute. I rode it another time - and had to endure some vile profanity laced rap noise. And I'm a Too $hort, NWA, and 2 Live Crew fan. Bring your own headphones but... Make sure they're cheap disposable ones! A lot of reviews here mention getting your mobile gear stolen riding this line. UPDATE: just read from news someone's stuff was stolen out of his bag while he was sleeping on the train. Lame. Drunk on cheap beer passengers. Beggars and vendors harassing you. So damn surreal. And watching that video of a girl kick another rude drunk rider senseless... pure class! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2vhLbeAUAM Final ITYS: Blue 2.5 vs Expo 3.5 stars - trust the negative reviews here. read more

MTA - Metro A Line - Seems like everyday there are issues - Public Transportation Near Me

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-non-existent fare enforcement. If you can walk onto a train car while it's stopped, you can ride this train. -frequent violence. This line is infamous for being stopped for assaults, stabbings, shootings, people laying down on the tracks, you name it. Of all the possible ways to bleed, half of them have been demonstrated on the blue line. -it stops at red lights. Sometimes it bypasses traffic signals, but many times it's stopped at a red light, just like a car. Add in all the stops, and voila, a trip from the Willow street stop in Long Beach to Union Station in downtown LA has just cost you 2.5 hours. -thanks to the rampant fare evasion, and the fact that the line passes through the worst areas in greater Los Angeles, the line is a mobile prison/looney bin. This train is not, by anyone's definition, safe. It is dirty and stinky for the same reason. Expect noise, expect bag ladies, expect grime. Do not expect to be able to ride this line without having to jump on a detour bus at the Willowbrook station due to "police activity". read more

Yes, four stars. The amount of bitching from prejudice individuals on here is comical. Surprised this site hasnt vetted these reviews better for "hate speech" smh. Tips: 1. Quit being a square 1.5 Get out of your bubble. 2. Take your head out of your ass. 3. Always be aware of your surroundings. 4. Dont forget to tap ;) Yes. I use this and other Metro services more than most of the people on here. You get from point A to point B with some entertainment ....and light refreshments are often offered for purchase. I would suggest following their alerts account on twitter but also leave an hour earlier than you normally would. I'll never call this the "A" line...gross. read more

Now I know why nobody wants to take the Metro Rail in Los Angeles. I took this particular line today (Metro A-BLUE) to go to Long Beach, and I did not feel SAFE at all! It felt unsafe because of this people/passengers who are high from smoking weed with some of them smoking weed and drinking alcohol inside the train cars. If L.A. wants to seriously increase ridership there needs to be more security/police presence. Please don't tell me because it's a Sunday it's expected. That's when we need more presence. That's when families travel and use it. I felt sorry for the family with kids riding along with me. I love taking public transportation but I will NEVER take this line again until changes are done. read more

I've been commuting on the Blue Line from Long Beach to Downtown LA - the entire length of the route - for several months, so I thought I'd share my experiences in the hope it might help others. Now, please take into consideration that this is coming from a 30 year old middle class white guy who doesn't have a lot of experience in the "rough" neighborhoods. When taking the Blue Line, and probably any public transportation in LA for that matter, one of the first things that you will notice is that nearly every person on the train is primarily hispanic, or to a lesser degree, black. Spanish is the primary language on the train. Sometimes I will be the only white person for as far as I can see. Now, is that a problem? Not really, but it's something to think about if you aren't familiar with that kind of situation. Taking the train during the morning commute hours is fine for the most part, usually just working class hispanics going to work. However, taking the train back is typically more eventful. I commonly see gangsters, homeless people, people blasting rap music, etc. Usually the sketchy people don't really bother me all that often, but I've gotten into a few skirmishes during my time - arguments with people, people yelling at me/wanting to fight for no reason etc. The most frightening experience was when I witnessed an argument between two people on the train, and then a third guy WHIPPED OUT A HANDGUN, offering it to one of the guys having the argument, suggesting that he "smoke the guy's ass". After seeing that, I promptly got off the train at the next stop! The two stops that I use, Metro/7th St Station and Long Beach Transit Mall both seem safe for the most part, but that can't really be said for many of the stops along the line. I once had to get off at the Anaheim Street station and felt like I was going to be attacked by a bum. Overall, the metro can be safe if you stay alert of your surroundings and use common sense. I would definitely feel safer driving and not having to deal with some of the scum you will see, but that isn't an option at the moment, so I will try to stay safe on the Blue Line. Good luck and stay safe! read more

MTA - Metro A Line - Guy rolling a joint completely out in the open. - Public Transportation Near Me

This train line is five stars to some of us. Five stars to me. Heard any good gossip lately? If it was about me, it might be true! Forgive the following rant of heartbreak and self discovery. Cliff notes for this long review: The blue line connects me and a friend with each other from a distance of over 40 miles for only $6 round-trip. = Five stars. I almost wrote off a friend forever whom I'd known for over a decade over a misunderstanding. She broke my heart. She lied about me. She claimed I made up my entire life story. How could she?!! After she was my bride's maid! After I held her hair back while she prayed to the porcelain God when we were teenagers. How could she say all of these terrible things about me? Could it have been a misunderstanding? Give your friends a chance to explain themselves you say? If someone accused her of something she did it right? Her version of the same story sounds very different. Listening to hers has taught me a lesson in how two stories can be so different. Stories change between each storyteller. Repeating stories? Gossip. In between drunken bouts of tossing her cookies, this friend of mine tried to tell my life story and failed. How old was I? She didn't know. Close to her age? Was I really an orphan? No? Where did I work? She wasn't sure. Even though she knew me for years, she said she didn't really know a thing about me. (She was right.) Did she call me a liar? Yep. She said I lied to get us into dance clubs. (Yes we are on the list!) She said I lied on my resume about my age and hid my former marriage from industry executives when I was trying to score a record deal. (who doesn't lie to their potential employers?) Everything she said was true. Especially the fact that she didn't know anything about me and we were just 'party pals'. Which is 100% my fault. So is the fact that we only see each other once every few years and never REALLY talk. Due to the distance between us, she's never been to my newest home. She never met the last fiance in my string of them, nor did she get the call the last few times we broke up and made up again. I guess I'm too embarrassed to tell her all the crap that's wrong with me. I wish I were raised in a nice house with a mom n pop that loved me so I never told her much about growing up in foster care. I wish I could make a marriage or an engagement work so I don't talk about my colossal failures in romance with her. Instead I smile and when she asks how I've been? I say, "Great!" It's not only the distance keeping us so distant. I've hidden my embarrassments since childhood. I used to bring an empty paper bag to school at lunchtime and then lie through my teeth and say I wasn't hungry. Even though I could have gotten a free lunch!! All it would have required is getting a big "FREE" stamp on my hand every morning. But I was too ashamed to admit that I was poor enough to qualify. Why is it so easy to admit these flaws to you? How can I write my entire life story down in these reviews and never tell my friends a thing? Why do I only hang out with some friends every few years? Sometimes because ga$/the environment. What is wrong with me?! Bridges were made for mending. The blue line is the cure. The blue line to Long Beach unites me and the girl I'm about to start seeing a whole lot more of. No more of this only seeing each other once every few years nonsense thanks to the blue line. Thanks to this train we'll be able to start telling each others' stories with vivid detail. I live near the end of the line of the gold line train to Pasadena. She lives near the end of the blue line train to Long Beach. We live over 40 miles apart. This train is the miracle cure. A blessed gateway. All the way from Pasadena to Long Beach and back for only $6. While getting my work done via headphones on the train! The moral of the story? To leave my life story out of my reviews and tell my other friends more instead? To be more honest all the way around with the world? (even doormen?) To stop gossiping? Bingo. If you've ever heard me say ANYTHING bad about ANYBODY else? It might be true. But it is probably not. If I've ever said anything bad about you? Damn am I ever sorry. Because gossip ain't cool and I never knew how much it hurts till now. I did it my whole life without an ounce of regret. Till now. Till it finally happened to me and almost destroyed a friendship. I've ridden blue line a couple times now from beginning to end. Colorful street art from the windows, great places to eat along the way. I love it. And I love the girl on the other end of this line. Next step is to get her to sign up for a Yelp account!!! Lotta negative reviews about this metro line? They might be true. There are two sides to every story. To me, this train rocks. It connects me all the way to Long Beach, happy hours, a bunch of future 5 star reviews, the beach and a great friend.:-) read more

How to make a homemade map of the Metro Blue Line Supplies Needed: Blue Marker A sheet of paper (not ruled) Directions: 1. Take your blue marker, and draw a straight line like this across the paper: __________________________________________________ __ 2. Next make thirteen slash marks along the line. Space them out so that slash Mark #1 and #13 are flush with the horizontal lines end points. If you are the meticulous type, you may want to make a foot note that says "Map not drawn to scale." 3. Now, from left to right, label the slash marks according to the train stations along the Blue Line. In order they are as follows: 7th/ Metro Center, Pico, Grand ,San Pedro, Washington, Vernon, Slauson, Florence, Firestone, 103rd Street, Imperial/Wilmington Rosa Parks, Compton, Artesia, Del Amo, Wardlow, Willow, Pacific Coast Highway, Anaheim, 5th street, 1st street, Long Beach Transit Mall, Pacific. 4. Now let's add some insight about each station. (You can jot these down in the space below the map) *7th /Metro Center* This is your starting point. Red Line, and Purple Line riders can connect to Blue from here. also you Can Connect to the Expo Line & Go to USC/California science center, the rose garden, & the coliseum *Pico* Points of Interests include Staples Center, L.A. Live, & The Grammys Museum . Also , If you were going to Lakers, Clippers, or Kings game at Staples Center. This is your stop to get off at. Very convenient because its located right across the street on Figueroa. One Block West. So its worth saving gas money & Riding Metro *Grand* This stop is mainly used by people who go to L.A. Trade Tech College. Or People get off here to go to the Traffic Courthouse or just another station to get from point a to point b. So No Need to Stop here. *San Pedro* If you want to try some good Mexican food from this restaurant called King Taco. This is your stop to get off at. Other than that, If You don't live around here. Keep going. *Washington* Don't get off here because this station is located in the midst of nowhere. This station is located in a predominately Industrial area. *Vernon* The alameda swapmeet is located across the street from this station on the Eastside of Long Beach avenue, there's lots of food vendors & cheap deals. so bring cash. So if you want to go there. this is where you get off at. Be Cautious, because this neighborhood is sketchy. If your not too intimidated by the looks of the neighborhood. You should be fine. If you dont live here. Keep going. This station is the closest to the Pueblo Del Rio Projects. *Slauson* If you don't live in this area. Keep going *Florence* . Theres a restaurant called Tams Burgers. Its located on Florence & alameda just a few blocks east of the station. I recommend you try it if your in the area. Then again. Keep it moving if you dont live here. *Firestone* Keep going, if You dont live here *103rd Street* This is the station to get off at. If you want to go see the Watts Towers which can be seen from the Blue Line. Otherwise, don't get off here. *Imperial/Wilmington* Blue Line Riders can connect with the Metro Green Line at this stop to go to LAX, Redondo Beach, Norwalk, & El Segundo *Compton* If you dont live here. Keep going *Artesia* not much to be seen at this station. Mainly Industrial Businesses here. *Keep it movin*. *Del Amo* This stop is mostly used by Locals & people who work in the area. If You Want some Cheap clothing, accessories, & more. The Del amo Swapmeet is across the street from this station *Wardlow this stop is mainly used by Locals. Not much to see at this station. But its in a nice area *Willow* If you happen to be hungry & want something to eat. you can get off here cuse theres a shopping center with alot of food places across the street from the station. If not, Keep going. also this is one of the best & cleanest station along the blue line route *Pacific Coast Highway Keep going if you dont live here *Anaheim* another stop to get from point a to point b. *5th Street* If you wanted to do some shopping while being in LB. This is the stop for you. The city plaza Long Beach is across the street. & it has a WalMart, Ross, Home town buffet, Dennys & a few other shops & restaurants. *1st street* nothing really to see at this station. Pretty Much the End of the Blue Line at this Point. *Long Beach Transit Mall* Last stop of the Blue Line. Points of Interest: Queen Mary, The Pike at Rainbow Harbor. also, you can get off here & Go to the Aquarium of the Pacific. You can also go to shoreline park. Its a very beautiful park that's right next to the ocean. Okay, your map is complete. Now get on the train and go! For more information http://www.metro.net/ read more

I can not comment as one who takes the Blue Line on the daily but if I have some business in DTLA, I will take the opportunity to reduce my carbon footprint and save on some gas and parking fees. I haven't taken the train in some months but my latest trip makes me want to write about it. This was the most activity I've seen on the train. I got on and I thought this girl was either talking to some homie on the train or on the phone. Nope, she was just talking really loud and it was some nonsense. At one point, she mentioned her brother shot her with a bb gun so she lost her hearing in one ear. She brought that up when she asked some guy if she was talking too loud. I moved away to the next car as sly as I could. She did call out another person for getting up and moving away in which she said "Yeah, you might want to move." From the next car, her obnoxious talking was still heard and some guy who just got on the train was yelling back at her. He was pretty angry that this girl was talking all loud next to his daughter. Then there were kids selling candy for $1. For the duration I was on the train, there were like four different unrelated sellers and then somebody selling incense. I was surprised nobody was selling bootleg dvd's this time. Be prepared to be sitting close to somebody homeless or who looks like it. Not the greatest sights to be seen on the ride although the graffiti is rather impressive in some areas. One thing that's been inconvenient was the change from paper tickets to Tap cards. Just one more plastic card to carry around. Hopefully in the future we can start scanning a barcode on our smartphones that's linked to our account. All this doesn't stop me from using the Blue Line nor should it discourage you. I just deal with it the same way I deal with going to Walmart. Not that anything has ever happened to me but just be aware of your surroundings at all times. read more

Good: It gets me from point A to point B without having to deal with crazy LA traffic. Bad: Rude, inconsiderate riders with no manners (not all, but too many). Been taking it for 10 years. Generally safe during rush hours, but it's definitely gotten worse the last few years: -There's always trash and sticky stuff of the floor because people eat and drink in there -I've seen people smoke cigarettes and pot freely, in the train and on platforms -People play their music on speakers for everyone to hear (I don't care for music that says "F#&%" every other word, so keep it to yourself!). -Some put their feet on seats taking up more space than they should and never putting them down even when it's packed. -There's graffiti all over and smells like pee or something rancid in and around stations -Homeless people loitering -The "crazies" come out at night and non-rush hours. I feel unsafe sometimes and forced to move to other cars. -There's hardly any sheriff presence to ensure our safety -When there are delays, sometimes they never tell patrons what to do and just leave them wandering around trying to figure out where to go... Do we need to take a bus? Where? Do we wait? How long? Is there another train coming? Are we doomed? -People clip their nails and use nail polish (you know we can all smell that, right?). YUCK! -Oh the "man-spreaders"! Why oh why?!! Are you about to have a baby?! MTA train is actually okay and usually on schedule. Once in a while you get delays. The problem is the rude riders. They have rules for everyone to hopefully abide by, but no one ever enforces them. Fine them $250 like the signs say and they'll stop! Riders, please be courteous to others: http://www.metro.net/riding/etiquette/ read more

The blue line. What can you say about this line. It is the oldest one and the one I would say most people take. You do get to see a cross section of Los Angeles/Long Beach people, the good and the bad. There are times that it isn't the best of trains and should be patrolled more by the sheriff's department. Most of the time I see them they are talking to themselves at stations instead of patrolling the trains. They really need them to stay on board the trains for their whole shifts to make a difference on this train line. read more

MTA - Metro A Line - Take the train at the right time and it is a nice quiet ride - Public Transportation Near Me

The worst line! Service is limited in hours, frequencies are looooonnngggg and they have a weird services that takes you out of train on Wardlow or Del Amo station and make you wait for the next train up to 30 minutes! God! These people is not reliable and should not operate. Specially if this is a service to take you to work! It happens all the time! Idk how LA could have such unefficient transportation service. read more

MTA - Metro A Line - Public Transportation Near Me

So having taken the NYC trains and also experiencing BART up north, I can't really hate on the Metro here. It gets the job done. Point A to Point B. Sure, I don't always feel safe, there's often someone yelling at the empty space next to him in the back corner; shady characters decked out with shades, hat, and danger written all over; crazy-eyed cat ladies trying to sell sheets of half-finished crossword puzzles to you, true story. Awesome. But I just put on my phones, pull out something to read, and I'm good to go. Great way to get from LA to LB without sitting around, fuming in traffic. Takes about an hour for me from Ktown, $5 for an all day pass. Since it's above ground, you can also easily distract yourself on the net. Would try to avoid this line during non rush hour, especially late night. The Red and Purple lines definitely feel safer, since there's usually a normaler crowd of young professionals and hipsters. More bustling. read more

I used to love riding the blue line--it's pretty convenient getting me around the LBC, downtown LA, my family in Compton, etc. However, I had an incident happen to me on 1.7.18 that left me traumatized. I was robbed & assaulted at gunpoint while riding this train on my commute home and 12 people watched. I understand the bystander effect and Yes, the perpetrator was caught on video fleeing the scene but the sheriffs didn't take any further action :( I understand this occurrence isn't common but asking me "you're 24, how come you weren't driving?" victim blaming me, really? I carry protection at all times as a woman, but this is unacceptable. I love the price but I'll just get an Uber read more

Just when I thought this fucking thing couldnt get any worse, as I type this, Im sitting at Slauson Station. It took the train a fucking HOUR to get here from 7th st Station. We have sat at every fucking stop, for a minimum of 10 minutes, not moving at all. And for the record, just FUCK THE EXPO LINE. I am so sick of seeing clean, half empty Expo trains roll by every few minutes while people are packed into filthy, broken blue line trains and crammed onto blue line platforms. The endless mechanical delays have made it impossible to get anywhere in a timely manner. Im done with this useless piece of shit. read more

MTA - Metro A Line - Blue line fashion, tres chic! - Public Transportation Near Me

I've ridden all the metro lines except the Blue Line until today. After taking the Metro Art Tour, we decided to hop on the Blue Line and have lunch in LB. We knew we'd see some interesting things. I just didn't expect to have all my senses challenged in one trip. As Elizabeth C. so succinctly put it, "if you can't handle the Blue Line, you probably don't belong in Los Angeles." In other words, you will learn to appreciate LA's diversity all in one metro ride. I will admit that safety was a concern as there were several indigents still high riding the blue line. Unlike the other metro lines, eating and drinking seem to be okay as several vendors would walk from car to car selling candies and even bootleg DVD's. The cars were littered with wrappers. There's also your occasional person ranting and raving about something hoping someone would listen as well as the lady with a case of tourette syndrome just cussing up a storm. All in all, it was an adventure. 'nuff said. read more

On February 27, 2020, I took my last trip on the Metro A (Blue) line or any other Metro product. In summary, I slipped and fell in a puddle of urine, dislocating a finger, striking my head on the ground, and miscellaneous other injuries to my body, and my wallet. I called Metro Community Service and they offered to send me a claim for damages form to my residence. Sadly, they never asked or sent anyone to check up on me or clean the mess after 30 additional minutes of riding on the train. I went to the emergency room for my injuries and out of concern for what diseases I may have contracted. I didn't expect the trains to be spotless but clearly a pool of urine should have been noticed by someone in the agency. In light of the current pandemic, I would strongly discourage anyone from using them. In general, they are filthy and often unreliable. Metro may have changed the name of the line from 'Blue' to 'A' but nothing else... disgusting. read more

I actually like this metro line. Sure, it's got its quirks and can be a little strange at times, but take a step back and you'll realize it's actually a great transportation method! I'll start with the basics: There's minimal graffiti (i.e. no graffiti). The trains look and feel relatively new (some even have monitors and regular intercom announcements!). They carry the commuting workers dressed in their business attire into DTLA, providing an atmosphere of general professionalism. They run regularly, and don't break down all that often, and when there's an issue it's usually handled in good time. It's monitored frequently by police and security, who often verify payment of fare, monitor the stations as people go in/out, and handle unruly behavior. Yes, there are occasional smelly, unkept, or homeless people that ride. Yes, there's unwanted music being played from someone's phone. Yes, it can get crowded at peak hours. But, with a total average travel time of just 55 minutes from Downtown Long Beach to Pico in DTLA for just $1.75, it saves me from having to drive in stressful LA traffic where I may have an accident, spend much more on gas, and gives me the opportunity to read 2 hours a day, listen to music, or simply be carried to my destination. All in all, I really like the blue line. Like I said, despite its quirks! read more

Metro get your s**t together, hopefully before the Olympics! This morning I get to 7th/Metro to Platform 2 to get on the Blue line as it's always been. The train pulls up and says Expo Line, then leaves within 2 minutes. So I'm thinking maybe the Blue Line is on Platform 1 for today only. So I board the train on Platform 1 instead because it says Blue Line only the realize after we leave the station that it's also an Expo Line train. You can't change the Platforms on people when it's labeled another way, then change the trains destination after people board. Originally I even waited on Platform 2 to see if the digital sign would change to the Blue Line but it did not, maybe after people boarded. But there was a lot of confusion with rider and the Metro staff was just standing around doing nothing like always and no announcement over the intercom. So obviously I had to get off the Expo Line going to Santa Monica to board another Expo Line going back Downtown, get off Pico to board a Blue Line train going to Long Beach. Then just last night the Blue Line going to Downtown had to stop at Washington and turn back to Long Beach because of an accident at San Pedro about 7pm at night when it's sketchy in that area to begin with. Were there buses to transfer passengers to 7th/Metro? Of course NOT. So you had 50-60 people walking the streets trying to get home. This is unacceptable! How do you not have alternative transportation available for your customers who ride the train every day to work and every night to get home to their families. You left people on Washington Street at night. I hope nothing happened to the women and children trying to walk home. Shame on Metro! If I could give "0" rating I would. Just poor management. How are you going to handle the Olympics? Good luck! read more

Love the Blue line. I lived in LA for a number of years - hated the traffic - and so eventually located myself in Koreatown so as to live right at a great Metro intersection. I LOVE Metro. Its inexpensive; its reliable; I have (almost) always felt safe. Best of all - it will take you to all the coolest neighborhoods in LA (if one line doesn't go there, it intersects with another that does - or will soon). For now, if you can get on a train, you can get to Downtown LA, MacArthur Park, Koreatown, East Hollywood, Hollywood, Studio City, North Hollywood, Culver City, USC, Long Beach, South LA, Pasadena, Highland Park, Asuza, East LA, the South Bay, Norwalk, etc. And soon - Santa Monica, West LA, LAX, the Miracle Mile, Westwood, and Inglewood. LA has the best best walking/biking weather in the USA - take advantage of that by using Metro - plus, you get to skip GAS PRICES, PARKING FEES, and TRAFFIC. read more

I've been riding the Metro Blue Line (now re-branded the "A" line) for about ten years. I travel between the Willow and 7th St/Metro stations. In those ten years I've seen the level of service and operations steadily decline. So, I was excited when I heard about the improvements that were being made. It was a major inconvience and cost to tax payers but I had high hopes. I should have known better. I have been back riding it since it was back in operation and I'm very disappointed. During the firs two weeks there were 8 delays and power outages just during my commute. I've listed just some of the major issues with the line. The cars are dirtier than they have ever been. There are times when we have to stand due to trash and debris on and around the seats. Many times the trains are shortened by one whole car which only crowds the trains. There is a serious homeless issue on the train and the police do very little. They take up two to four seats and of course never pay to ride/sleep on the cars. The police presence is a joke. They just stand in groups and ignore most violations.It's gotten to the point where I no longer feel safe. I feel the train operators do more then the actual police. This blue line needs a management overhaul. Without that all the money they spent on the upgrades is for the most part, useless. If you want people to take public transit make it cleaner, safer, faster and better. Do a better job for us LA officials. read more

MTA - Metro A Line - Public Transportation Near Me

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Now wait a minute people, let's just step back and take a moment. Most of these reviewers are recreational, one-time users from more affluent areas of LA. Sure, a lot of what they say is true. Sure, the Blue Line can be sketch and dirty. Sometimes it smells like urine or pot. Sometimes people play music without headphones, and I've seen the occasional threat of a scuffle. But what nobody seems to mention is how inefficient it is. I bet that's because I'm one of the few who takes the Blue Line to work in DTLA every day. Twice a day. I have a pretty good summary of the Blue Line, and here it is: 75 times out of 100, it will be awesome. Sure, it smells, but the whole city of San Francisco smells and nobody seems to care. Yeah, people can be annoying, but so can drivers, right? However, that other 25% of the time, it may take you 2 1/2 hours and absolute patience to get to work because of "wiring issues," "power issues," "medical emergencies," or "passenger interventions." If you're lucky to have the disposable income, you can take an Uber to get you the rest of the way. I've Ubered from San Pedro St, Washingtion, and recently from Compton, where my train was stuck for 30 minutes waiting for the single track to clear up. Why such an inefficient and sketch line that connects two wonderful, bustling metros with affluent residents? The Blue Line is the heaviest used rail line in SoCal. With so many riders, you would think the conditions would be better. But nope. LA Metro hates the Blue Line. They just don't care about its riders. Lord that I wish they would. read more

I give this one star for the fact it's even there, and another for how convenient it is! Cheap price and being able to connect Downtown Los Angeles to downtown Long Beach, total bargain! However, that's where it ends for me. First off, you'll almost never feel safe in many of the stations; In the DTLA area, and close LB it's generally okay but between those two areas you'll definitely have to stay alert and keep your belongings glued to you. This is especially true if you're White just like me or Asian (no offense to my fellow Hispanic and Black Angelenos). It's unfortunate but because of your skin color you're an automatic target for a lot of minorities, but not all are like this thankfully. Second, if being hygienic like me is one of your daily concerns then you'll be very disappointed with the trains and stations with constant smell of urine, marijuana, trash and food. Clearly it seems many people haven't been well educated to pick up after themselves or keep themselves clean, which leads to my third point and that there is lack of security and many people never do their faire share of paying by jumping the turnstiles, which as a result there are many bums taking up space and vendors who keep annoying people just trying to go on their day. Disappointing they don't add extra measures to prevent people from riding for free and not add more security, instead they rather focus on people doing donuts in unpopulated isolated areas (I'm not kidding you can look it up lol) Also, don't ever stare at strangers, you're just welcoming an argument from people that have nothing better to do. So yeah if you're wanting to get from A to B you'll get it for sure (with the usual frequent delays) but don't expect a journey free of trouble and harassment. read more

The Metro Blue Line should be marketted as a tour of all those famous places you've heard about in NWA songs. At the very least, it might increase ridership by appealing to the kind of middle class white people who have always hungrily consumed rap music and hip hop culture while remaining insulated from the realities that underpin them. A trip on the Blue Line neatly punctures that illusion and that makes us uncomfortable. I think that is why so many of these reviews are expressing fear and revulsion toward the atmosphere on the train... yet most of them are very light on details. Did someone actually threaten and attack you or is it merely a general sense of unease created by sharing a public space with people from low-income, high-crime environments who may not behave the way you think they should? This type of fear is largely predicated not on actual danger, but rather on the perception of danger cultivated by racial and other biases imbedded in society. Granted, I don't think I would be too thrilled to ride this line at night, but what I don't understand are the people complaining about riding the Blue Line during regular commuter and daylight hours. Allow me to address some of the more common complaints: People Who Sell Stuff on the Train: If this bothers you, you must really hate it when you are on a plane and the flight attendants come through with the duty free cart. I don't begrudge people trying to make money by hawking stuff (often very reasonably priced) on a commuter train. If you don't want anything, a polite no or shake of the head will suffice. Or you can just ignore them. They certainly aren't hurting anybody. Crazy People: If you have lived in Los Angeles and are not at least somewhat used to dealing with the homeless and deranged, then you've obviously never been to the following places: Hollywood, Downtown, Venice Beach, a library, or ridden ANY bus EVER. Homeless people smell; so what, get over it. And crazy people are usually - and I stress usually - perfectly harmless. They may indeed be loud and irritating and do bizarre things but it is quite rare that they actually get violent. People Talking Loudly on Their Cell Phones: This is annoying, but come one, it's a classic First World Problem! There are so many worse things in the world that one could choose to complain about. Moreover, if you're anything like me, you like overhearing gossip. You should be thanking these people for providing some free entertainment on an otherwise boring train ride. Public transportation: the great equalizer. People are just people. Mind your own business and you will be fine. read more

The Blue Line isn't as bad as others have said. I've recently converted to public transportation for my commute from LB to WeHo and find it to be bearable. Typical commute time for me is 1hr 45 min - 2hrs one way. Here are some tips for the paranoid riders: * If you see a suspicious person or group, DON'T stare. It's ok to glance over at what the commotion is or to double check your safety but DO NOT stare. I think that's where innocent people get in trouble. * Earbuds/Headphones are a must: You need it. Not only will you have entertainment, but from my experience, I'm not hassled when I have them on. I don't get asked for money and I don't get dirty or wrong looks. If you don't own an mp3 player, walkman, or phone that plays music, then just buy earbuds and leave them in as a decoy. I think this alone will help prevent 99% of confrontations. * Read if you can handle it. I get carsick if I read so I'm stuck with staring out the window. When you read, your eyes are off of trouble. Nothing will make the ride quicker than reading or listening to an audiobook. * Next train? Try Next car instead. If there's a person or group causing you to question your safety, get off at the next stop and switch cars. No need to wait for the next train. * Bags/Backpacks: If you have a bag, hold it very close to you. I haven't witnessed anyone's bag getting stolen but better safe than sorry. * Keep phone/iPads/Kindle activity to a minimum if you are paranoid. I haven't seen anyone's electronics get jacked but I wouldn't risk it. You'd be surprised by how many people have iphones and are texting, surfing, facebooking away. I have also seen people with ipads out in the open, sitting in the single seats next to the doors (easily jackable). * Mind your business. That's all. Just mind your business. * Blend in with the commuters. If you're wearing a collared shirt with jeans (jeans that fit) you won't be looked at. If you're wearing a long tee, saggy skinny (or baggy) jeans with the latest, flyest, colorful kicks, you might get checked. If you don't want to be bothered, dress like a commuter. If you want to be "urban" then expect to be questioned by intrigued strangers. Pros: * Gets me where I need to go 95% of the time. Out of 20 or so rides so far, I had one trip fail on me (power failure). I called my g/f to pick me up. * Undercover Cops. No one has mentioned it yet, but I have seen two plain clothes police officers arrest two people. It happened at Vernon station sometime in October. They DO NOT look like cops. It was a male and female and they looked like the normal commuter crowd I ride with. Put my mind at ease even more. * Commuter crowd = safety. You are less likely to witness any shenanigans if you ride with the crowd during the morning and evening rush. I'd say 90% of the people riding in the morning are riding to work or school, so you don't come across as many thugs, houligans, etc. The ride back is about 75% commuters and students. Still safe, remember, don't stare. * Overheards: You will hear a lot of funny/disturbing/disgusting/sad stuff during random conversations. Everyday is a sociology experiment and you'll soon realize that you take a lot of things for granted. * Vendors: Need candy, bootleg DVDs, water or bracelets? This is your train. Cons: * Smaller cars: I also take the Red Line, which is a double-wide mobile home compared to the Blue Line's Winnebago-like size. Seats are closer and they do get packed quickly. * Neighborhoods: Like others have mentioned, it goes through some hard neighborhoods (Compton, Watts, etc). I don't find this a big deal but if you're not used to it, this may shock you. * Consistency: It is not consistent. I use google transit, along with the Metro Trip Planner's website to calculate when I should leave, get on, etc. I've had the Blue Line arrive 3-7 min later. Not really a big deal considering all the variables thrown in. * Public music: People playing the latest hits with profanity from the speaker on their speakerphones. If you have earphones, this wouldn't bother you as much. Final note: I'll drive every now and then and the stress of being in traffic isn't worth it anymore. Sure I'll save 30 minutes on some days but traffic has really gotten worse. The travel times are becoming very similar as of late (car travel vs public transportation - Fall 2011). If you are thinking about riding this train, just know that in the same distance, you'll run into more rude and inconsiderate trouble makers on the road than you would on the Blue Line. Overall, it gets me to where I need to go consistently. For the price ($5 day pass) and no stress, I definitely recommend the Blue Line. read more

Do not knock it until you try it! The Metro Blue Line is the go to transportation service for the Los Angelenos and out of state and city tourists. I have rode the Blue Line many times and I can say that I have had quite the experiences here/ Some good and some well, not so good. Beginning in the heart of Downtown L.A., the Blue Line runs all the way until Long Beach. It makes frequent stops, some in the not so good areas of L.A. Fare for a one way trip is $1.75 and a day pass is $7. Wow. I remember growing up when a one way trip was 75 cents! My how times have changed! Police often go incognito status on the Metro, patrolling the scene. It does make stops right by Staples Center, L.A. Live, Downtown L.A. and a bunch of other stops. You will also find people selling certain stuff during the ride such as snacks, beverages, electronics, etc. I have seen just about everybody ride the metro. Beware during the afternoon and morning rush hours, as it does get quite congested with people and their bikes, strollers and such. It isn't exactly the cleanest, as some people are always coughing and sneezing openly, using their sailor's mouth excessively and often you will hear children crying or your occasional verbal spats breaking out between said parties. But overall, I have never had a negative experience riding the metro. It is the preferred method of transport for those looking to indulge in some imbibing whether you are in DTLA or DT Long Beach. It will save you so much from getting a DUI. Metro does run late night too, but be careful at the stops during the wee hours as often there might not be any security. One other thing- enjoy! read more

I took the Blue Line the entire way from LB Transit Mall to the 7th St. Metro station, at one point listening to 3 passengers in front of me have the following conversation: Passenger 1: "Man I do NOT want to do that again." Passenger 2: "Yeah, County is pretty bad." Passenger 3: "Do you get your clothes back when you make your court appearance or what?" Passenger 2: "Well they transfer you, so you gotta wear these white jumpsuits." Passenger 1: "Yeah, they got these white paper jumpsuits." See? You DO learn something new every day. They make paper jumpsuits? I kind of want one. Who do I gotta rob on the Blue Line to make that happen? Anyway, Ol' Blue is dirty, smelly, and crowded - kind of like a hooker's vagina. It'll do the job, but you won't necessarily enjoy yourself in the process. Ride at your own risk and bring protection. read more

I don't know if this metro line is more convenient or less convenient than just driving to Long Beach, but one thing I do know is that taking it means one less car is on the road. The characters that ride this particular line are tacky and wacky and pretty much have no manners (sweeping generalization, obviously), but I've never been bothered much so I can't really complain. As long as you have some music or reading material, the ride is fine enough... not ideal, but fine. It's above ground so you have access to Internet if you want it. read more