How To Get From LAX To Anaheim (Fastest & Cheapest!)
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Whether you’re in Anaheim to visit Disneyland or for a conference at the Anaheim Convention Centre you’ll want to consider in advance how you plan to get from the major LA airport, LAX to your hotel in the Anaheim region.
The best way to get from LAX to Anaheim is in a Lyft or Uber as it’s direct this costs between $50 – $70. If you’re on a budget consider a shuttle. There’s a variety of shuttle services inc; Disneyland Express Shuttle and SuperShutte. Shuttles between LAX and Anaheim start at $30 per person.
Whether you choose a shuttle or a taxi, there are a couple of different things to consider prior to booking as there are a number of different services available.
| Transport | Duration | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Taxi | 40 min | $50 - $80 |
| Hire Car | 40 min | $35 |
| Public Transport | 2 hours | $18.50 |
| Shuttle Bus | 1 hour 20 min | N/A |
Taxi
⏰ Time: 40 mins
💵 Cost: $50 – $80
Unless you’re paying for a premium service (such as Uber Black) then carpooling services such as Uber and Lyft are able to collect guests from LAX-it a dedicated carpooling area at LAX Airport.
LAX-it is located at the end of World Way, the ring road that circles the terminals at LAX. This means that to get from outside the terminal to the LAX-it pick-up point you either need to walk or take the complimentary shuttle bus.
Shuttle buses run regularly and pick up from each terminal. However, it can be a hassle moving multiple pieces of baggage on and off the bus and depending on when you’re travelling the bus can be incredibly busy.
As such if you’re physically able to do so you may find walking to the LAX-it pick-up point more convenient.
Once you arrive at LAX-it you’ll want to go ahead and order either your Uber or Lyft. Both of these services use a dynamic pricing model which means that the price of the journey is dependent on; traffic conditions, current supply and demand and location.
This also means that the cost of the same journey may be cheaper or more expensive between platforms. As such it’s often advisable to have downloaded and registered on both Uber and Lyft so you’re able to compare prices in real time.
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If you’re travelling as a group of four or less with a maximum of two suitcases then a standard car should be fine. However, if you’re travelling as a group of between five and seven or have a large number of bags then you’ll want to go for a XL car.
XL cars are available on both Uber and Lyft and come at a slightly higher premium when compared to standard cars given the size.
While taking a carpooling service from LAX is a bit of a hassle (especially when travelling with a baby or toddler, I speak from experience!) it’s still our preferred way of getting from the airport to Anaheim.
Hire Car
⏰ Time: 40 mins
💵 Cost: $35 per day (car hire only)
It is possible to hire a car, pick it up from LAX and then drive yourself to Anaheim. However, given the increasing costs of rental cars and the cost of parking at hotels in and around the city, we would only recommend this option to those who plan to use the car regularly throughout their trip.
If instead, you are simply arriving at LAX, going to Anaheim and planning to stay in Anaheim for the vast majority of your trip then a hire car is in our opinion likely overkill. Instead, you’ll be better off using Uber and Lyft as and when required, including for your journey from LAX to Anaheim.
If given all this a hire car still seems like the right choice for you then the exact price you pay will depend on:
- The company you hire from
- The duration you hire for
- The time of year
- Your age
- The size and type of vehicle
- Any extras (such as car seats)
It’s also worth researching for a hotel that offers complimentary parking (even if the overall cost of the hotel is slightly more) when compared to a hotel that charges for parking since the cost of parking is often in excess of $30 per night.
Public Transport
⏰ Time: 2 hours
💵 Cost: $18.50
Public transport is definitely not the quickest way to travel from LAX to Anaheim. However, if you’re travelling either solo or as a couple then it is a budget-friendly alternative to an Uber or Lyft, especially if you have the extra time available.
To get from LAX to Anaheim using public transport you’ll first want to take the FlyAway bus from LAX to Union Station.
The FlyAway bus runs throughout the day and costs $9.75 per adult for a one-way journey and the journey takes between 45 minutes and an hour depending on traffic.
Once you arrive at Union Station you’ll then want to take the Metrolink orange county line to the Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center. Trains run roughly every 1.5 hours and take 45 minutes in total.
A one-way regular ticket costs $8.75 and can be purchased either using the Metrolink mobile application or by using the ticket machines at Union Station.
The Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center is situated at the southeast edge of the city next to the Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Therefore depending on where you’re staying it may be more economical to get off at Fullerton which is north of Anaheim instead.
Shuttle
⏰ Time: 1 hour 20 min
💵 Cost: N/A
Sadly, there are no dedicated shuttles between LAX and Anaheim (nor is there anything offered by Disney for those visiting Disneyland). Therefore the most budget-friendly way for solo travellers to get from LAX to Anaheim is using public transport.
However, there are two companies that offer shuttle services, albeit these services are often of a higher cost when compared to the alternatives listed above and also frequently result in longer travel times.
The first, and perhaps most well-known company to be offering shuttles in the area is Karmel Shuttle.
Now in select cases, you may be able to get a traditional shuttle in terms of a shared ride with other guests using this company. However, this is only offered between the hours of 6:00am and 7:00pm.
If this service is available to you then the cost is in the region of $130 one way for up to five guests. Whether you have one or five people in your party, the rate is the same.
If you are unable to travel during these times, or to one of the more popular hotels in the area then the only service Karmel Shuttle provides is a private car service at a rate of $190 – $220. Therefore in both cases, Uber or Lyft is cheaper (even the premium Uber / Lyft Black services are often cheaper too).
The second company offering a type of shuttle service between LAX and Anaheim is SuperShuttle. However, again shared services offered by this company are few and far between.
Therefore in most cases when booking with this company you’re going to end up with a private car which is again in the region of $200.
