LAS VEGA TO LA TRAFFIC NEW YEARS EVE
 

On December 31st I'm planning to drive from Vegas to LA.How bad will traffic be?
I've heard that the other way trip will be pretty bad. But how about my plan will I be ok/

Vegas is a big New Year destination. I would guess the traffic would be in your favor.

Is this with a rental car and are you planning on returning to Las Vegas sometime later?

Even headed to Vegas it shouldn't be too bad. Most hotels have a 3 night minimum for the weekend so people will be getting there on Fri and Sat, not so much checking in on Sunday.

Sunday traffic is usually on the lighter side when Monday is a holiday so you should not have any problems unless a big smash-up or some gnarly weather pops up.

It is hell.

@tomfuller Yes it will be on a rental car.

@logandog @DebbieDoesDulles Yes that's what I believe too! It should be ok..

@MoonFish Do you think so?

All it takes is one accident, and Interstate 15 can become a hell that lasts for several hours. There is already a lot of traffic on that route around the holidays, so the repercussions of any event are huge. Even something that happens in the lanes going in the opposite direction will have some impact on the traffic speed on the other side of the highway.

You also have to think about the traffic at the other end of your drive. Depending on your final destination, you could encounter increasing traffic in L.A. as the afternoon goes on. I'd leave LV as early as possible. Sunrise is just before 7:00a that day, and I'd be on the road by 7:30a.

The #8535 Amtrak Thruway bus leaves the Las Vegas Greyhound station at 7:50AM and is scheduled to Los Angeles Union Station at 1:10PM. The cost is $48 per adult 15-61.
I think the Las Vegas car rental people hate those who drop their cars in California.

Unless this is a one-way car rental with a huge surcharge, I don't see how the Amtrak bus makes sense in this scenario. The bus would drive the same route and be subject to the same traffic delays. The OP would have to get from Union Station to the final destination and presumably would want a car while in L.A. Car rental options at Union Station are limited to Hertz, Avis and Budget.

It must frustrate Tom that he can't suggest they take an Amtrak train from LV to LA.
It shouldn't be too bad, also many businesses close for the week between CHristmas and New Years' so rush hour is pretty light that week.

I've driven LA-LV and back many times, and I'm going to throw my weight behind leaving Vegas as early as you can. And plan on there being more traffic than you'd imagine-- consisting of Angelenos slinking back after losing their shirts in the casinos and/or rushing back for NYE festivities back home. If you're heading anywhere west of, say, Pomona, congestion will be guaranteed; I'm lucky in that I bypass LA to get home to Long Beach, but back when I was teaching at UCLA I braved this trip a few times....

I'd personally rather fly. But as usual, YMMV. Plan on bathroom breaks and maybe a stop in Yermo or Baker for lunch. And have fun!

>>I'd personally rather fly. <<

Me too . . .

>>The #8535 Amtrak Thruway bus<<

Oh come ON tom(!) You can't push an Amtrak <i>train</i> so you recommend an Amtrak </i>Bus</i>?

They really really do need to put you on the payroll.

I did fly from Las Vegas to LAX on January 1 2009 to catch a connecting flight to Orlando.
If you really want to go to Los Angeles for NYE, fly or take the bus rather than doing a one way rental.
DW and I are taking Amtrak to Newhall CA for Thanksgiving. This includes train to SAC, bus SAC to Stockton, San Joaquin train Stockton to Bakersfield and a bus to Newhall.
Renting a car from Enterprise earns me 300 AGR points/day.
Believe it or not, there once was an Amtrak route from SLC to LAX with a stop in Las Vegas Nevada.
There is an Amtrak train that stops in Las Vegas New Mexico.

"I think the Las Vegas car rental people hate those who drop their cars in California."

If that were true they'd probably be charging a lot more than 70 bucks for a one-way rental over a busy holiday weekend.


Look, if New Years Eve were on a Wednesday and everyone were working that day then rushing off to wherever for the 4-day weekend, you'd have a problem. On the Sunday of a long weekend there will not be particularly heavy traffic to deal with. Obviously if you have a flight to catch or something, you have to allow extra time in case of a freeway incident, just like on any other day.

I am driving to LA from Las Vegas on New Year's Eve too. I was thinking of leaving at noon since I thought I would be traveling against traffic. Now I'm not sure. OP, what have you decided to do?

Also, I am leaving Los Angeles to Las Vegas on Friday 12/29 at 8AM. Do you think there will be issues even at this time. I have a morning commitment beforehand so this is the earliest I could leave.

Based on experience, I have 1 absolute rule. NEVER GO ANYWHERE NEAR LV ON ANY HOLIDAY WEEKEND. Ever.