City to City
Los Angeles to Las Vegas: The Drive, the Bus and the Flight
Interstate 15 covers this route in four hours on a good day and seven on a bad one, and knowing which day you have is most of the skill.
Route at a glance
- From
- Los Angeles
- To
- Las Vegas
- Distance
- About 270 miles
- Typical time
- 4 to 7 hours by road
Comparing your options
Typical characteristics rather than live prices or timetables. Always check the operator on the day you travel.
| Option | Typical journey | Cost character | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Driving | 4 to 7 hours | Fuel plus vehicle cost | Groups and flexibility |
| Intercity coach | 5 to 7 hours | 25 to 70 USD | Solo budget travel |
| Flight | 1h 15m in the air | 60 to 200 USD | Short trips without a car |
| Private car service | 4 to 6 hours | Fixed quote | Groups splitting the cost |
Timing the drive
The route is straightforward: I-15 northeast through Victorville and Barstow, across the Mojave and into Nevada. The problem is everyone else doing the same thing. Friday afternoons out of Los Angeles and Sunday afternoons out of Las Vegas are the worst windows, adding two hours or more.
Leaving before 07:00 or after 20:00 transforms the experience. Midweek travel in either direction is usually smooth.
Stops and desert practicalities
Barstow is the natural halfway point for fuel and food. Beyond it, services thin out. In summer, cabin temperatures and vehicle cooling both matter, so carry water and do not attempt the drive in a marginal car. Mobile coverage is patchy in stretches of the Mojave.
Is the flight worth it
The air time is about seventy minutes, but adding LAX access, security and the transfer from Harry Reid to the Strip usually brings the door to door total to three and a half or four hours. It wins on a bad traffic day and loses on a good one. Without a car in Vegas you will rely on taxis, which is fine on the Strip and limiting elsewhere.
Cost thinking
- Four people in one car makes driving far cheaper than four flights.
- Las Vegas resort parking fees can add 15 to 25 USD per night.
- Coach services drop at central Strip or downtown locations, which is convenient.
- Check rental car one way drop fees, which are often high on this route.
Keep reading
Related guides
New York to Boston: Train, Bus, Car or Plane
Two hundred miles of dense Northeast corridor separate these cities, and the sensible answer is almost never the plane.
London to Paris: Eurostar Versus the Alternatives
This is the route that proved high speed rail beats short haul flying, and the numbers still hold up decisively.
Tokyo to Osaka: Shinkansen, Flight or Night Bus
The Tokaido Shinkansen is the busiest high speed line in the world and makes this 320 mile journey feel routine.
Still deciding which option to take?
Send us your arrival details and what you are travelling with. We will point you to the guidance that fits.