Hollywood Burbank Airport is about 25 km from downtown Los Angeles, and the cost of getting there depends mostly on which transport you choose and what time of day you travel. Two of the four options — the metered taxi and the demand-priced rideshare — cannot honestly be quoted in advance, so this page tells you where to look them up rather than inventing a number.
Price breakdown by transport type
| Option | Cost to Downtown LA | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Metrolink train | Distance-based — check the Price Finder | Cheapest option; runs to Union Station |
| Uber / Lyft | Quoted in the app before you confirm | Surge pricing during rush hours |
| Taxi | Metered, no flat airport rate | Traffic increases the fare |
| Private transfer | Fixed, quoted at booking | Fixed price regardless of traffic |
Fixed-price private transfer
BUR Burbank
From€105for 2 passengers
Prices to popular destinations
| Destination | Distance | Rideshare | Private Transfer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hollywood | ~15 km | App quote | Fixed, quoted at booking |
| Downtown LA (Union Station) | ~25 km | App quote | Fixed, quoted at booking |
| Pasadena | ~20 km | App quote | Fixed, quoted at booking |
| Beverly Hills | ~25 km | App quote | Fixed, quoted at booking |
| Santa Monica | ~35 km | App quote | Fixed, quoted at booking |
| Anaheim (Disneyland) | ~60 km | App quote | Fixed, quoted at booking |
Rideshare fares are set by demand at the moment you book and can double at peak times or during events, so the app quote is the only figure worth planning around. Transfer prices are fixed at booking.
What affects the price
Traffic is the biggest variable. LA freeways during rush hours (7–9 AM and 4–7 PM) can double your travel time and significantly increase metered taxi fares. Rideshare apps also apply surge pricing during high-demand periods.
Time of day matters for both pricing and availability. Late-night rides are generally cheaper for rideshare, but Metrolink trains stop running by about 10 PM.
The Metrolink train offers the most predictable cost — the fare depends on the distance between your two stations, not on the traffic, so it does not move with the clock. Look yours up on the Price Finder at metrolinktrains.com. The trade-off is that it only goes to Union Station and stops along fixed routes, so you may need a secondary ride to your final destination.
Tips to save money
- Take the Metrolink to Union Station and connect to the LA Metro subway for destinations across the city — the cheapest combination by some way. Check both fares at metrolinktrains.com and metro.net.
- Avoid rideshare during rush hours when surge pricing can push fares above taxi rates.
- A private transfer with a fixed price can actually save money during peak traffic compared to a metered taxi.
- If you are a group of 3–4 people, splitting a private transfer is often cheaper per person than individual train tickets plus connecting rides.