Best Time to Drive from Anaheim to Santa Monica

Right now (9:35 am PDT): about 61 minutes via I-5 North and I-10 West, usually 59 at this time.

Only 5% of this drive is measured by working traffic sensors right now. The rest is estimated from nearby sensors, typical speeds and street traffic, so times can be off. Why so few sensors work.

On weekdays the 41-mile drive from Anaheim to Santa Monica (via I-5 North and I-10 West) usually takes as little as 38 minutes and up to 72 minutes, when leaving around 7:30 am on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 5:30 am or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 49 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1:30 pm on Saturdays (54 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: Santa Monica to Anaheim

Freeway, about 39 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 3 miles: 5 to 6 minutes on weekdays, estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time (we don't have street sensors yet). Drive times are measured from Disneyland to downtown Santa Monica along the route shown. Starting or ending elsewhere in a big city can add or save several minutes.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from Anaheim to Santa Monica by day and time you leave (local time)
Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	41	57	67	67	58	52	49	48	47	47	49	51	55	53	43	39	38
Tue	39	57	70	70	62	55	50	48	47	47	48	53	60	53	44	39	39
Wed	39	56	69	69	63	55	50	48	47	48	49	52	61	56	45	40	39
Thu	39	56	69	68	61	55	51	50	48	49	51	56	61	55	45	40	39
Fri	39	53	61	60	56	53	52	51	52	54	56	56	59	57	47	41	39
Sat	39	39	41	42	45	48	51	52	53	54	54	53	53	49	46	42	39
Sun	39	38	39	39	41	44	47	49	52	53	52	50	49	47	45	45	40

Simulated from typical freeway speeds at each point of the drive for the time you would reach it, from every 5-minute reading we have recorded. We don't have sensors on surface streets yet, so the time on them is estimated from how congested the freeways around each end of the drive are at that time, in both directions: streets jam when the freeways do.

Questions

What is the best time to drive from Anaheim to Santa Monica?

On weekdays, leave before 5:30 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 38 minutes then, versus up to 72 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Anaheim to Santa Monica?

The 41-mile drive usually takes 38 to 72 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 49 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Anaheim to Santa Monica?

Leaving around 7:30 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 72 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

Freeways on this drive

I-10 West in Los Angeles (15 miles) · I-5 North in Orange County (14 miles) · I-5 North in Los Angeles (8 miles) · SR-60 West in Los Angeles (1.7 miles)

Orange County traffic right now · Orange County traffic tomorrow · Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Santa Monica to Anaheim (return trip) · Anaheim to Los Angeles · Anaheim to Pasadena · Anaheim to Long Beach · Anaheim to West Covina · Anaheim to Burbank · Anaheim to Glendale · Anaheim to Santa Clarita · Anaheim to Van Nuys · Anaheim to Torrance · Anaheim to LAX · Anaheim to Hollywood

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	41	57	67	67	58	52	49	48	47	47	49	51	55	53	43	39	38
Tue	39	57	70	70	62	55	50	48	47	47	48	53	60	53	44	39	39
Wed	39	56	69	69	63	55	50	48	47	48	49	52	61	56	45	40	39
Thu	39	56	69	68	61	55	51	50	48	49	51	56	61	55	45	40	39
Fri	39	53	61	60	56	53	52	51	52	54	56	56	59	57	47	41	39
Sat	39	39	41	42	45	48	51	52	53	54	54	53	53	49	46	42	39
Sun	39	38	39	39	41	44	47	49	52	53	52	50	49	47	45	45	40

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	41	57	67	67	58	52	49	48	47	47	49	51	55	53	43	39	38
Tue	39	57	70	70	62	55	50	48	47	47	48	53	60	53	44	39	39
Wed	39	56	69	69	63	55	50	48	47	48	49	52	61	56	45	40	39
Thu	39	56	69	68	61	55	51	50	48	49	51	56	61	55	45	40	39
Fri	39	53	61	60	56	53	52	51	52	54	56	56	59	57	47	41	39
Sat	39	39	41	42	45	48	51	52	53	54	54	53	53	49	46	42	39
Sun	39	38	39	39	41	44	47	49	52	53	52	50	49	47	45	45	40

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	41	57	67	67	58	52	49	48	47	47	49	51	55	53	43	39	38
Tue	39	57	70	70	62	55	50	48	47	47	48	53	60	53	44	39	39
Wed	39	56	69	69	63	55	50	48	47	48	49	52	61	56	45	40	39
Thu	39	56	69	68	61	55	51	50	48	49	51	56	61	55	45	40	39
Fri	39	53	61	60	56	53	52	51	52	54	56	56	59	57	47	41	39
Sat	39	39	41	42	45	48	51	52	53	54	54	53	53	49	46	42	39
Sun	39	38	39	39	41	44	47	49	52	53	52	50	49	47	45	45	40