Getting around · Burbank
Getting to and from BUR: taxi, rideshare, transit & the cell-phone lot
The quickest way to Burbank airport is usually a taxi or a rideshare: a taxi runs about $35–$55 to Downtown Los Angeles, and Uber & Lyft pick up in a marked pickup zone. Picking someone up instead? Wait free at the Cell Phone Waiting Lot. Below: every way to and from the airport, what it costs, whether to park or grab a ride, and how to fold the drive into your Leave-By Time so you reach security with room to get through the line. Check BUR TSA wait times today before you decide when to leave.
- Terminals
- 2
- Checkpoints
- 3
- PreCheck
- Yes
- CLEAR
- No
- Global Entry
- Off site
- Wait data
- Predicted
Taxis from BUR — fare and where to find the stand
Typical taxi fare
~$35–$55
to Downtown Los Angeles
Drive time
20–45 min
15 mi to Downtown Los Angeles
A taxi is the simplest door-to-door option and needs no app. Expect about $35–$55 to Downtown Los Angeles on the meter, before tolls and tip — more in heavy traffic.
Ground transportation islands in front of the terminals. Metered taxis; no flat fare to downtown LA. ~$35-55 to downtown depending on traffic on US-101/I-5.
The BUR cell-phone waiting lot
Picking someone up? Wait free at Cell Phone Waiting Lot. On North Hollywood Way on the airport perimeter. Wait there until your traveler texts that they're at the curb, then loop in once. Free, no posted time limit. Drivers wait on North Hollywood Way until passenger is ready, then proceed to the RITC pickup island.
Leaving a car for the trip instead of getting dropped off? It's worth checking the lots: compare BURparking by price & distance.
Where to catch Uber & Lyft at BUR
Uber and Lyft pick up at the ground level of the Regional Intermodal Transportation Center (RITC), at the ground transportation island across from the Terminal B entrance. Accessible from the terminals via the elevated moving walkway. Rideshare pickup is at the RITC ground level island, not at the terminal curb — take the elevated moving walkway from the terminals to reach the RITC.
Dropping off? Drop off at the upper/Departures level of each terminal; active loading only. BUR has 2 terminals (A, B), so confirm your airline's before your driver commits to a curb — find your terminal at BUR.
Driving to BUR — routes & drive time
BUR sits about 15 miles from Downtown Los Angeles, a drive of roughly 20–45 minutes via Hollywood Way to US-101 (Ventura/Hollywood Freeway) south or I-5 (Golden State Freeway) south toward downtown LA; SR-134 east connects to Pasadena and I-210 — closer to the high end at rush hour. That drive time is the first input into your Leave-By Time, so the calculator counts it backward from your flight along with today's security wait and the walk to your gate.
Getting to BUR by train or transit
By rail, your option is Metrolink Antelope Valley Line (BUR-North) and Ventura County Line (BUR-South); Metro Bus and BurbankBus at RITC Transit Center — figure about 40 minutes to Downtown Los Angeles. BUR is the only LA-area airport with direct Metrolink connections. Burbank Airport-North Station (Antelope Valley Line) on San Fernando Road has a free airport shuttle. Burbank Airport-South Station (Ventura County Line) has a free on-demand shuttle daily 5am-10pm. Both lines reach downtown LA Union Station in about 40 minutes. Metro Bus and BurbankBus also serve the RITC Transit Center.
Fare: Free shuttle to Metrolink stations. Metrolink fares vary by zone (~$7-15+ to downtown LA Union Station).
Hotel and city shuttles to BUR
Free shuttles connect both Metrolink stations to the terminals. Hotel and prearranged car services available at the RITC. If a shuttle is part of your plan, add its ride time to your Leave-By Time — it's easy to forget the 15–20 minutes between the curb and the terminal.
Park or ride to BUR?
Here's the math. Parking starts around $10/day, while a round-trip taxi or rideshare to Downtown Los Angeles runs about $90. So a round trip by car comes out ahead once you're away more than about 9 days — for a quick trip, parking usually costs less; for a long one, getting a ride does.
Want the exact trade-off for your dates? compare BURparking by price & distance — the closest lot isn't always the one that costs the least.
Accessibility and late-night rides at BUR
RITC ground level is accessible. Free on-demand shuttle to Burbank Airport-South Metrolink station daily 5am-10pm.
Late or overnight arrival? Metrolink has limited late-night/weekend service; taxis and rideshare from the RITC operate around the clock.
Returning a rental on the way out? On-airport rental car facility; follow Rental Car Return signs. (We cover where to return a car, not where to book one.)
Pickup zones and curb rules change — we verified BUR's ground-transport details as of June 29, 2026. Always check the in-app pickup pin and posted signs when you land.
Flying out of a nearby airport instead?
If a fare or a schedule points you elsewhere, the closest airport we cover is LAX (Los Angeles Int'l), about 18 miles from BUR in a straight line. The same math on this page — drive time, ride cost, security wait — decides whether the extra distance is worth it.
Other airports nearby
Straight-line distance from BUR — check current waits before switching airports.
Before you go BUR
BUR TSA wait times todaySee today's security wait by checkpoint, then time your ride to the airport.Getting-around FAQ BUR
How much is a taxi to or from BUR?
A metered taxi to Downtown Los Angeles typically runs about $35–$55, before tolls and tip and more in heavy traffic. Ground transportation islands in front of the terminals.
Where do you catch Uber and Lyft at BUR?
Uber and Lyft pick up at the ground level of the Regional Intermodal Transportation Center (RITC), at the ground transportation island across from the Terminal B entrance. Accessible from the terminals via the elevated moving walkway. Rideshare pickup is at the RITC ground level island, not at the terminal curb — take the elevated moving walkway from the terminals to reach the RITC. Open the app after you land and follow its pickup pin, not the curb out front.
Where is the BUR cell-phone lot?
Cell Phone Waiting Lot — On North Hollywood Way on the airport perimeter. It's free, and you wait there until your traveler texts that they have their bags.
How far is BUR from Downtown Los Angeles?
BUR is about 15 miles from Downtown Los Angeles — roughly 20–45 minutes by car depending on traffic, via Hollywood Way to US-101 (Ventura/Hollywood Freeway) south or I-5 (Golden State Freeway) south toward downtown LA; SR-134 east connects to Pasadena and I-210.
Is there a train from BUR to Downtown Los Angeles?
Yes. BUR is the only LA-area airport with direct Metrolink connections. Burbank Airport-North Station (Antelope Valley Line) on San Fernando Road has a free airport shuttle. Burbank Airport-South Station (Ventura County Line) has a free on-demand shuttle daily 5am-10pm. Both lines reach downtown LA Union Station in about 40 minutes. Metro Bus and BurbankBus also serve the RITC Transit Center.