Rail access arrives at Los Angeles International Airport

Los Angeles took a huge step toward linking airplanes to trains on Friday, as the nation's fifth busiest hub joined the modern travel world and offered car-loving Southern Californians an off-ramp from traffic-clogged freeways

Los Angeles took a huge step toward linking airplanes to trains on Friday, as the nation's fifth busiest hub joined the modern travel world and offered car-loving Southern Californians an off-ramp from traffic-clogged freeways.

The first trains from LAX/Metro Transit Center rolled out during the early evening rush, connecting travelers to the K or C rail lines, which can then whisk them north in the direction of central Los Angeles, south toward beach cities or east along Interstate 105.

The breakthrough is an absolute necessity for organizers of the 2028 Olympics if they're going to fulfill their vow of making it a "no car Games."

"This is a big day for L.A.," County Supervisor Janice Hahn said in a statement shortly after a ceremonial ride at the new station.

Hahn, the MTA chair, used good humor and invoked the memory of an arch conservative to toast this new rail option.