Best Time to Drive from Anaheim to Santa Monica

Right now (2:21 pm PST): about 50 minutes via I-5 North and I-10 West, usually 47 at this time.

Only 15% 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.

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	39	55	64	68	58	49	48	47	46	46	48	46	46	44	40	39	38
Tue	38	58	70	73	57	52	48	46	46	46	46	47	46	44	43	40	38
Wed	39	54	65	67	57	50	47	46	45	43	48	47	48	45	42	40	38
Thu	39	54	66	68	57	52	50	47	46	45	49	51	50	46	44	41	39
Fri	39	53	52	54	50	49	49	49	51	51	52	51	53	53	47	42	39
Sat	38	39	42	42	45	48	52	49	48	46	46	47	47	45	45	42	40
Sun	38	38	38	39	40	43	44	47	46	48	47	46	47	50	50	47	41

About this drive

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 78 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 47 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 11 am on Saturdays (52 minutes).

About 39 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 3 miles surface streets (5 to 6 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from Disneyland to downtown Santa Monica along the route on the map. Starting or ending elsewhere in a big city can add or save several minutes.

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 78 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 78 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 47 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Anaheim to Santa Monica?

Leaving around 7:30 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 78 minutes.

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

Anaheim to Santa Monica over Thanksgiving: when to leave →

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	39	55	64	68	58	49	48	47	46	46	48	46	46	44	40	39	38
Tue	38	58	70	73	57	52	48	46	46	46	46	47	46	44	43	40	38
Wed	39	54	65	67	57	50	47	46	45	43	48	47	48	45	42	40	38
Thu	39	54	66	68	57	52	50	47	46	45	49	51	50	46	44	41	39
Fri	39	53	52	54	50	49	49	49	51	51	52	51	53	53	47	42	39
Sat	38	39	42	42	45	48	52	49	48	46	46	47	47	45	45	42	40
Sun	38	38	38	39	40	43	44	47	46	48	47	46	47	50	50	47	41

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	39	55	64	68	58	49	48	47	46	46	48	46	46	44	40	39	38
Tue	38	58	70	73	57	52	48	46	46	46	46	47	46	44	43	40	38
Wed	39	54	65	67	57	50	47	46	45	43	48	47	48	45	42	40	38
Thu	39	54	66	68	57	52	50	47	46	45	49	51	50	46	44	41	39
Fri	39	53	52	54	50	49	49	49	51	51	52	51	53	53	47	42	39
Sat	38	39	42	42	45	48	52	49	48	46	46	47	47	45	45	42	40
Sun	38	38	38	39	40	43	44	47	46	48	47	46	47	50	50	47	41

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	39	55	64	68	58	49	48	47	46	46	48	46	46	44	40	39	38
Tue	38	58	70	73	57	52	48	46	46	46	46	47	46	44	43	40	38
Wed	39	54	65	67	57	50	47	46	45	43	48	47	48	45	42	40	38
Thu	39	54	66	68	57	52	50	47	46	45	49	51	50	46	44	41	39
Fri	39	53	52	54	50	49	49	49	51	51	52	51	53	53	47	42	39
Sat	38	39	42	42	45	48	52	49	48	46	46	47	47	45	45	42	40
Sun	38	38	38	39	40	43	44	47	46	48	47	46	47	50	50	47	41