In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · United States
Universal City
Go for one day if you want the studio tram and one or two rides; stay 2 nights only if you add CityWalk and a studio taping nearby.
Universal City is a single-purpose stop in the San Fernando Valley: the world's largest working film studio plus Universal Studios Hollywood and the CityWalk strip beside it. Almost everything is walkable from the two on-site hotels or a 10-15 min uphill walk from the Metro Red Line station. One full park day covers the tram tour and the headline rides; a second night only pays off if you pair it with Studio City, Burbank or Hollywood.
- Country
- United States
- Best months
- Mar-May, Sep-Nov (midweek)
- Avoid
- Jul-Aug, Thanksgiving week, late Dec, Halloween Horror Nights nights
- Stay
- 1-2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget $120-180 excl. bed · Mid $180-300 excl. bed · High $300+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee or soft drink in the park | $4-7 |
| Theme-park burger or chicken plate | $15-22 |
| Three Broomsticks English breakfast with a 12-oz drink | about $13 |
| Great Feast, family-sized, serves 4 | about $67 |
| Lard Lad giant donut | about $6 |
| Butterbeer or Duff beer | $8-15 |
| CityWalk sit-down dinner, per person | $25-45 |
| Rideshare, Universal City to Hollywood | $15-30 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- BUR · Hollywood Burbank (Bob Hope)
- About 4 mi north; short taxi or rideshare hop, no freeway needed.
- LAX · Los Angeles International
- About a 45-min drive in normal traffic; allow 60-90 min at peak.
Typical fares
- Metro Red Line, Universal City to Hollywood
- about $1.75, 15-20 min
- Park shuttle, station to gate
- free, about 5 min; walking takes 10-15 min
- Theme-park parking
- minimum $32 before 5PM, $10 after 5PM
- Rideshare, BUR airport to Universal City
- $15-25, about 10-15 min
Get around
The area is small enough to walk: park, CityWalk and both hotels sit within about 15 min of each other. Metro Red Line stops at Universal City/Studio City station on Lankershim Blvd; a free park shuttle runs from the station up the hill, or walk it in 10-15 min via the pedestrian overpass. A bus hub across from the station links to Valley routes. Driving in means the 101 (Universal City exit) or the 134 (Cahuenga or Lankershim, then south).
See and do
Known for
- Universal Studios Hollywood
- Studio Tram Tour
- Universal CityWalk
- Working film studio backlot
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Hollywood | Metro Red Line from Universal City/Studio City to Hollywood/Highland, or the 101 south | About 25-35 min |
| Burbank | Metro bus or a short drive over the hill; BUR airport is here too | About 20-30 min |
| Studio City | One Red Line stop, or a 10-min drive down Ventura Blvd | About 10-15 min |
| Glendale | Drive via the 134, or bus connections from the Valley hub | About 25-35 min |
| Van Nuys | Metro bus routes from the Universal City hub | About 30-45 min |
| North Hollywood | Red Line to North Hollywood terminus | About 10 min |
Sleep
- On-property (Hilton and Sheraton)
- Walk to the park gate and CityWalk in under 10 min; highest rates, no parking needed.
- Studio City / Ventura Blvd
- One Red Line stop or a short drive; cheaper rooms and real neighbourhood restaurants.
- North Hollywood (NoHo)
- Red Line terminus, 2 stops away; budget motels and easy metro access.
- Burbank
- Closest to BUR airport; good for a one-night stop before an early flight.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Where is the tram tour entrance? | Where is the tram tour entrance? |
| How long is the wait for this ride? | How long is the wait for this ride? |
| One adult ticket, please | One adult ticket, please |
| Can I pay by card? | Can I pay by card? |
| Where is the nearest restroom? | Where is the nearest restroom? |
| Is there a locker for this bag? | Is there a locker for this bag? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- Parking is tiered: general is a minimum $32 before 5PM and $10 after 5PM, more the closer you park to the gate.
- Peak dates (summer, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Halloween Horror Nights) push most ride waits past an hour.
- Off-peak visits mean shorter park hours and possible ride refurbishments: check the official calendar before you book.
- Express Pass is sold as an add-on of roughly $100 and works once per ride, not unlimited.
- Studio areas beyond the tram route are closed to the public; do not expect to wander the backlot.
Very safe for a theme-park district; the real risks are heat and dehydration in Jul-Sep, long unshaded queues, and traffic on the 101 and 134 at rush hour. Keep bags zipped in dense CityWalk crowds.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Universal City yet. Suggested stay: 1-2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Universal Studios Hollywood
- Studio Tram Tour
- Universal CityWalk
- Working film studio backlot
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Universal Studios Hollywood official site: www.universalstudioshollywood.com/
- Universal CityWalk Hollywood: www.citywalkhollywood.com/
- LA Metro: www.metro.net/
- Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR): www.hollywoodburbankairport.com/
- Wikivoyage: Universal City, revision 5327929 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5327929
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Universal City
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
No embassies here; consulates-general sit in Los Angeles, about 30-45 min south. Check your own country's Los Angeles consulate before you travel.
Tipping is expected: 18-22% at sit-down restaurants, $1-2 a drink, 15-20% for taxis and rideshares.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/universal-city). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.