What is the cheapest way to get from San Francisco to Los Angeles?

The bus is usually the cheapest ticket ($20–$50) but takes 8–9 hours. A carpool ($40–$55 per seat) is close on price and far faster at about 6 hours door-to-door, and drops you closer to where you're actually going. Flying is fastest in the air but $60–$150 plus airport time and bag fees. Driving solo costs $50–$70 in gas alone before wear and parking.

Is it cheaper to fly or drive from SF to LA?

Driving solo (~$50–$70 gas) is often cheaper than a flight ($60–$150 all-in with bags and airport transport) if you're going alone, and much cheaper split across a carpool. Flying only wins on cost when you catch a cheap fare and value the shorter in-air time.

How long does it take to get from San Francisco to Los Angeles?

Driving or carpooling is about 6 hours (roughly 380 miles via I-5). Flying is ~1.5 hours in the air but 4–5 hours door-to-door once you add airport time. The bus is 8–9 hours; Amtrak has no fast direct route and takes 11+ hours.

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The cheapest way to get from Los Angeles to Las Vegas (2026)

Updated August 2026 · ~270 miles · about 4 to 4.5 hours by road

About 270 miles of desert on the I-15, and one of the busiest weekend corridors in the country. There's no train — despite decades of promises — so it comes down to bus, plane, driving, or splitting a car with someone already making the run.

Quick comparison

Option	All-in cost	Door-to-door time	Best for
Carpool (Seat Sherpa)	$35–$50 / seat	~4–4.5 hrs	Cheap, direct, dropped on the Strip
Bus (FlixBus / Greyhound)	$20–$60	5–6 hrs	Lowest ticket midweek
Drive solo	~$43 gas + parking	~4–4.5 hrs	Total flexibility, whole cost on you
Fly	$50–$150 + bags	3.5–4.5 hrs	Only with a cheap midweek fare
Train	Not available	—	There is no direct Amtrak LA–Vegas

Third-party fares change constantly — these are ranges checked August 2026, and we link to each operator rather than quote a number we haven't verified. Seat Sherpa prices are live seat prices from our own marketplace.

There is no train — really

People search for this constantly, so to be clear: there is no direct passenger rail between Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Amtrak routings involve a bus connection through Bakersfield or beyond and take most of a day. A high-speed line has been discussed and partly funded for years; it isn't something you can ride today.

The bus: cheapest midweek, brutal on Sunday

FlixBus and Greyhound run this corridor frequently, often $20–$40 midweek and considerably more on peak weekends. Scheduled at 5–6 hours, but the Sunday-afternoon return into LA is famously slow — the I-15 backs up for miles and the bus sits in it with everyone else.

Flying: fast in the air, rarely worth it

LAX/BUR to LAS is about an hour, with fares from roughly $50 midweek. Add the airport ritual on both ends and a ride from Harry Reid to your hotel and you're at 3.5–4.5 hours door to door — barely better than driving, for more money, unless you catch a genuinely cheap fare and travel light.

Driving: the default, and the one to split

~270 miles, about four hours without traffic, roughly $43 of fuel each way. This is how most people go, which is exactly why it's the best corridor to share: those cars are already leaving, mostly with empty seats, on the same Friday and returning the same Sunday.

🚗 The sweet spot: carpool

Weekend trips to Vegas are the ideal carpool: everyone's leaving at the same time, going to the same place. A seat with someone already driving runs $35–$50 — usually under a weekend bus ticket and far under a last-minute flight — takes the same four hours as driving, and gets you dropped at your hotel instead of an airport taxi line. Prices are capped at the IRS mileage rate, so it's a real cost split.

See LA → Las Vegas rides

So which is cheapest?

Midweek, a cheap bus ticket or a bargain flight can be lowest. For the weekend trip most people are actually taking, a carpool is the best value on the corridor: cheaper than peak-weekend buses and flights, as fast as driving, and it puts you on the Strip instead of at an airport. And no, you can't take the train.

FAQ

What is the cheapest way to get from LA to Las Vegas?

Midweek, a bus ticket ($20–$40) is usually the lowest. On weekends, when bus and flight prices spike, a carpool seat ($35–$50) is typically the best value and much faster than the bus.

Is there a train from Los Angeles to Las Vegas?

No. There is no direct passenger rail between LA and Las Vegas. Amtrak options require a bus connection and take most of a day. A high-speed rail line has been proposed for years but is not operating.

How long does it take to drive from LA to Las Vegas?

About 4 to 4.5 hours for roughly 270 miles on the I-15 — but Friday evenings out and Sunday afternoons back can add hours of traffic.

Is it cheaper to fly or drive to Vegas from LA?

Driving costs about $43 of fuel each way, so a solo flight is often comparable and a carpooled car is cheaper. Flying wins only on a cheap midweek fare without checked bags.

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