Best Time to Drive from Costa Mesa to El Monte

Right now (6:03 pm PDT): about 65 minutes via I-605 North and I-405 North, usually 48 at this time.

Only 12% 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 Costa Mesa to El Monte 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	36	39	45	48	47	46	48	47	46	51	53	55	53	48	42	39	38
Tue	37	39	48	55	49	47	46	47	47	51	53	54	58	52	44	39	38
Wed	37	40	45	51	50	47	46	46	46	50	52	54	54	51	46	40	38
Thu	37	40	46	49	49	47	47	47	50	52	54	55	57	50	45	42	38
Fri	37	39	43	46	45	47	51	50	51	55	54	55	53	48	44	42	39
Sat	37	38	38	38	39	41	43	45	45	46	47	49	47	44	42	41	38
Sun	37	37	37	38	38	39	40	42	42	42	42	41	40	40	40	40	38

About this drive

On weekdays the 42-mile drive from Costa Mesa to El Monte (via I-605 North and I-405 North) usually takes as little as 36 minutes and up to 58 minutes, when leaving around 5 pm on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 8:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 48 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4 pm on Saturdays (49 minutes).

About 41 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 0.6 miles surface streets (about 1 minutes), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Costa Mesa to central El Monte 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 Costa Mesa to El Monte?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 36 minutes then, versus up to 58 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Costa Mesa to El Monte?

The 42-mile drive usually takes 36 to 58 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 48 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Costa Mesa to El Monte?

Leaving around 5 pm on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 58 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-405 North in Orange County (14 miles) · I-605 North in Orange County (11 miles) · I-605 North in Los Angeles (10 miles) · SR-55 North in Orange County (3 miles) · SR-73 North in Orange County (1.6 miles) · I-10 West in Los Angeles (1.6 miles)

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

More drives

El Monte to Costa Mesa (return trip) · Costa Mesa to Los Angeles · Costa Mesa to Anaheim · Costa Mesa to Riverside · Costa Mesa to Santa Ana · Costa Mesa to Irvine · Costa Mesa to San Bernardino · Costa Mesa to Fontana · Costa Mesa to Moreno Valley · Costa Mesa to Glendale · Costa Mesa to Santa Clarita · Costa Mesa to Oceanside

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	36	39	45	48	47	46	48	47	46	51	53	55	53	48	42	39	38
Tue	37	39	48	55	49	47	46	47	47	51	53	54	58	52	44	39	38
Wed	37	40	45	51	50	47	46	46	46	50	52	54	54	51	46	40	38
Thu	37	40	46	49	49	47	47	47	50	52	54	55	57	50	45	42	38
Fri	37	39	43	46	45	47	51	50	51	55	54	55	53	48	44	42	39
Sat	37	38	38	38	39	41	43	45	45	46	47	49	47	44	42	41	38
Sun	37	37	37	38	38	39	40	42	42	42	42	41	40	40	40	40	38

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	36	39	45	48	47	46	48	47	46	51	53	55	53	48	42	39	38
Tue	37	39	48	55	49	47	46	47	47	51	53	54	58	52	44	39	38
Wed	37	40	45	51	50	47	46	46	46	50	52	54	54	51	46	40	38
Thu	37	40	46	49	49	47	47	47	50	52	54	55	57	50	45	42	38
Fri	37	39	43	46	45	47	51	50	51	55	54	55	53	48	44	42	39
Sat	37	38	38	38	39	41	43	45	45	46	47	49	47	44	42	41	38
Sun	37	37	37	38	38	39	40	42	42	42	42	41	40	40	40	40	38

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	36	39	45	48	47	46	48	47	46	51	53	55	53	48	42	39	38
Tue	37	39	48	55	49	47	46	47	47	51	53	54	58	52	44	39	38
Wed	37	40	45	51	50	47	46	46	46	50	52	54	54	51	46	40	38
Thu	37	40	46	49	49	47	47	47	50	52	54	55	57	50	45	42	38
Fri	37	39	43	46	45	47	51	50	51	55	54	55	53	48	44	42	39
Sat	37	38	38	38	39	41	43	45	45	46	47	49	47	44	42	41	38
Sun	37	37	37	38	38	39	40	42	42	42	42	41	40	40	40	40	38