Origin
Lancaster, CA
Late night in Lancaster on Tuesday
Local time
2:13 AM
PDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lancaster, CA to Los Angeles, CA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 25m
Distance
70.8 mi
114 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$16
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 19m
★
6 AM
1h 25m
8 AM
1h 38m
10 AM
1h 30m
12 PM
1h 29m
3 PM
1h 30m
5 PM
1h 38m
8 PM
1h 21m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lancaster, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Los Angeles, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Trip Overview
Driving from Lancaster to Los Angeles is a straightforward 70.8-mile journey that typically takes about 1 hour and 25 minutes. Because this is a compact trip, it is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, meaning you won't need to worry about overnight logistics. You will primarily utilize the Antelope Valley Freeway, the Hollywood Freeway, and the I-5 Truck route to reach your destination. With a fuel budget of approximately $10, it is an affordable way to transition from the high desert environment of the Antelope Valley into the heart of the Pacific Coast region. This route is designed for efficiency, prioritizing speed and directness over leisure stops. It is an ideal path for those looking to move between these two California hubs without unnecessary complications.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Antelope Valley Freeway | 41 mi | 45m |
| Hollywood Freeway | 16.2 mi | 20m |
| I 5 Truck | 5.6 mi | 6m |
| Golden State Freeway | 2.6 mi | 3m |
| 10th Street West | 2 mi | 3m |
| West Avenue J | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Sierra Highway | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| West Avenue L | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Antelope Valley Freeway
— 41 mi, about 45m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lancaster, CA and Los Angeles, CA.
1
Start on US 6 Hist
0.5 mi
·
49 sec
·
Sierra Highway
2
Turn right
311 ft
·
12 sec
3
Turn slight right onto N5
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
West Avenue J
4
Turn left onto 10th Street West
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
10th Street West
5
Turn right onto West Avenue L
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
·
West Avenue L
Use the right lane.
6
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Toward CA 14 South, CA 138 East: Los Angeles
Use the slight right lane.
7
Merge onto CA 14; CA 138
40 mi
·
44 min
·
Antelope Valley Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto CA 14
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Antelope Valley Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
36 sec
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Merge onto I 5
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck
0.3 mi
·
17 sec
·
I 5 Truck
Exit 158
Toward I 405 South
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5 Truck
5.3 mi
·
6 min
·
I 5 Truck
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
32 sec
Exit 153B
Toward CA 170 South: Hollywood
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Continue on CA 170
16 mi
·
20 min
·
Hollywood Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
Exit 2C
Toward Broadway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Continue on West Aliso Street
409 ft
·
18 sec
·
West Aliso Street
Use the straight lane.
17
Turn right onto North Spring Street
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
·
North Spring Street
Use the right lane.
18
Turn left onto West 1st Street
354 ft
·
12 sec
·
West 1st Street
Use the left lane.
19
Arrive at destination
West 1st Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
35 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 16 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 35.4 miles from Lancaster, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 155 decision points cluster between mile 48 and 70.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
48 mi into trip
|
~56m in
|
I 5 Truck
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck toward I 405 South
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 158
Toward I 405 South
7
53.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 2m in
Take the exit toward CA 170 South: Hollywood
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 153B
Toward CA 170 South: Hollywood
7
70.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 23m in
Take the exit toward Broadway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 2C
Toward Broadway
7
70.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 24m in
|
North Spring Street
Turn right onto North Spring Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
7
70.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 25m in
|
West 1st Street
Turn left onto West 1st Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$16.27 one way
$32.55 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
25 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $16.77 | $33.54 |
| premium | $6.18 | $17.22 | $34.44 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $15.63 | $31.26 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$16
Estimated CO2 emission: 24.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 21.2 | 0 | $7.43 | $3.40 |
| Efficient EV | 17.7 | 0 | $6.19 | $2.83 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 28.3 | 0 | $9.91 | $4.53 |
Gas CO2
25 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (68% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Los Angeles, CA
Late night in Los Angeles on Tuesday
Local time
2:13 AM
PDT
Current temp
84°F
Sunny
S 5 to 10 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
38 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 25m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a high-speed, highway-focused experience, as 92% of this trip is spent on major thoroughfares. You will spend a significant portion of your time on the Antelope Valley Freeway, which features the longest uninterrupted stretch of the drive at 41 miles. The road’s personality is defined by consistent momentum rather than technical turns or winding backroads. As you transition from the outskirts of Lancaster toward the dense infrastructure of Los Angeles, the character of the pavement shifts from open freeway lanes to more complex urban freeway interchanges. Staying alert is essential, as the high highway share keeps traffic moving quickly for the duration of your 70.8-mile commute.
92% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 41 mi on Antelope Valley Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Antelope Valley Freeway and Hollywood Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 48 miles in near I 5 Truck.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 70.8 miles you will encounter 15 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 48 miles (I 5 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 53.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 70.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Lancaster, CA
Full guide →Founded 1977
Lancaster is a city in far northern Los Angeles County in Southern California, 8 miles (13 km) from the Kern County line.
Top landmarks
- • Antelope Valley Indian Museum State Historic Park — state historic park in California, USA
- • Western Hotel — building in Lancaster, California, United States
Arriving in Los Angeles, CA
Full guide →“Tinseltown” · Founded 1781
Frank Lloyd Wright is said to have quipped, "Tip the world over on its side and everything loose will land in Los Angeles," a quote that has since been repeated both by those who love and hate L.A. The "City of Angels" is home to people who hail from all parts of the globe and an important center of culture, business, media, and international trade. However, it's most famous for being a major center of the world's television, motion picture, and music industry, which forms the base of the city's status and lures visitors for its show business history and celebrity culture. Visitors are also drawn to Los Angeles for its Mediterranean climate and numerous beaches, which gave birth to California's famed surf culture.
Top landmarks
- • Hollywood Walk of Fame — more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks...
- • Hollywood Sign — sign reading "HOLLYWOOD" located in Los Angeles, California, United States
- • Getty Center — campus of the Getty Museum and other programs of the Getty Trust in Los Angeles
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 25m. Total distance: 70.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 25m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (92%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 41 miles on Antelope Valley Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Los Angeles, CA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 48 miles (I 5 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 53.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 70.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Los Angeles, CA before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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