How far is Durham, CA from Bakersfield, CA?

The driving distance from Durham, CA to Bakersfield, CA is about 372.3 miles (599.2 km), with a travel time of about 06h 07m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 332.2 miles (534.7 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 12h 14m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM PDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
372.34 mi
06h 07m
Flight
332.22 mi
534.65 km direct

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Durham.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
332.22 mi
Kilometers
534.65 km
Flight Time
00h 40m

Driving Distance

Road route
372.34 mi
Kilometers
599.22 km
Drive Time
06h 07m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 06h 07m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Bakersfield
Thu, Oct 15, 5:30 PM PDT
Return by in Durham
Thu, Oct 15, 11:37 PM PDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Durham
2026-10-15T11:22
Arrive Bakersfield
Thu, Oct 15, 5:30 PM PDT
Route Timing
06h 07m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM PDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
12:07 PM to 1:37 PM PDT

Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

Leave by
11:46 PM PDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Durham
8:00 PM PDT
Overnight-style route

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Livingston
CA

City in California

From Durham
180.4 mi
03h 03m
To Bakersfield
191.9 mi
03h 03m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
54°F
Overnight

Clear

Starts
Thu, Oct 15 2:00 AM PDT
Wind
6 mph NNW
Destination
86°F
Thursday

Sunny

Starts
Thu, Oct 15 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
0 to 5 mph NNW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Durham and Bakersfield.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Durham and Bakersfield.

  1. 1

    Start on Midway

    22 m · 8 sec · Midway

  2. 2

    Turn left onto Durham-Dayton Highway

    4.5 mi · 8 min · Durham-Dayton Highway

  3. 3

    Take the ramp right

    2010 ft · 26 sec

  4. 4

    Merge slight left

    1.3 mi · 2 min

  5. 5

    Keep slight left to continue on Oroville, Marysville

    5.5 mi · 6 min

  6. 6

    Merge slight right

    19.1 mi · 22 min

  7. 7

    Continue straight

    11.1 mi · 13 min

  8. 8

    Continue straight

    1.5 mi · 3 min

  9. 9

    Turn right onto 5th Street

    1272 ft · 31 sec · 5th Street

  10. 10

    Turn left onto E Street

    4.2 mi · 5 min · E Street

  11. 11

    Keep slight right

    17.5 mi · 20 min

  12. 12

    Merge slight left onto Bernie Richter Memorial Highway

    4.9 mi · 6 min · Bernie Richter Memorial Highway

  13. 13

    Continue on Golden State Highway

    7.7 mi · 9 min · Golden State Highway

  14. 14

    Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway

    6.2 mi · 7 min · Westside Freeway

  15. 15

    Take the exit slight right toward US 50: South Lake Tahoe, San Francisco

    2110 ft · 28 sec

  16. 16

    Keep slight left to continue on US 50 East: Fresno

    1936 ft · 33 sec

  17. 17

    Keep slight left to continue on US 50 East: Fresno

    3077 ft · 1 min

  18. 18

    Merge slight left onto Capital City Freeway

    1.2 mi · 1 min · Capital City Freeway

  19. 19

    Keep slight right to continue on Capital City Freeway

    1383 ft · 18 sec · Capital City Freeway

  20. 20

    Take the exit slight right toward CA 99 South: Fresno

    2281 ft · 34 sec

  21. 21

    Merge slight left onto South Sacramento Freeway

    56.4 mi · 1 hr 5 min · South Sacramento Freeway

  22. 22

    Keep slight left

    109.3 mi · 2 hr 5 min

  23. 23

    Keep slight left

    41 mi · 44 min

  24. 24

    Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Highway

    58.6 mi · 1 hr 3 min · Golden State Highway

  25. 25

    Continue on Golden State Freeway

    5.2 mi · 6 min · Golden State Freeway

  26. 26

    Keep slight right to continue on Golden State Avenue

    1.9 mi · 2 min · Golden State Avenue

  27. 27

    Take the exit slight right

    145 m · 13 sec

  28. 28

    Continue on Golden State Road

    583 ft · 12 sec · Golden State Road

  29. 29

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Chester Avenue

    59 m · 4 sec · Chester Avenue

  30. 30

    Exit the roundabout onto Chester Avenue

    1.5 km · 2 min · Chester Avenue

  31. 31

    Turn left onto Truxtun Avenue

    37 m · 8 sec · Truxtun Avenue

  32. 32

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Truxtun Avenue

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Durham and Bakersfield.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Long-distance drive

This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.

Directions
32 steps
6 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
12
6 merges, 6 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
8.6 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
South Sacramento Freeway
207 mi · 56%
Golden State Highway
66.3 mi · 18%
Oroville
37.1 mi · 10%
E Street
21.8 mi · 6%
Westside Freeway
6.17 mi · 2%
Durham-Dayton Highway
6.15 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

South Sacramento Freeway

Keep slight left

109 mi · 02h 05m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

Better with a longer stop

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

Drive Time
06h 07m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
12h 14m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+40.1 mi
332.2 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Livingston
03h 03m from Durham
Leave By
11:46 PM PDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Clear leaving Durham and Sunny near Bakersfield.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Durham to Bakersfield?

The road trip is about 372.3 miles (599.2 km) and usually takes 06h 07m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Livingston is a useful midpoint, sitting about 180.4 miles from Durham and 191.9 miles from Bakersfield.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 332.2 miles (534.7 km), while the road route adds roughly 40.1 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM PDT. Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $82.27 one way or $164.54 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 116.8 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Clear around Durham and Sunny near Bakersfield.

Stop Ideas Near Livingston

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Livingston, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Livingston.

RAIL

Denair station

17 mi away
3800 Santa Fe Avenue
RAIL

Merced station

24 mi away
324 West 24th St
RAIL

Modesto station

35 mi away
1700 Held Drive
RAIL

Manteca, CA

66 mi away
17800 Shideler Parkway

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Durham and Bakersfield. Straight-line distance: 332.22 mi (534.65 km).

Photo coming soon

#1 Durham

Situated in the northern Sacramento Valley at an elevation of 161 feet, this unincorporated community within Butte County is characterized by its flat, rural surroundings.

Population0
Coordinates39.6462700, -121.7999800
Altitude49
CountryUnited States
Bakersfield

#2 Bakersfield

The fifth most populous city in California and the center of the Bakersfield metropolitan area.

Population385,725
Coordinates35.3732900, -119.0187100
Altitude123
CountryUnited States
Start: Midway (-121.80024, 39.646214)
End: Truxtun Avenue (-119.01871, 35.373244)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 599 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)12h 24m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)09h 18m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)07h 26m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)06h 12m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)05h 19m
80 mph (129 km/h)04h 38m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
13.14 gal
49.74 L · about $82.27
Round trip
$164.54
26.28 gal · 99.48 L
Estimated CO2
116.8 kg one way
Round trip: 233.6 kg / 515 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $6.26 $82.27 $164.54
Mid-grade $6.50 $85.40 $170.79
Premium $6.69 $87.89 $175.79
Diesel $8.41 $110.55 $221.09

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in California · Oct 15, 2026

There is no time difference between Durham and Bakersfield. The current time is 11:22:51.

Distance to Other Cities

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.