The Brand New K Line in LA 

It infuriates me that after all these years there is only one way to get in and out of LAX. I’ll never understand why it took until now to add a People Mover at the very least. To me LA is still decades behind.

My maternal grandfather was a motorman for the 'red cars' in Los Angeles in the 1930s. It was a vast light rail system. It was destroyed by Standard oil, General Motors, and Goodyear Tire and Rubber.

I’m a foreigner in LA who doesn’t drive. The train and bus lines have been very reliable getting around. I am grateful for them and it’s been a pleasant experience for the past 6 years. Love them. Thank you for this video. It warms my heart to see the appreciation. Granted there is more room for improvement as some would lament but they help a ton of people every day and that alone is a reason to be thankful. ❤

Spent 3 years working here back and forth between the underground stations doing electrical, hadn’t checked out the final product, seeing this video gave me nostalgia of all the craziness everyone went through to make this K line happen thanks for sharing

I’m from the UK and when i visited back in May i had no idea LA had a metro system at all. Was pleasantly surprised being able to get to downtown from West Hollywood without having to Uber. You’re right, the stations are neat

I live in LA. Our biggest issue with trains is the coverage will never be like other cities like NY because LA is so spread out and multinodal. Santa Monica itself is about the same land area as lower Manhattan to Central Park and it’s just a TINY area of LA. And yet NY has more lines in that area of Manhattan than all of LA. Still glad this is happening.

The K Line is a great example of not having to toward downtown to get to Redondo. There needs to be more lines like the K Line within the LA metro system to connect all the existing lines.

LA is really building a good system. Once the K line and regional connector are done and if they could electrify metrolink, turn the G line into light rail and get the HSR build it would be world class IMO. also nice accidental final shot.

LA native here! I’m glad you enjoyed the k line and our trains in general. I absolutely love the new k line, I ride it about 4 times a week coming home from work. I’m super excited for the new projects metro line is doing and I’m happy other people seem to like it too! I always appreciate when new people come to town and appreciate our stuff! You essentially walked and traveled through all my fav childhood destinations and areas so I’m glad you could share positive experiences 😊

Thom, if one were traveling to the airport with just a backpack, like you, then one probably wouldn't mind all the connections from Metro line to Metro line. Imagine having to travel with a medium or large size suitcase.

I ride the K line 4 days a week for work at LAX its really good overall but its a bit annoying that I have to trasfer to the C&K bus then take a bus from aviation station to the airport so im really excited for when the line is competed and connects with the people mover, One thing I have noticed is that no one is riding this line I find myself boarding at Slauson station and the train is always empty or with 5 -10 persons maybe in the future it will get better!

I was so surprised when learning about LA that they don't have a train connecting to the airport! Crazy for a huge modern city. But totally indicative of the large room for growth in American public transportation. Thanks so much for this video. I was at the K line the other day but haven't needed to take it yet so this was informative. Subscribed!

I checked out the K line on opening day. There were a lot of people coming out to try the new trains and stations, and there was a cute K line festival at Leimert Park. It's not big, but there's definitely a community in LA that's excited about transit and that makes me hopeful!

Love this…I’m a recruiter for an engineering firm and we actually designed LA Metro Regional Connector and the Crenshaw Line…great video! Hope you got In & Out Animal Style! ❤

I bought my house 5 years ago on the E (Exposition) Line, a block away from Expo/Crenshaw and this is the first time I'm seeing the K Line - I didn't even know it was open already! Thank you for taking these tours on trains - I think they are an awesome public transportation system and are environmentally more friendly than automobiles. We will be hosting the 2028 Olympics so we know our public transit needs to be robust and comprehensive. I have a feeling, however, that the train cars look like upcycled, Japanese trains - maybe that's why the look modern?😆

So excited about all of the new transit in LA!!! Getting all ready for the 2028 Olympics too.😃

Wow this is amazing! Huge improvements to the LA metro system. Looks super clean and safe! Thank you for sharing this and showing how accessible it is to take public transport in LA when the culture is still car focused

Bright, well designed and pleasant transit systems change everything, modernising and dragging often depressing urban areas into the 21st century, improving the environment for all and making people proud of where they live and work. Impressive to see what's going on in LA in this respect.

I have a feeling Los Angeles is gonna blindside the country in about 4-5 years with a whole new scheme of transit lines and infrastructure.. It remains nevertheless perplexing, how such a populous and rich metropolitan area would forego development in transit for so terribly long, and especially considering what it used to have. The K line looks great, too!

Thanks for stopping at In-n-Out. When you said you needed to eat, I thought ‘gosh I hope he stops at In-n-Out.’ Brings back all the fond memories of Southern California.

Loved the ending. It’s almost like that plane wanted to say “planes are awesome too.” I know it’s not possible to please everyone but I don’t love the number of transfers needed to get to the airport. I wish there could be some direct service from LAX to Union Station as a central hub to serve the most people rather than such a large number of transfers. Extending the K line to connect to the D and B will be absolutely essential. Thanks for the great video!

Many of you aren’t old enough to remember the train line that connected Santa Monica to down town L.A. Even after they shut down the line the tracks were there for at least a decade.

While LA transit gets a bad rap, I think they do a good job - particularly given the enormous area they have to cover. There are people in every city who tell you to stay out of neighborhoods they think are "bad". (I'm sure you've heard people tell you not to take the green line in Chicago.) The people who give the warnings almost never actually went to those neighborhoods, though. If they did, they'd know that people are people, and most of them are pretty good.

The first city in the US (in fact the Western Hemisphere) to have a transit line from the airport direct to the central business district is Cleveland. That's the Rapid on the Red Line of the RTA. It opened in Nov. 1968. Cleveland is the only place I know where Rapid is a noun.

I ride the metro a lot, I'm excited that they are working on expanding it.

hoping this helps the people who need it the most

wow what a fresh perspective of LA, a city I lived in for most of my life. well done!

Thank you for reviewing our latest train. I covered the opening day as photojournalist. Most people are quite happy about it. The former “Purple line is also being expanded. I would like to see a few monorails and more people movers added. It would help give LA. A unique look far as rail is concerned and move the trains above the traffic.

Great video! I've been to LA a couple times I'm from Norcal and I have to give their rail system some props from basically "Non-existent" a couple years ago to now connecting a huge area covering most of the LA County.. I can't stress enough this area is huge! I do think though that they should have gone with a different train design. Each train car is not connected so if you jump into a full car you can't switch. In the north our BART system you can jump into different cars and seems more efficient maybe because it's electrified. I think the best light rail though has to be Portland. Also another complain is just how dingey and grimey LA stations look. It's not that old to be looking like a 80s punk band. LA definitely looks rough in some areas but I get it that's the vibe out there. I also want to put on my conspiracy hat on for a second and talk about the history of the public transportation in LA. Some say the car companies aligned the pockets of local officials to kill off the train of go for a heavy bus approach saying it was faster. Just the fact that LA has a rail service again is amazing and I support connecting more areas like the K line will do to help with traffic. Sorry for my long rant but I am passionate about public trains like this channel

Ha ha! That In-N-Out Burger on Sepulveda is legendary. Since it’s the physically closest one to LAX, travelers with time usually make the easy trip there for a meal. Locals like me love it because you can watch planes land while you eat.

I live in LA and have long been hoping the transit system will catch up to other cities. Encouraging to see that expansions are happening but I wish they would build faster!

Hoping Cali can be an example for public transportation and pedestrian friendly. Finishing the HSR, more light rails, and making roads smaller adding cycle lane also bigger sidewalks

Angelenos: "All we want is a one-seat ride to downtown from LAX" Bugs Bunny: "No."

Nice video! Glad you enjoyed In-N-Out and had a nice time in Los Angeles. I am super-excited about the Purple Line subway extension to Westwood! That one will have the biggest impact on Los Angeles transit because of the corridor it serves and the demand on the Wilshire corridor. That is LA's primary artery. The Crenshaw will be cut short to the Fairview Heights station because the just completed at-grade crossing at Centinela, just before the Downtown Inglewood station, will be torn up and replaced with a grade separated crossing. Yeah. Terrible planning on the part of Metro. It is planned to take 23 months to replace it!! This means that the entire Crenshaw Line to LAX and the Green Line will not be operating for at least 2 more years depending on when the reconstruction begins. Grade separations are going to be a problem for several light rail lines in the near future such as on the Expo Line. The Expo Line has experienced overcrowding and Metro can not increase frequencies anymore because of severe traffic disruption that would cause over many grade crossings. The West Santa Ana Branch light rail line that will begin construction will also include many grade crossings. For a city like Los Angeles, grade separation should be the default.

Amazing to see all this expansion, slowly but surely dismantling LA’s car centricity. With higher frequencies on the heavy rail lines, more TOD and things like platform screen doors this could be an example of modern, world class transit in the United States

That might be the slowest approach I've ever seen a train make.

I remember riding the A line (formerly the blue line) back when it first opened in 1990, back when it terminated at the Pico Station, before the 7th Street Metro Station was opened. Absolutely love that new lines are opening up. Not so sure about the line name changes.

I remember when it costed like $2.00 to get to LAX from DTLA; the Red Line to the Blue Line, followed by the Green Line which gets u almost to the airport, where u'd catch a shuttle bus at no additional charge, and all the transfers were free (which I don't think is available anymore). Better than even NYC Subway-to-airport options including the defunct JFK Express, tho I don't think LA will ever even get close to NYC Subway system, since it's so spread-out over such a huge area here compared to NYC... but light rail was far more extensive here in greater-LA area before Detroit bought-out all the LA light rail to encourage car ownership.

Good choice for dining. IMHO In-N-Out Burger is my second favorite fast food in the whole wide world. My favorite is Original Tommy's chili burgers. Don't know if any stores are close to Metro stations but they have 30 stores in So Cal and 3 in Clark County, NV in the Vegas area. The original location is on Beverly Blvd @ Rampart. It's open 24/7 and the atmosphere will remind of you Pat's Steaks in South Philly, birthplace of the cheesesteak. USC and UCLA students say if you get drunk the night before you don't remember, un;ess you go to Tommy's. Then you don't forget. Safe travels.

As someone who was born and lives in LA, I wish our Public Transportation was better. This is a good step, but we're behind in terms of bus frequency and reliability. Hopefully with time, there are more frequent stops and more local bus services, that could connect people to different destinations throughout Los Angeles, without having to wait too long for their next connecting bus/train.

Great content, please continue to do good work.

I left LA at the end of 97'. I do return occasionally to visit dad. For weekend visits only. It'll be 23 years ago. I'm moving back at the beginning of this year. Everything is about the same. The only improvement is their public transportation. When I left, it was only the blue line (Long Beach). The green line (105 frwy). Growing up in LA, suburbia was far and wide. I hope these lightrail lines connects cities more inclusively... Thanks for the content!

Thanks lots for doing this video! Great to see the LA Metro expanding!

Great video and good job editing. I was going to only watch a few minutes but ended up watching the whole thing. Thanks for all the info (train ride, train itself, routes, neighborhoods, Randy’s Donut, in-n-out, etc.). That’s one of my favorite locations. Nice to be able to have a burger and watch the planes fly over. Kudos on timing the one that flew above you. 👍

In a couple decades hopefully there will be a subway from LAX to the Valley through the Sepulveda Corridor. I wish they would speed up that one as it will connect to the K, E, D, & G making getting around easier.

You NEED to visit the San Diego Trolleys so much bigger and more beautiful. And SD terrain is hilly and gorgeous compared to industrial concrete basin LA. (Im from LA and like SD more)

I have been there already when they open it was look very nice I like that subway coz it was brand new!!

That (K) line actually looks decent for the LA subway system.

Excellent video. Great descriptions, and your knowledge of the system is impressive. Getting to the airport via mass transit is a long time in the coming. Keep up the good work!

I drive by this every day, thank you for the information.

So darn adorable!! ❤❤❤

Thank you for this video. We need more people like you in the world, people that are friendly, with a positive attitude. I enjoyed seeing this line.

Just discovered your channel & was pleasantly surprised. I use to take the once Red Line to Wilshire for school & work. Haven't ridden the LA rail in years but glad you appreciate them. I am currently about to watch the Angel's flight video & hope you do more videos on Los Angeles. Like the Union Station & maybe do a video on the MagLev speed rail being built. You got a new sub for what it's worth.🤜🤛

You did a fantastic job on this video! Thanks for the tour of LAMTA's new light rail line - it will be a BIG help to getting around LA when they finally get this hooked up to LAX Airport. I was very impressed by the quality of your filming under low-light conditions - keep up the good work!

You produce such cool videos about trains and urban transport. I was born in Chicago, and from 63' onward, when I was just two, my Mom would take me on the Double Decker Train into downtown Chicago to see my Grandmother, who worked at Woolworths and later owned a Candy store (which was so cool, I was seven when I first saw it). I was raised in the SF Bay Area, and in the mid-70's, my school class took BART to San Francisco from 'Berserkly', as a field trip which continued on walking along the Embarcadero Center and Fisherman's Wharf. When I had to fly to DC for team meetings for our tourism business, which sometimes would last several weeks, I took their train system to get around. The Roslyn Station was scary though, so far underground, but it is the best place to stay in DC and I was stunned to get on the Subway in Roslyn and emerge in the Smithsonian Mall. I have retired to Phoenix, and we have our expanding Light Rail, which I love, but it's been slow in expanding. I am lucky to live close to its North Phoenix termination point, which is being extended to be just a two mile bus ride from where I live.

Thank you for this video 🦋

Excellent and Objective Reporting, Tom!

Thanks for this excellent video on the new K Line that will hopefully directly connect with LAX. Being a resident of Los Angeles myself, I sincerely hope you are right. Lobbyists have been fighting this rail connection to LAX for years in favor the taxis and bus connection. I hope the people finally win out and finally get the waaaaay overdue rail connection.

Well, I didn't drive to LAX for a very long long time from the valley. So glad that we have FlyAways in the valley. I get dizzy with the traffic in LAX. lol

Nice video! Like your enthusiasm 😎

The Eastern building is an art deco masterpiece

no matter what I'm still gonna be calling the B line the red line. I grew up with the color names

Great video with fantastic instructions easy to follow with perfect explanations with just enough info 😀

👍 Grt presentation! Ur hard work is appreciated. Tkx for ur helpful content this was really useful.

I grew up in the area between Fairview Heights and Downtown Inglewood station, attending Crozier JHS and Inglewood HS. The K Line was promised to us when I was 13 years old. I’m 45 now 😂 Just glad the promise was finally kept.

Thank you for this.

Downright useful information here!

The key is for the trains to withstand constant use and ever higher ridership. From reading other plans, the LA metro expansion is going full tilt. At some stage angelinos will suddenly discover they have a real metro system that works. Pretty quiet for a busy sat night.

Great video. Really enjoyed it.

Thanks for the video!

Awesome…thank you for this video…I ride the Metro all the time, Blue E line from downtown Long Beach and transfer to either red or purple lines to either Union Station (East) or Universal Station (West). However a second expanded LAX line is a great addition especially since we have the Olympics coming back to LA in 2028…what I am really waiting for is the reopening of the Little Tokyo station…and something linking Orange County to the Metro…we have made several advancements…but we still have a very long way too go

Yo me acabo de mover de N.Y.C., a Moreno Valley, California, y veo que todavia le falta mucho a LA para cubrir mas areas con el Metro y que trabaje 24 hrs.

That was a great ending to have the pilot of that jetliner fly over on cue. :). Thanks for the interesting look at LA's new rail system!

Great video. Cannot wait for my LA trip in March.

Love your video about the K Line, I grew up in the Jefferson Park neighborhood where the K line starts and LA is slowing but surly bringing back trains. My mom used to take the bus back when Metro used to be called RTD. So I grew up only taking buses all over LA.

Over 10 years too late. I heard of this project since high school when I would take the green line and the local shuttle to LAX. I'm surprised this project wasn't shut down like the 405 renovations were because they found a native burial site on the site of renovations.

finally some useful news about LA Metro!

Very solid review. They (LA Metro) really have done a job ramping up for the Olympics, but that connector is major. People are surprised how many big cities are behind when it comes to having rail that will connect you straight to the Airport.

As someone who's taken Los Angeles trains throughout my college years, it's amazing how a lot of people don't seem to realize or even know that Los Angeles does have a subway system and it's surprisingly efficient.

Interesting video of the new light rail developments in LA! 😎

lol the noise at 9:50 is kinda creepy. Thank you for showing this bro. i haven't been on train since 2020 pre-pandemic coming from warehouse job. Glad they expanded the train and looking to expand it more because it makes transfering way faster than hopping on a bus. I will say this....as a guy whose over 250 pounds and 6'2 you got more balls than me traveling in that area at that time. Great video, definitely hitting the like button.

Great informative enjoyable educational video!

Great video thank u

Great job on this video.

This is a really nice video I rode this train on Sunday🚂

Thanks for the heads up on the K Line. I had no idea that even existed and I live in L.A. ! Great video!

Really like the jingle that plays before the station announcements!

WOW Thom . . . The Timing of That Plane . . . Awesome!

I live in LA and had no idea that they already have a working section of that line. Nice video!

Overlapping metros that follow the same line could offer fast-transit options to move arrivals and departure passengers a faster route into and out of LA. Heathrow has a metro line and a fast track train into the city so if you need to get into and out of the city fast from the airport, there is a better option than a taxi/bus that must face traffic/traffic lights.

Thanks for the tour of the K line. I don’t understand why they designed that long connection to the E line. If they expect people to take the K line to the LAX, that would be a significant deterrent with heavy suitcases, especially if it is raining.

this is awesome thanks

The ending with the plane was cool

Can't wait when the LAX opens up. And the K Line to Hollywood would be amazing. Being a LA resident during my teens. 1970s to 90s. I would always go to Hollywood on weekends. Yes the RTD bus was the only way to get there. Which would take more than an hour to get there from Crenshaw & 108th St to Hollywood. LA it's about time. I'm glad to be around to see it happen.

Great video dude! Thanks for coming to our city and checking us out. Believe it or not there are some angelinos begging for the privilege of using functional and efficient transit. Also extra points for the in n out run. So good!!

Great video! My husband and I love the public transit in LA and it's only getting better! I'm so excited to see the future plans of transit in LA. We specifically chose our home because it is walking distance to the B line/Red line. When you showed that map connecting the B line to the K line (I think), that made me so excited. LA has better public transit than people think and I see improvements everyday. Now we also have Metro Micro, Dash lines connecting neighborhoods and all the rails. Thanks for showcasing the trains in LA!

Great video !

I loved your video. I live in Los Angeles and I learned something new. Thanks hope you come back to la again

Great info!

Subways in LA are inconvenient unless you live by an entrance but even so we are a city known for driving. It will be interesting to see how the access will change once LAX gets ready for the olympics and all future ways to enter and exit the airport.