California Megabus: How long does it take to get from Sacramento to Los Angeles?
READ MORE
Summer 2023: What’s on your California travel list?
Here are stories to help you plan your summer trips from Sacramento.
Expand All
Megabus is back in California with low-cost tickets between major cities — but cheap fare comes at a cost.
Your time.
The North American bus service announced its return to the Golden State earlier this month. It had shutdown its services in Los Angeles in 2008, citing low ridership, and its Sacramento to Reno route in 2018 as the company rethought its routes.
The newest plan for California includes three trips a day between Anaheim, Los Angeles, Bakersfield, Fresno, San Francisco, Oakland and Sacramento, according to a news release from Megabus.
How long does it take to get from Sacramento to Los Angeles on Megabus?
The 385-mile drive from the capital to the City of Angels varies in time, depending on when you hit the road.
There are three times available to choose from, which determine the length of your trip. Below are the times available, according to Megabus.
- Leaving Sacramento at 3:05 a.m. will get you to Los Angeles at 2:05 p.m. The trip takes a total of 11 hours.
- Leaving Sacramento at 10:05 a.m. will get you to Los Angeles at 9:50 p.m. This trip is the longest at 11 hours and 45 minutes.
- Leaving Sacramento at 7 p.m. will get you to Los Angeles at 5:50 a.m. This overnight trip is the shortest and takes 10 hours and 50 minutes.
If you drive yourself, taking Interstate 5 from downtown Sacramento, the trip typically takes about six hours, depending on traffic.
The transportation company advertises cheap tickets, but the final cost depends on several factors: when you book, where you go and when you leave.
If you are able to snag a $1 ticket (plus fees and booking in advance) you may save significantly on gas money. But bus tickets for May start at nearly $70 to Los Angeles, and the return trip varies depending on the date.
You can find the Megabus stop at the Pony Express Statue at 999 Second St. near the Old Sacramento Waterfront. The Los Angeles stop is at the El Monte Station — about a 30 minute drive from downtown.
The trip to Anaheim can take up to 12 hours and 30 minutes. The ride to San Francisco is about 2 hours.
How cheap are Megabus tickets, really?
Trips can be as low as $1 one way depending on when you book. The further in advance you book, the more likely you are to get a cheaper seat.
For the month of May, tickets from Sacramento to Los Angeles are starting at $69.99 one way. It’s important to note that trips are shown without taxes, according to Megabus.
A transactional fee of $3.99 is also added and you’ll have the option to reserve a seat for more money down.
Megabus’ Fair Finder helps costumers compare prices and plan trips based costs and you can book your ticket online through the website.
On Monday, the site was advertising roundtrip weekend trips to Oakland from Sacramento in June from $2, plus the nearly $4 fee. Tickets to Fresno for the weekend could start as high as $100.
This story was originally published May 16, 2023 at 12:45 PM with the headline "California Megabus: How long does it take to get from Sacramento to Los Angeles?."
