Best Time to Drive from Bakersfield to Irvine

Right now (9:37 pm PST): about 144 minutes via I-5 South, usually 139 at this time.

Only 36% of this drive is measured by working traffic sensors right now. The rest is estimated from nearby sensors, typical speeds and street traffic, so times can be off. Why so few sensors work.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from Bakersfield to Irvine by day and time you leave (local time)
Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	166	180	170	156	156	155	156	155	165	174	180	171	162	149	147	144	139
Tue	186	201	190	167	157	156	155	158	171	185	191	178	167	153	146	142	137
Wed	165	185	182	169	158	156	155	158	165	174	180	170	162	153	148	142	138
Thu	173	194	178	164	161	160	161	162	176	182	187	181	168	151	148	144	138
Fri	158	171	166	159	158	160	166	177	183	182	183	182	164	154	149	141	139
Sat	140	143	146	150	154	157	160	162	161	160	157	158	153	150	146	138	139
Sun	137	138	139	141	144	150	154	155	157	156	156	154	158	155	150	141	136

About this drive

On weekdays the 153-mile drive from Bakersfield to Irvine (via I-5 South) usually takes as little as 137 minutes and up to 201 minutes, when leaving around 6 am on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 168 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12:30 pm on Saturdays (163 minutes).

About 132 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 21 miles surface streets (3 to 4 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Bakersfield to central Irvine along the route on the map. Starting or ending elsewhere in a big city can add or save several minutes.

Simulated from typical freeway speeds at each point of the drive for the time you would reach it, from every 5-minute reading we have recorded. We don't have sensors on surface streets yet, so the time on them is estimated from how congested the freeways around each end of the drive are at that time, in both directions: streets jam when the freeways do.

Questions

What is the best time to drive from Bakersfield to Irvine?

On weekdays, leave after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 137 minutes then, versus up to 201 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Bakersfield to Irvine?

The 153-mile drive usually takes 137 to 201 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 168 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Bakersfield to Irvine?

Leaving around 6 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 201 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in Los Angeles (64 miles) · I-5 South in Orange County (17 miles) · SR-99 South in Bakersfield (13 miles) · SR-55 South in Orange County (4 miles) · I-405 South in Orange County (3 miles)

Bakersfield traffic right now · Bakersfield traffic tomorrow · Orange County traffic right now · Orange County traffic tomorrow

More drives

Bakersfield to Los Angeles · Bakersfield to Santa Clarita · Bakersfield to Valencia · Bakersfield to Inglewood · Bakersfield to Indio · Bakersfield to Visalia · Bakersfield to Tulare · Bakersfield to Delano · Bakersfield to Wasco · Bakersfield to Corcoran · Bakersfield to Arvin · Bakersfield to Castaic

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	166	180	170	156	156	155	156	155	165	174	180	171	162	149	147	144	139
Tue	186	201	190	167	157	156	155	158	171	185	191	178	167	153	146	142	137
Wed	165	185	182	169	158	156	155	158	165	174	180	170	162	153	148	142	138
Thu	173	194	178	164	161	160	161	162	176	182	187	181	168	151	148	144	138
Fri	158	171	166	159	158	160	166	177	183	182	183	182	164	154	149	141	139
Sat	140	143	146	150	154	157	160	162	161	160	157	158	153	150	146	138	139
Sun	137	138	139	141	144	150	154	155	157	156	156	154	158	155	150	141	136

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	166	180	170	156	156	155	156	155	165	174	180	171	162	149	147	144	139
Tue	186	201	190	167	157	156	155	158	171	185	191	178	167	153	146	142	137
Wed	165	185	182	169	158	156	155	158	165	174	180	170	162	153	148	142	138
Thu	173	194	178	164	161	160	161	162	176	182	187	181	168	151	148	144	138
Fri	158	171	166	159	158	160	166	177	183	182	183	182	164	154	149	141	139
Sat	140	143	146	150	154	157	160	162	161	160	157	158	153	150	146	138	139
Sun	137	138	139	141	144	150	154	155	157	156	156	154	158	155	150	141	136

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	166	180	170	156	156	155	156	155	165	174	180	171	162	149	147	144	139
Tue	186	201	190	167	157	156	155	158	171	185	191	178	167	153	146	142	137
Wed	165	185	182	169	158	156	155	158	165	174	180	170	162	153	148	142	138
Thu	173	194	178	164	161	160	161	162	176	182	187	181	168	151	148	144	138
Fri	158	171	166	159	158	160	166	177	183	182	183	182	164	154	149	141	139
Sat	140	143	146	150	154	157	160	162	161	160	157	158	153	150	146	138	139
Sun	137	138	139	141	144	150	154	155	157	156	156	154	158	155	150	141	136