🚇 LA METRO D LINE EXTENSION — THREE NEW STATIONS OPEN MAY 8!
Mark your calendars, SoCal! On May 8, 2026, LA Metro will officially open three brand-new underground subway stations on the D Line (Purple Line) Extension — one of the most anticipated transportation milestones in Los Angeles history. This opening comes a full two years before the 2028 Olympics, giving Angelenos and visitors plenty of time to get comfortable with a transit system that's about to change the way we move through the city.
This is more than just a new train line. It's a direct, fast, underground connection from Downtown LA through the Miracle Mile and into Beverly Hills — areas that have been gridlocked for decades. No more sitting in traffic on Wilshire Boulevard. No more circling for parking near The Grove. The future of LA transit is here.
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🔵 THREE NEW STATIONS — WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
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🚉 STATION 1: WILSHIRE/LA BREA
📍 Wilshire Blvd & La Brea Ave
Sitting on the western edge of Koreatown and the doorstep of Hancock Park, the Wilshire/La Brea station puts you right in the heart of one of LA's most vibrant and diverse neighborhoods. This is a game-changer for east-to-west commuters who have been battling Wilshire Boulevard traffic for years.
Nearby attractions and landmarks
• El Rey Theatre — one of LA's most beloved live music venues
• Marciano Art Foundation — contemporary art in a stunning former Scottish Rite Masonic Temple
• Korean restaurants and cafes — some of the best Korean BBQ and fried chicken spots in LA are just blocks north
• Hancock Park — one of LA's most beautiful and historic residential neighborhoods
• Easy access to the Miracle Mile corridor
This station bridges the gap between Koreatown's energy and the Miracle Mile's culture, making it one of the most strategically important stops on the entire extension.
🚉 STATION 2: WILSHIRE/FAIRFAX — THE "MUSEUM STATION"
📍 Wilshire Blvd & Fairfax Ave
This is the one everyone's been waiting for. The Wilshire/Fairfax station is the cultural epicenter of the entire D Line Extension — and honestly, one of the most exciting transit stops in the entire country. Welcome to LA's "Museum Station."
Nearby attractions and landmarks
• LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art) — the largest art museum in the western United States, literally steps from the station exit
• La Brea Tar Pits & Museum — 50,000 years of Ice Age history, right next door
• Academy Museum of Motion Pictures — the Oscar museum, celebrating the history of filmmaking
• Petersen Automotive Museum — a world-class collection of cars and automotive history
• The Grove — LA's iconic outdoor shopping and dining destination, always buzzing with energy
• Original Farmers Market (3rd & Fairfax) — a legendary LA landmark since 1934, with dozens of food stalls and local vendors
• CBS Television City — historic TV studio where shows like The Price Is Right have been taped for decades
Imagine stepping off the subway and being within a 5-minute walk of LACMA, the Tar Pits, The Grove, AND the Farmers Market. This station single-handedly makes LA's Miracle Mile one of the most transit-accessible cultural districts in the country.
🚉 STATION 3: WILSHIRE/LA CIENEGA — GATEWAY TO BEVERLY HILLS
📍 Wilshire Blvd & La Cienega Blvd
The Wilshire/La Cienega station is where the subway crosses into Beverly Hills territory — and it opens up a whole new world of connections for the Westside. This is the gateway station for one of the most famous cities in the world.
Nearby attractions and landmarks
• Restaurant Row (La Cienega Blvd) — a legendary stretch of upscale dining that has been an LA institution for decades
• Beverly Center — major shopping destination with over 100 stores and restaurants
• Cedars-Sinai Medical Center — one of the top hospitals in the country, now directly accessible by subway
• West Hollywood connection — just a short bus ride or walk north to WeHo's vibrant nightlife, dining, and culture scene
• Beverly Hills — the start of the Beverly Hills commercial district, with Rodeo Drive just a couple miles west
For the thousands of people who work at Cedars-Sinai, shop at Beverly Center, or dine on Restaurant Row, this station eliminates the nightmare of Westside traffic and parking.
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📊 BY THE NUMBERS
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• 3.9 miles — total length of the Section 1 extension
• 3 new stations — Wilshire/La Brea, Wilshire/Fairfax, Wilshire/La Cienega
• ~20 minutes — Beverly Hills to Downtown LA by subway
• 100% ADA accessible — all stations fully accessible with elevators and tactile guidance
• Public art installations — each station features unique artwork from commissioned artists
• Bilingual signage — all stations have signage in English and Spanish
• Opens May 8, 2026 — two full years before the 2028 Olympics
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🚗 vs 🚇 COMMUTE COMPARISONS — REAL TIME SAVINGS
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Here's where it gets real. These are estimated travel times comparing driving in typical LA traffic versus riding the Metro D Line:
🔸 Koreatown to Beverly Hills
Car: 35–50 minutes (during rush hour, often worse)
Metro D Line: ~8 minutes
💰 You save: 30+ minutes AND parking fees
🔸 Downtown LA to LACMA
Car: 30–45 minutes
Metro D Line: ~15 minutes
💰 You save: 20+ minutes AND $15–25 in parking
🔸 East LA to Beverly Hills
Car: 45–70 minutes (rush hour can push this past 90 minutes)
Metro D Line: ~25 minutes (with one transfer)
💰 You save: up to an hour of your life, every single day
🔸 Parking Cost Comparison
The Grove parking: $4 for 1 hour, up to $20+ for a full day
Metro fare: $1.75. That's it. One ride, no stress, no circling for a spot.
The math is simple: Metro wins on time AND money.
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🔗 CONNECTIONS TO THE REST OF LA
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The D Line doesn't exist in isolation — it connects to Metro's entire rail network, giving you access to virtually every corner of LA County:
🔴 B Line (Red) — Hollywood, Universal Studios, North Hollywood
Transfer at 7th Street/Metro Center or Wilshire/Vermont for access to Hollywood Boulevard, Universal CityWalk, and the San Fernando Valley.
🟡 A Line (Gold/Blue) — Long Beach, Pasadena, East LA
Transfer at Union Station for trips to Old Town Pasadena, Little Tokyo, East LA, and all the way down to Long Beach and the Queen Mary.
🟢 E Line (Expo) — Santa Monica, Culver City, USC
Transfer at 7th Street/Metro Center for a straight shot to Culver City, the Expo Park museums, USC, and the Santa Monica Pier.
With these connections, you can go from Beverly Hills to the beach, from Koreatown to Pasadena, or from Downtown to Universal Studios — all without ever getting in a car.
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🔮 WHAT'S STILL COMING — THE FULL VISION
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The three stations opening May 8 are just the beginning. The D Line Extension has two more sections in the works:
📌 Section 2: Beverly Hills to Century City
• Wilshire/Rodeo Station — right in the heart of Beverly Hills' Golden Triangle, steps from Rodeo Drive
• Century City/Constellation Station — serving one of LA's largest employment centers with over 60,000 workers
• Target opening: 2027
📌 Section 3: Century City to Westwood
• Westwood/UCLA Station — direct subway access to UCLA, the second-most applied-to university in the country
• Westwood/VA Hospital Station — serving the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System and the Brentwood area
• Target opening: 2027
When all three sections are complete, you'll be able to ride the subway from Downtown LA to UCLA in about 25 minutes. That's a trip that currently takes 45 minutes to over an hour by car. The entire Wilshire corridor — the most heavily traveled transit corridor in the country — will finally have the rapid transit it deserves.
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🚆 OTHER MAJOR TRANSIT UPGRADES IN SOCAL
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The D Line Extension isn't the only transit news in Southern California. Here's what else is in the works:
🔹 $53 million for 12 new Metrolink clean-energy locomotives — modernizing the commuter rail fleet that connects counties across SoCal
🔹 $48.8 million for A Line improvements — upgrades to the Gold/Blue line for faster, more reliable service
🔹 I-5 North County Corridor Project — major freeway improvements in North County San Diego to reduce congestion
🔹 Continued expansion of bus rapid transit (BRT) corridors throughout LA County
Southern California is investing billions in transportation infrastructure, and the results are starting to show.
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🏅 2028 OLYMPICS CONNECTION
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The D Line Extension is a critical piece of LA's 2028 Olympic transportation plan. With the Games coming to Los Angeles, Metro's expanded rail network will connect fans and athletes to key Olympic venues:
🏟️ SoFi Stadium (Inglewood) — Opening and Closing Ceremonies, accessible via C Line and shuttle connections
🏟️ LA Convention Center — multiple Olympic events, directly on the Metro rail network
🏟️ LA Memorial Coliseum — track and field events, near the E Line Expo Park station
🏟️ UCLA — Olympic Village, accessible via the future D Line Section 3 Westwood/UCLA station
By opening two full years before the Olympics, Metro is giving the city time to build ridership habits and work out any issues before the world arrives in 2028.
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💰 FARES & HOW TO RIDE
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• Single ride: $1.75
• Day pass: $3.50 (unlimited rides all day)
• Weekly pass: $12.50
• Monthly pass: $50.00
• LIFE Program (Low Income Fare is Easy): $24/month for qualifying riders
• Children under 5: FREE
• TAP cards: Available at all stations, online at taptogo.net, and via the Metro app
You can load your TAP card online, at station vending machines, or use the TAP app on your phone. Apple Pay and Google Pay are also accepted at station gates.
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ℹ️ MORE INFORMATION
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🌐 Website: metro.net
📞 Phone: (323) 466-3876
📱 App: Download the Metro app (iOS and Android) for real-time arrivals, trip planning, and TAP card management
🗺️ Trip Planner: metro.net/riding/trip-planner
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The D Line Extension is more than a subway — it's a statement that Los Angeles is serious about public transit. Three new stations, 3.9 miles of new track, and a direct underground connection from the heart of Beverly Hills to Downtown LA. Whether you're commuting to work, heading to LACMA, catching a show at El Rey, or grabbing dinner on Restaurant Row, the D Line is about to make your life easier.
See you on the train, May 8! 🚇
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Sources: LA Metro (metro.net), Streetsblog LA, The Source (Metro's official blog), NBC Los Angeles
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