Travel Information

Maps and General Information on Pasadena

Getting to Caltech

General Driving Directions

Caltech is easily accessible from both the 110 (Harbor) Freeway (southwest of campus) and the 210 (Foothill) Freeway (north of campus).
           
If you are taking the 110 freeway to Pasadena, follow the freeway north until it ends (where it becomes the Arroyo Parkway). Take Arroyo Parkway straight ahead (north); turn right (east) on California Blvd. Proceed approximately 1.2 miles. The Cahill building will be on the right at 1216 E. California Blvd. Turn right (you should see the tennis courts) and proceed to Caltech's Parking Structure #3 (under the softball field) and park in an unmarked spot. Buy a parking permit from the kiosk located inside the Parking Structure.

If you are taking the 210 freeway, use exit 27 at Hill Avenue. Turn south onto Hill (this is a right from Burbank) and drive south to E. California Blvd. Make a right (west) on E. California Blvd and drive for 0.3 miles. Turn left (south) before the Cahill building (you should see the tennis courts on your left). Proceed to Caltech's Parking Structure #3 (under the softball field) and park in an unmarked spot. Buy a parking permit from the kiosk located inside the Parking Structure.

By Shuttle

From LAX, Bob Hope (Burbank) airport, or Ontario airport, shuttle door-to-door service is available from a multitude of companies. To get a shuttle, exit the baggage claim area and look for the ORANGE overhead "SHARED RIDE VANS" sign. Tell the driver you are going to Caltech - Robert A. Millikan Memorial Library building #32. Alternatively, you can provide the driver with the Super Shuttle Drop-off Location Stop #4 California Blvd./S. Arms Lab. FYI, the campus SuperShuttle stops (for when you order your ride back to the airport) are:

  • S1, located at the south end of the Parking structure (building 66) on 370 S. Holliston Avenue.
  • S2, located just north of Moore Laboratory at the end of Chester Avenue.
  • S3, located in the parking lot near the south-east corner of 450 South Catalina.
  • S4, located in the traffic turnaround off of California Boulevard and south of Arms Laboratory - this is the closest SuperShuttle stop to the Millikan building.

Please visit SuperShuttle website for more details.

From Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)

Driving Directions:

Take Sepulveda Blvd. south to the Glenn Anderson Fwy (105) east to the Harbor Fwy (110) north to the Pasadena Fwy, which becomes the Arroyo Parkway.

OR

Take the San Diego Fwy (405) north to the Santa Monica Fwy (10) east to the Harbor Fwy (110) north to the Pasadena Fwy, which becomes the Arroyo Parkway.

THEN

Take Arroyo Parkway straight ahead (north); turn right (east) on California Blvd. Proceed approximately 1.2 miles. The Cahill building will be on the right at 1216 E. California Blvd. Turn right (you should see the tennis courts) and proceed to Caltech's Parking Structure #3 (under the softball field) and park in an unmarked spot. Buy a parking permit from the kiosk located inside the Parking Structure.

Shuttle service:

To get a shuttle, exit the baggage claim area and look for the ORANGE overhead "SHARED RIDE VANS" sign. Tell the driver you are going to Caltech - Robert A. Millikan Memorial Library building #32. Alternatively, you can provide the driver with the Super Shuttle Drop-off Location Stop #4 California Blvd./S. Arms Lab. Please visit SuperShuttle Los Angeles (LAX) Airport Shuttle Service for more details.

Public Transportation from LAX to Pasadena:

  • FlyAway buses pick up at every LAX terminal on the Arrival/Lower level under the green signs indicating "FlyAway, Buses and Long-Distance Vans." Get on a FlyAway bus going to Union Station.
  • Once arriving at Union Station, disembark the bus and walk to the Gold Line, located at Tracks 1 and 2.
  • Board the Gold Line with direction to Pasadena.
  • Exit at Lake St. station, which is a 10-15 minute walk from campus. (The Del Mar station is closest to the Sheraton and Hilton, the Lake station is closest to Vagabond Inn, and the Allen station station is closest to Saga Motor Hotel and Athenaeum). Once in Pasadena, there are LA Metro buses that run within Pasadena, or you could walk. There is also a separate bus system just for Pasadena called ARTS that you can use once in Pasadena, but it only stops every 25 minutes, and it closes before 8:00 pm.

    (Read more about public transportation in Pasadena >>)

For more information on detailed bus and rail itineraries for the entire Los Angeles area, please visit the Bus and Rail Trip Planner.

From Bob Hope Airport in Burbank (BUR)

Driving Directions:

Take the Golden State Fwy (Interstate 5) south to the Ventura Fwy (134) east to the Foothill Fwy (210) east. Use exit 27 at Hill Avenue. Turn south onto Hill (this is a right from Burbank) and drive south to E. California Blvd. Make a right (west) on E. California Blvd and drive for 0.3 miles. Turn left (south) before the Cahill building (you should see the tennis courts on your left). Proceed to Caltech's Parking Structure #3 (under the softball field) and park in an unmarked spot. Buy a parking permit from the kiosk located inside the Parking Structure.

Shuttle service:

To get a shuttle, exit the baggage claim area and look for the ORANGE overhead "SHARED RIDE VANS" sign. Tell the driver you are going to Caltech. Tell the driver you are going to Caltech - Robert A. Millikan Memorial Library building #32. Alternatively, you can provide the driver with the Super Shuttle Drop-off Location Stop #4 California Blvd./S. Arms Lab. Please visit SuperShuttle Burbank (BUR) Airport Shuttle Service for more details.

Public Transportation:

(Please note that the trip will take between 1.5 and 2 hours)
The Metro 794 bus (toward Downtown LA - Hill - Venice) can be boarded at Hollywood Way and Thorton. Take that to the Los Feliz/San Fernando stop and board the Metro 780 bus (toward Pasadena City College). Get off at the Colorado/Lake stop. Here you have an option to walk to the Cahill Center at Caltech or board the Pasadena ARTS 20cw bus (toward Lake and Fair Oaks). Exit at the California Blvd. and Lake Ave. stop and walk to Caltech.

For more information on detailed bus and rail itineraries for the entire Los Angeles area, please visit the Bus and Rail Trip Planner.

From Ontario Airport (ONT)

Driving Directions:

If you are driving, take the San Bernardino Fwy (10) west to Orange Freeway (57) north to the Foothill Fwy (210); take the 210 west to Pasadena. Use exit 27 at Hill Avenue. Turn south onto Hill (left) and drive south to E. California Blvd. Make a right (west) on E. California Blvd and drive for 0.3 miles. Turn left (south) before the Cahill building (you should see the tennis courts on your left). Proceed to Caltech's Parking Structure #3 (under the softball field) and park in an unmarked spot. Buy a parking permit from the kiosk located inside the Parking Structure.

Shuttle service:

To get a shuttle, exit the baggage claim area and look for the ORANGE overhead "SHARED RIDE VANS" sign. Tell the driver you are going to Caltech - Robert A. Millikan Memorial Library building #32. Alternatively, you can provide the driver with the Super Shuttle Drop-off Location Stop #4 California Blvd./S. Arms Lab. Please visit SuperShuttle Ontario (ONT) Airport Shuttle Service for more details.

Public Transportation:

It is not advised to take public transportation from Ontario to Pasadena.