Las Vegas - los Angeles to Las vegas - best way

Can anyone help - what is the best way from los Angeles to Vegas - I could hire a car - which is best route - or does anyone have info on a train link?? Thanks

There are many cheap flights from the LA-area airports to Vegas. For example, Southwest has a $29 one-way fare posted right now. A non-restricted walk-up fare should still be under $100.

Unfortunately, there is no direct passenger rail connection anymore. You can download the "Southwest Chief" timetable from Amtrak, which shows a Greyhound Bus connection (I'm sure there are more), as well as an overnight train-bus option via Needles, Calif. Neither of these options strike me as very appealing.

http://www.amtrak.com/trains/timetable/p3.pdf

I have driven from LA to LAS many times after work on a Friday night when working in OC. It takes about 3 hours and it easy. I cant rember the route numbers but just fo east out of LA towards Barstow and onwards to LAS. The route is quite interesting if its your first trip but can be very hot during the day.

Use www.mapquest.com (http://www.mapquest.com) to get detailed direction.

Interstate 15 connects the Los Angeles area to Las Vegas. While I-15 goes right through Las Vegas, it runs about 40 miles east of Downtown Los Angeles, so you need to take a connector freeway to the 15 (SR210, I-10, SR-60 and SR-91 all connect to the 15).

With little or no traffic, you can make the drive in about three hours. However, you need to take into account rush hour traffic out of LA, which can get bad on Friday evenings - even worse on holiday weekends or when there is a large event in Las Vegas (like this weekend's Oscar De La Hoya boxing match). About a month ago, I left LA at about 3 p.m. on a Friday and it took me about five hours to reach Las Vegas without stopping. The longest drive I had back was a Sunday after Thanksgiving - we left at 2 p.m. and reached LA at about 10:30 p.m.

There is also an ongoing road construction effort on a large portion of the freeway which may add some driving time as well.

This has been discussed many times.

I think its a great drive, especially in the summer. It isn't often that you feel heat like you feel on the trip.

See these threads for more:

http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/Forum5/HTML/000106.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/Forum5/HTML/000060.html


[This message has been edited by skofarrell (edited 05-02-2003).]

Where are you going to be in LA? If you are in the northern part of it (San Fernando Valley) it might be easier to take the "Pearblossom Highway" route. Much more scenic then the "usual" route from LA.

Interstate 5 to Hwy 14, east near Palmdale on Hwy 138 to Hwy 18 until you hit Victorville. There you pick up Interstate 15 to Barstow and Vegas. (doing this from memory, someone correct me if I've used a wrong highway number, please)

[This message has been edited by Craig6z (edited 05-02-2003).]

Expect a 6-hour drive Friday afternoons, especially with construction going on.

QL

I drove to vegas 2x last month from LA. There is a TON of consruction along I-15. Made a 4 1/2 hr trip take 6 1/2. I will not drive to Vegas again until all this construction is completed in 2 years. I usually fly to LV since I live so close to LAX.

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AA PLT, UA PremEx, HH Diamond, SPG Platinum

Southwest.

JP

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by j379pa:
Southwest.

JP</font>

Southwest http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/thumbsup.gif

I prefer Jet Blue to Southwest.

Hawaiian also flies this route. It's kind of cool - a widebody and guava juice for your one hour flight. They charge about $40.

You could also fly America West, American, Delta, or (if they're still in business) United. They should all be the same price as Southwest.

QL

Why gamble with a ticket on United?

Ooops. Sorry. Forgot which forum I was in.

http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/wink.gif

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by PremEx:
Why gamble with a ticket on United?

Ooops. Sorry. Forgot which forum I was in.

http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/wink.gif</font>

Funny guy http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/smile.gif

Tell you what, if you ever lay your UAL ticket on the line in roulette, better place it IN THE RED...

Drive it... this is a drive that you have to have done once in your lifetime... try to get to Vegas when its completely dark... seeing the city pop up in the middle of complete darkness is a real treat.