Getting Here and Around

Getting Here and Around

Air Travel

The county's main facility is John Wayne Airport Orange County (SNA), which is conveniently located near the intersection of the I-405 and Highway 55 freeways. Nine major domestic airlines and four commuter lines fly there; even if you can't get to John Wayne directly from your departure city, booking a connecting flight is usually a better bet than flying nonstop into the less convenient and far more congested Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). It's a glossy facility, complete with a statue of its namesake, and its relatively small size makes it easy to negotiate. Still, you should leave plenty of time for security checks and parking.

Farther north, Long Beach Airport (LGB) serves four airlines, including its major player, JetBlue. It's smaller and more low-key than John Wayne; it may not have many airport amenities, but parking is generally a snap. It's roughly 20 to 30 minutes by car from Anaheim.

Airport Transfers

The only transfer service from John Wayne or LAX to Orange County coastal cities is provided by SuperShuttle, which can be expensive. Fares, determined by distance, are for the first person in a party; add $9 for additional persons. You'll pay $18 from John Wayne to Newport Beach and $33 to Laguna Niguel. Fares to the same destinations from LAX are $51 and $63 per person, respectively. The Disneyland Resort Express and Prime Time Airport Shuttle provide transportation from John Wayne and LAX to the Disneyland area of Anaheim. Fares average about $15 per person from John Wayne and $20 from LAX.

Airport and Shuttle Information

Disneyland Resort Express (800/828-6699. www.graylineanaheim.com). John Wayne Airport Orange County (MacArthur Blvd. at I-405, Santa Ana, 92707. 949/252-5200. www.ocair.com). Long Beach Airport (4100 Donald Douglas Dr., Long Beach, 90808. 562/570-2600. www.longbeach.gov/airport). Prime Time Airport Shuttle (800/733-8267. www.primetimeshuttle.com). SuperShuttle (800/258-3826. www.supershuttle.com).

Bus Travel

The Orange County Transportation Authority will take you virtually anywhere in the county, but it will take time; OCTA buses go from Knott's Berry Farm and Disneyland to Huntington Beach and Newport Beach. Bus 1 travels along the coast; buses 701 and 721 provide express service to Los Angeles.

Fares for the OCTA local routes are $1.50 per boarding; you can also get a $4 local day pass (valid only on the date of purchase). Day passes can be purchased from bus drivers upon boarding. Express bus fare between Orange County and L.A. is $4.50 a pop, $3 if you have a day pass. The bus-fare boxes take coins and dollar bills, but you must use exact change and pennies are not accepted.

Bus Information

Greyhound (800/231-2222. www.greyhound.com). Los Angeles MTA (800/266-6883. www.metro.net). Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) (714/636-7433. www.octa.net).

Car Travel

The San Diego Freeway (I-405), the coastal route, and the Santa Ana Freeway (I-5), the inland route, run north-south through Orange County. South of Laguna I-405 merges into I-5 (called the San Diego Freeway south from this point). A toll road, the 73 Highway, runs 15 mi from Newport Beach to San Juan Capistrano; it costs $4.25-$5.25 (lower rates are for weekends and off-peak hours) and is usually less jammed than the regular freeways. Do your best to avoid all Orange County freeways during rush hours (6-9 AM and 3:30-6:30 PM).

Highways 55 and 91 head west to the ocean and east into the mountains and desert. Highway 91, which goes to inland points, has some express lanes for which drivers pay a toll, ostensibly to avoid the worst of rush-hour traffic. If you have three or more people in your car, though, you can use the Highway 91 express lanes most of the day for free (except 4 PM-6 PM on weekdays, when you pay half-fare). Highway 55 leads to Newport Beach. The Pacific Coast Highway (Highway 1) allows easy access to beach communities and is the most scenic route.

Train Travel

When planning train travel, consider where the train stations are in relation to your ultimate destination. You may need to make extra transportation arrangements once you've arrived in town. From the station in San Juan Capistrano you can walk through the historic part of town.

Amtrak makes daily stops in Orange County at Fullerton, Anaheim, Santa Ana, Irvine, San Juan Capistrano, and San Clemente. Metrolink is a weekday commuter train that runs to and from Los Angeles and Orange County, starting as far south as Oceanside and stopping in Laguna Niguel, Tustin, San Juan Capistrano, San Clemente, Irvine, Santa Ana, Orange, Anaheim, and Fullerton. The Metrolink system is divided into a dozen zones; the fare you pay depends on how many zones you cover. Buy tickets from the vending machines at each station. Ticketing is on an honor system.

Train Information

Amtrak (800/872-7245. www.amtrak.com). Metrolink (800/371-5465. www.metrolinktrains.com).