How getting around Southern California really works
Southern California looks compact on a map. It isn’t. The nine counties we cover stretch from the Mexican border to the edge of the Central Valley, and the freeways that connect them are some of the busiest in the country. A little planning goes a long way, and that’s most of what a good chauffeur does for you.
Distances are longer than they look
Downtown Los Angeles to downtown San Diego is about 120 miles. Santa Barbara is roughly 95 miles up the coast, Palm Springs about 110 miles east, Bakersfield around 110 miles north over the Grapevine and El Centro more than 200 miles southeast. Ventura is closer, at about 65 miles. Those numbers are road miles, and traffic can easily add an hour to any of them at the wrong time of day.
That’s why we quote long trips as a full route, not by the mile as you go. You know the price before you leave, whether the drive takes two hours or three.
Picking the right airport
Most visitors think of LAX first, but the region has nine commercial airports worth knowing. Hollywood Burbank (BUR) is usually faster for the San Fernando Valley and Pasadena. Long Beach (LGB) suits the South Bay and the Gateway Cities. John Wayne (SNA) serves Orange County, Ontario (ONT) covers the Inland Empire, and San Diego (SAN) is right next to downtown. Palm Springs (PSP), Santa Barbara (SBA), Bakersfield (BFL) and Imperial (IPL) round out the list.
If you’re flexible, ask us before you buy a ticket. A cheaper flight into the wrong airport can cost you more in time than it saves in fare.
Cross-county and long-distance rides
A lot of our bookings cross county lines: Orange County executives flying out of LAX, Valley families heading to a wedding in Santa Barbara, groups going to the desert for a weekend. You can book these two ways.
- As a transfer. One pickup, one drop-off, one fixed price. Best for airport runs and simple point-to-point trips.
- By the hour. The chauffeur stays with you for the day. Best when you have stops, meetings or an event with a return trip.
On longer drives we’re happy to plan a coffee or rest stop. Just mention it when you book.
Times to plan around
Weekday rush hours run roughly 6 to 10 a.m. and 3 to 7 p.m., and Friday afternoons are heavy heading east toward the desert. Big events change traffic too: the Rose Parade in Pasadena on New Year’s Day, the Coachella and Stagecoach festivals in Indio each spring, Comic-Con in San Diego every summer and award season in Hollywood. We build extra time into pickups on those days so you don’t have to think about it.
What stays the same everywhere
Wherever you start, you get the same thing: a late-model black sedan or SUV, a professional chauffeur, a price confirmed before pickup and a team that answers the phone 24 hours a day. A ride from Temecula is handled exactly like one from Beverly Hills.
Find your local page
We’re adding local pages for the counties and cities we serve, starting with Los Angeles County and the city of Los Angeles. Each page covers local airports, neighborhoods and venues. If your city isn’t live yet, nothing changes about the service. Book online or call 747-309-0639 and we’ll take care of you.
