Best Time to Drive from Brea to Santa Monica

Right now (12:51 am PST): about 44 minutes via SR-60 West and I-10 West.

None 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 Brea 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	46	64	77	76	67	60	56	54	52	52	54	59	63	59	48	45	44
Tue	45	75	92	94	84	67	58	55	53	53	55	61	68	62	50	46	45
Wed	45	68	93	95	85	69	58	55	53	53	55	62	71	63	51	46	45
Thu	45	76	90	93	85	71	60	56	54	55	58	64	73	63	51	46	44
Fri	45	67	78	77	70	63	59	58	59	61	63	65	65	61	51	46	45
Sat	44	45	47	48	50	52	56	57	59	58	56	56	55	53	49	46	44
Sun	44	44	45	45	46	47	49	51	54	55	54	51	50	49	47	47	45

About this drive

On weekdays the 47-mile drive from Brea to Santa Monica (via SR-60 West and I-10 West) usually takes as little as 44 minutes and up to 95 minutes, when leaving around 8 am on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 5:30 am or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 55 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1 pm on Saturdays (59 minutes).

About 43 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 5 miles surface streets (6 to 10 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Brea 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 Brea to Santa Monica?

On weekdays, leave before 5:30 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 44 minutes then, versus up to 95 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 47-mile drive usually takes 44 to 95 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 55 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Brea to Santa Monica?

Leaving around 8 am on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 95 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

SR-60 West in Los Angeles (24 miles) · I-10 West in Los Angeles (15 miles) · SR-57 North in Los Angeles (4 miles)

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

More drives

Santa Monica to Brea (return trip) · Brea to Los Angeles · Brea to San Diego · Brea to Long Beach · Brea to Anaheim · Brea to Riverside · Brea to Santa Ana · Brea to Irvine · Brea to San Bernardino · Brea to Fontana · Brea to Moreno Valley · Brea to Huntington Beach

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	46	64	77	76	67	60	56	54	52	52	54	59	63	59	48	45	44
Tue	45	75	92	94	84	67	58	55	53	53	55	61	68	62	50	46	45
Wed	45	68	93	95	85	69	58	55	53	53	55	62	71	63	51	46	45
Thu	45	76	90	93	85	71	60	56	54	55	58	64	73	63	51	46	44
Fri	45	67	78	77	70	63	59	58	59	61	63	65	65	61	51	46	45
Sat	44	45	47	48	50	52	56	57	59	58	56	56	55	53	49	46	44
Sun	44	44	45	45	46	47	49	51	54	55	54	51	50	49	47	47	45

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	46	64	77	76	67	60	56	54	52	52	54	59	63	59	48	45	44
Tue	45	75	92	94	84	67	58	55	53	53	55	61	68	62	50	46	45
Wed	45	68	93	95	85	69	58	55	53	53	55	62	71	63	51	46	45
Thu	45	76	90	93	85	71	60	56	54	55	58	64	73	63	51	46	44
Fri	45	67	78	77	70	63	59	58	59	61	63	65	65	61	51	46	45
Sat	44	45	47	48	50	52	56	57	59	58	56	56	55	53	49	46	44
Sun	44	44	45	45	46	47	49	51	54	55	54	51	50	49	47	47	45

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	46	64	77	76	67	60	56	54	52	52	54	59	63	59	48	45	44
Tue	45	75	92	94	84	67	58	55	53	53	55	61	68	62	50	46	45
Wed	45	68	93	95	85	69	58	55	53	53	55	62	71	63	51	46	45
Thu	45	76	90	93	85	71	60	56	54	55	58	64	73	63	51	46	44
Fri	45	67	78	77	70	63	59	58	59	61	63	65	65	61	51	46	45
Sat	44	45	47	48	50	52	56	57	59	58	56	56	55	53	49	46	44
Sun	44	44	45	45	46	47	49	51	54	55	54	51	50	49	47	47	45