LA Metro · Union Station to Downtown Santa Monica

How to Take the Train from Union Station to Santa Monica (2026 Update)

You can get from Union Station in downtown LA to the Santa Monica Pier by train for $1.75, with one transfer and no traffic. We did it in July 2021: we parked at Union Station, took the subway to 7th St/Metro Center, and rode the light rail to the end of the line in Santa Monica, a short walk from the pier. Metro has renamed both lines since then and opened a new downtown connector, so we rewrote this guide for how the trip works today and kept our own notes from the ride.

$1.75 Fare each way

1 (at 7th St/Metro Center) Transfers

About a 10-minute walk Station to the pier

▶ Watch the video

Before you go.

Peter buying a fare at a green TAP vending machine in Union Station

Get a TAP card or use your phone

The fare is $1.75 each way, and transfers are free for two hours when you tap. You can buy a TAP card at the machines in the station or tap with a phone wallet or contactless card. Cash only works on buses, so plan to tap for the train. A round trip is two fares, $3.50.

The front of Los Angeles Union Station on Alameda Street, with its clock tower and rows of palm trees

Parking at Union Station

We drove to Union Station and paid $16 to park for the day in 2021. Metrolink's station page lists a $16 daily maximum at Union Station West and $8 at Union Station East, at $2 per 15 minutes. Rates change, so check before you go.

Pointing at 7th St/Metro Center on a Metro rail map, where the subway lines meet the line to Santa Monica

Check the sign before you board

The E Line to Santa Monica shares tracks and platforms with the A Line through downtown. Both stop at 7th St/Metro Center, so look for Downtown Santa Monica on the train before you get on.

The long underground passageway at Union Station leading to the trains

Budget the whole day

Our trip took a little over four hours, door to door, including the drive to Union Station and time at the beach. For two of us it cost $23: $7 in fares and $16 for parking. That's about what we'd spend on gas and beach parking driving there.

See the route ↓

The main waiting room at Los Angeles Union Station, with tall arched windows, chandeliers, and a polished tile floor — Give yourself a few extra minutes for Union Station's waiting room. It's one of the few places in LA that still feels like the 1930s.

A Greetings from Santa Monica postcard-style mural on a wall along Colorado Avenue — The postcard mural on the walk from the station toward the pier.

Palisades Park in Santa Monica, with grass, big shade trees, and food carts along the path — Palisades Park on Ocean Avenue, right above the pier.

People walking down the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica on a sunny afternoon — The Third Street Promenade is a block or two from the station.

The route, step by step.

How to get there today.

This is the route we took, updated with the current line names.

A Metro subway train pulling into the underground platform at Union Station

 1. Union Station: take the B or D Line 800 N Alameda St 

Subway (formerly the Red and Purple Lines)

What to do: Ride three stops to 7th St/Metro Center.

Follow the signs down to the subway. Both the B and D Lines go from Union Station to 7th St/Metro Center in three stops, so take whichever comes first. When we did this in 2021, the B Line was still called the Red Line.

An E Line light rail train with its yellow front at an outdoor platform

 2. 7th St/Metro Center: transfer to the E Line Same fare, free transfer 

Light rail (formerly the Expo Line)

What to do: Go up to the light rail platform and board toward Downtown Santa Monica.

The E Line platform is one level up from the subway. Your transfer is free as long as you tap within two hours. In 2021 this was the Expo Line, and it started at 7th St. Since June 2023 it runs through downtown to East LA, which is why you'll see trains for both Santa Monica and the A Line to Long Beach on the same platform.

Downtown Santa Monica Metro station, with its M sign, wide stairs, and palm trees

 3. Ride to the end of the line 401 Colorado Ave 

Downtown Santa Monica station

What to do: Get off at the last stop.

Downtown Santa Monica is the last stop, so you can't miss it. The ride from 7th St/Metro Center is roughly 45 to 50 minutes, so plan on about an hour from Union Station with the transfer. The station opened in 2016, and our 2021 trip was the first time we rode it all the way to the coast.

 4. Walk to the pier About 10 minutes on foot 

Santa Monica Pier

What to do: Walk west on Colorado Avenue and cross Ocean Avenue.

The station is at 4th Street and Colorado. Walk straight down Colorado toward the ocean and you'll reach the pier entrance at Ocean Avenue. On a summer weekend it was packed, and the beach parking lots below were completely full, which made us glad we took the train.

What we did in Santa Monica.

From July 2021. Some of this may have changed.

Shoppers walking down the Third Street Promenade

 Third Street Promenade A block or two from the station 

Outdoor shopping street

What to do: Walk it on the way back to the train.

The Promenade is a pedestrian street lined with shops, street performers, and places to eat. It's close enough to the station to fit in before you head home.

A takeout box of udon cacio e pepe with shrimp

 Street Noods: udon cacio e pepe $18.79 with shrimp (2021) 

Food hall stall

What to do: We'd look around before ordering this again.

Udon tossed cacio e pepe style with shrimp added, from a food hall stall near the Promenade. Honestly, it was alright. We haven't checked whether the stall is still there.

How much does the train from Union Station to Santa Monica cost?

Metro fares from metro.net, checked October 2026.

Fare	Price	Notes
One way	$1.75	Includes free transfers for 2 hours when you tap
Round trip	$3.50	Transfers don't cover the trip back
Daily cap	$5	Ride free after that, when you pay with TAP
7-day cap	$18	Same rule over a week
Our 2021 trip for two	$23	$7 in fares plus $16 to park at Union Station

Good to know before you go

Union Station is at 800 N Alameda St, Los Angeles, CA 90012. It's also the hub for Metrolink and Amtrak, so you can connect to this route from Orange County, the Inland Empire, or San Diego.
There's no Amtrak or Metrolink station in Santa Monica. Take the train into Union Station and switch to Metro from there.
Coming from East LA? Since June 2023 the E Line runs straight from East LA through downtown to Santa Monica, so you don't need Union Station at all.
Downtown Santa Monica station is at 401 Colorado Ave, at 4th Street. The pier, Palisades Park, and the Third Street Promenade are all within walking distance.
No eating or drinking on the trains.
Take some time to walk through Union Station itself. The waiting room and the courtyards are worth the stop.

More LA day trips, and our sources.

We checked fares and the route in October 2026. Line names and service change, so check Metro's trip planner before you go.

Questions people ask us about Union Station to Santa Monica.

How do I get from Union Station to Santa Monica by train?

Take the B or D Line subway three stops from Union Station to 7th St/Metro Center, then transfer to the E Line toward Downtown Santa Monica and ride it to the last stop. The fare is $1.75 and the transfer is free when you tap.

How long is the train from Union Station to the Santa Monica Pier?

Plan on about an hour from Union Station, including the transfer at 7th St/Metro Center, plus about 10 minutes to walk from Downtown Santa Monica station to the pier.

Does the E Line stop at Union Station?

No. Union Station is on the A, B, and D Lines. The E Line runs through downtown between East LA and Santa Monica, so from Union Station you transfer at 7th St/Metro Center.

Is the Expo Line the same as the E Line?

Yes. Metro renamed the Expo Line the E Line in 2019. The Red Line we rode in 2021 is now the B Line.

How much is the Metro from Union Station to Santa Monica?

$1.75 each way, with free transfers for two hours when you pay with a TAP card or a contactless card or phone. A round trip is $3.50, and Metro caps fares at $5 a day.

What is the closest train station to the Santa Monica Pier?

Downtown Santa Monica station, the last stop on the E Line, at 401 Colorado Ave. It's about a 10-minute walk down Colorado Avenue to the pier.

Can I take Amtrak to Santa Monica?

Not directly. Santa Monica has no Amtrak or Metrolink station. Ride into Los Angeles Union Station, then take Metro to Santa Monica.

Where do I park at Union Station?

We parked at Union Station and paid $16 for the day in 2021. Metrolink lists Union Station West at a $16 daily maximum and Union Station East at $8. Check current rates before you go.

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