Traffic Predict
Bakersfield to Los Angeles: Thanksgiving Traffic 2026
On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving (November 25), the drive from Bakersfield to Los Angeles is longest leaving around 1:30 pm: about 143 minutes, about the same as a normal Wednesday. Leave around 9 am (131 minutes) or 9 pm (125 minutes) instead. Coming back on Sunday, November 29, the slowest time to leave is around 7 pm (134 minutes); around 7 am it takes 125 minutes.
Day by day
- Tuesday, November 24: fastest leaving around 8 pm (132 minutes), slowest around 4:30 pm (159 minutes, about like a normal Tuesday).
- Wednesday, November 25: fastest leaving around 8 pm (125 minutes), slowest around 1:30 pm (143 minutes, about like a normal Wednesday).
- Thursday, November 26: fastest leaving around 7:30 am (120 minutes), slowest around 6 pm (145 minutes, 9 minutes less than a normal Thursday).
- Friday, November 27: fastest leaving around 6:30 am (122 minutes), slowest around 3:30 pm (145 minutes, 18 minutes less than a normal Friday).
- Saturday, November 28: fastest leaving around 8 am (126 minutes), slowest around 3 pm (135 minutes, about like a normal Saturday).
- Sunday, November 29: fastest leaving around 7 am (125 minutes), slowest around 7 pm (134 minutes, about like a normal Sunday).
Drive time by departure
| Leave | 5am | 6am | 7am | 8am | 9am | 10am | 11am | 12pm | 1pm | 2pm | 3pm | 4pm | 5pm | 6pm | 7pm | 8pm | 9pm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue Nov 24 | 146 | 153 | 143 | 138 | 136 | 138 | 137 | 136 | 137 | 142 | 146 | 149 | 159 | 137 | 136 | 132 | 128 |
| Wed Nov 25 | 129 | 133 | 138 | 132 | 131 | 135 | 135 | 135 | 139 | 143 | 136 | 138 | 140 | 128 | 130 | 125 | 125 |
| Thu Nov 26 | 137 | 136 | 127 | 121 | 122 | 123 | 123 | 125 | 124 | 124 | 123 | 122 | 143 | 145 | 136 | 133 | 127 |
| Fri Nov 27 | 125 | 124 | 123 | 124 | 127 | 131 | 126 | 124 | 131 | 126 | 129 | 145 | 138 | 125 | 128 | 125 | 125 |
| Sat Nov 28 | 127 | 127 | 126 | 126 | 127 | 127 | 130 | 131 | 132 | 132 | 135 | 130 | 127 | 128 | 129 | 128 | 127 |
| Sun Nov 29 | 126 | 126 | 125 | 127 | 127 | 127 | 130 | 128 | 130 | 131 | 130 | 129 | 131 | 131 | 134 | 129 | 127 |
Minutes for the 112-mile drive, streets included (hover a cell for a normal day). Estimated from this trip's typical speeds and how much each freeway on it sped up or slowed down on past Thanksgivings (2016 onward, leaving out 2020), hour by hour. A crash or storm can change any single day.
Bakersfield to Los Angeles on a normal day →
Thanksgiving traffic across California · Traffic estimator
Questions
What is the worst time to drive from Bakersfield to Los Angeles for Thanksgiving?
On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving (November 25), the drive from Bakersfield to Los Angeles is longest leaving around 1:30 pm: about 143 minutes, about the same as a normal Wednesday. Leave around 9 am (131 minutes) or 9 pm (125 minutes) instead. Coming back on Sunday, November 29, the slowest time to leave is around 7 pm (134 minutes); around 7 am it takes 125 minutes.
How long does the drive from Bakersfield to Los Angeles take over Thanksgiving?
Tuesday, November 24: fastest leaving around 8 pm (132 minutes), slowest around 4:30 pm (159 minutes, about like a normal Tuesday). Wednesday, November 25: fastest leaving around 8 pm (125 minutes), slowest around 1:30 pm (143 minutes, about like a normal Wednesday). Thursday, November 26: fastest leaving around 7:30 am (120 minutes), slowest around 6 pm (145 minutes, 9 minutes less than a normal Thursday). Friday, November 27: fastest leaving around 6:30 am (122 minutes), slowest around 3:30 pm (145 minutes, 18 minutes less than a normal Friday). Saturday, November 28: fastest leaving around 8 am (126 minutes), slowest around 3 pm (135 minutes, about like a normal Saturday). Sunday, November 29: fastest leaving around 7 am (125 minutes), slowest around 7 pm (134 minutes, about like a normal Sunday).