Best Time to Drive from Los Angeles to Bakersfield

On weekdays the 112-mile drive from Los Angeles to Bakersfield (via I-5 North and SR-99 North) usually takes as little as 126 minutes and up to 181 minutes, when leaving around 2:30 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 7:30 am or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 143 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3:30 pm on Saturdays (150 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: Bakersfield to Los Angeles

Freeway, about 67 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 45 miles: 66 to 99 minutes on weekdays, estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time (we don't have street sensors yet). Drive times are measured from Downtown LA (City Hall) (West 1st Street) to central Bakersfield (Truxtun Avenue) along the route shown. Starting or ending elsewhere in a big city can add or save several minutes.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from Los Angeles to Bakersfield 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	126	130	138	145	140	138	137	136	138	144	154	158	160	149	135	129	127
Tue	126	131	140	147	144	140	137	137	140	148	158	162	163	153	139	128	126
Wed	126	131	140	146	144	139	138	137	139	150	162	165	167	157	143	130	126
Thu	126	131	139	147	144	139	138	139	142	156	165	172	169	158	144	131	126
Fri	127	131	136	145	140	138	140	146	154	174	180	172	166	155	140	130	126
Sat	126	127	127	128	129	132	135	138	142	145	148	148	144	136	129	128	126
Sun	126	126	126	126	127	128	130	132	135	137	137	136	132	130	130	130	126

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 Los Angeles to Bakersfield?

On weekdays, leave before 7:30 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 126 minutes then, versus up to 181 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Los Angeles to Bakersfield?

The 112-mile drive usually takes 126 to 181 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 143 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Los Angeles to Bakersfield?

Leaving around 2:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 181 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

More drives

Bakersfield to Los Angeles (return trip) · Los Angeles to Santa Monica · Los Angeles to Long Beach · Los Angeles to West Covina · Los Angeles to Burbank · Los Angeles to Glendale · Los Angeles to Santa Clarita · Los Angeles to Van Nuys · Los Angeles to Torrance · Los Angeles to Hollywood · Los Angeles to Culver City · Los Angeles to El Monte

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	126	130	138	145	140	138	137	136	138	144	154	158	160	149	135	129	127
Tue	126	131	140	147	144	140	137	137	140	148	158	162	163	153	139	128	126
Wed	126	131	140	146	144	139	138	137	139	150	162	165	167	157	143	130	126
Thu	126	131	139	147	144	139	138	139	142	156	165	172	169	158	144	131	126
Fri	127	131	136	145	140	138	140	146	154	174	180	172	166	155	140	130	126
Sat	126	127	127	128	129	132	135	138	142	145	148	148	144	136	129	128	126
Sun	126	126	126	126	127	128	130	132	135	137	137	136	132	130	130	130	126

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	126	130	138	145	140	138	137	136	138	144	154	158	160	149	135	129	127
Tue	126	131	140	147	144	140	137	137	140	148	158	162	163	153	139	128	126
Wed	126	131	140	146	144	139	138	137	139	150	162	165	167	157	143	130	126
Thu	126	131	139	147	144	139	138	139	142	156	165	172	169	158	144	131	126
Fri	127	131	136	145	140	138	140	146	154	174	180	172	166	155	140	130	126
Sat	126	127	127	128	129	132	135	138	142	145	148	148	144	136	129	128	126
Sun	126	126	126	126	127	128	130	132	135	137	137	136	132	130	130	130	126

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	126	130	138	145	140	138	137	136	138	144	154	158	160	149	135	129	127
Tue	126	131	140	147	144	140	137	137	140	148	158	162	163	153	139	128	126
Wed	126	131	140	146	144	139	138	137	139	150	162	165	167	157	143	130	126
Thu	126	131	139	147	144	139	138	139	142	156	165	172	169	158	144	131	126
Fri	127	131	136	145	140	138	140	146	154	174	180	172	166	155	140	130	126
Sat	126	127	127	128	129	132	135	138	142	145	148	148	144	136	129	128	126
Sun	126	126	126	126	127	128	130	132	135	137	137	136	132	130	130	130	126