Metro System Guide:
San Fernando Valley

The San Fernando Valley is served by an integrated network of Metro rail and bus lines operated by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA). This guide covers the rapid transit lines, Metro Rapid bus corridors, and local bus routes that connect Valley communities to each other and to the broader Los Angeles region.

Rail Lines Serving the San Fernando Valley

Metro B Line (Red Line)

The Metro B Line runs from Union Station downtown north through Hollywood to its Valley terminus at North Hollywood Station. North Hollywood is the primary rail gateway to the Valley, offering connections to the G Line BRT and numerous bus routes. The B Line operates every 5–10 minutes during peak hours, providing a reliable rapid-transit link between the Valley and downtown Los Angeles in approximately 30 minutes from North Hollywood.

Metro G Line (Orange Line BRT)

The Metro G Line is a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line running 18 miles along a dedicated busway from Chatsworth in the western Valley to North Hollywood, where it connects directly to the B Line subway. Opened in 2005 (Chatsworth–North Hollywood segment) and extended to Canoga in 2012, the G Line operates dedicated-guideway vehicles with off-board fare payment, level boarding platforms, and signal preemption—delivering performance comparable to light rail in a bus format. See the complete G Line history and G Line station guide for detailed information.

Upcoming: East San Fernando Valley Light Rail

LACMTA is in final design for a new light rail line running north–south through the eastern San Fernando Valley along the Van Nuys/San Fernando Road corridor, from the B Line at Van Nuys in the south to the Sylmar/San Fernando Metrolink station in the north. This project—funded by Measure M—will provide the Valley's first north–south rapid transit spine and is targeted to open in the early 2030s.

Metro Rapid Routes in the Valley

Metro Rapid routes (orange-stripe buses) provide limited-stop, high-frequency bus service along major Valley corridors. Key routes include:

Metrolink Commuter Rail

Metrolink's Ventura County Line and Antelope Valley Line serve the San Fernando Valley with stations at Chatsworth, Northridge (Van Nuys), Sun Valley (Sylmar/San Fernando), and others, providing express connections to Union Station and beyond. Metrolink fares are separate from Metro TAP but both systems accept interoperable passes for certain trips. The Chatsworth Metrolink station also connects directly to the Metro G Line western terminus.

Local Bus Routes

In addition to Metro Rapid service, LACMTA operates over 40 local bus routes throughout the Valley, providing community-level connectivity to neighborhoods not served by rapid transit. DASH circulators operated by LADOT serve specific neighborhood areas including Van Nuys, Studio City, Warner Center, and others at reduced fares.

The 1975 RTD Grid Service restructuring—which established the foundational east–west and north–south bus grid pattern still in use today—is documented in detail in the RTD Grid Service history. Understanding this grid architecture explains the current network's structure: primary routes run along major arterials (Ventura Blvd, Van Nuys Blvd, Sepulveda Blvd, Roscoe Blvd) and intersect at transfer nodes rather than converging at a single hub.

TAP Cards and Fare Information

All Metro services—rail, Metro Rapid, and local bus—use the TAP (Transit Access Pass) smart card system for fare payment. A single TAP tap covers a two-hour window for transfers between Metro lines at no additional charge. Reduced-fare TAP cards are available for seniors, persons with disabilities, and low-income riders through the LIFE (Low Income Fare is Easy) program. Monthly and weekly passes are also available and loaded directly to TAP cards.

For information about the funding programs that built and maintain the Metro system, see the Transportation 101 funding guide.

Connections to the Greater LA Network

The G Line at North Hollywood connects to the B Line (Red Line) subway, which provides access to the full Metro Rail network: the A Line (Blue) to Long Beach, the E Line (Expo) to Santa Monica, the L Line (Gold) to Pasadena and Azusa, the C Line (Green) to the South Bay, and the D Line (Purple) to the Westside. All Metro Rail lines are interconnected through the downtown network, with additional cross-platform transfers at key stations including 7th Street/Metro Center, Willowbrook/Rosa Parks, and the Regional Connector stations.