Best Time to Drive from Costa Mesa to Hollywood

Right now (9:37 pm PST): about 43 minutes via I-5 North, usually 43 at this time.

Only 45% 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 Hollywood 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	43	54	58	63	57	50	50	50	51	55	58	61	61	58	48	44	42
Tue	43	55	64	67	58	53	51	51	52	55	60	63	64	62	49	46	43
Wed	43	53	59	63	57	52	50	51	53	55	62	66	67	65	55	46	43
Thu	43	54	61	64	56	52	52	50	51	55	62	66	66	62	56	47	44
Fri	43	53	52	54	52	52	53	54	57	61	66	67	69	63	51	47	43
Sat	42	44	45	46	48	50	52	52	51	50	52	53	52	50	49	47	44
Sun	42	43	43	43	45	47	48	50	50	50	50	50	51	52	51	49	44

About this drive

On weekdays the 48-mile drive from Costa Mesa to Hollywood (via I-5 North) usually takes as little as 42 minutes and up to 70 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 53 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4:30 pm on Saturdays (55 minutes).

About 47 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 1.2 miles surface streets (1 to 3 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Costa Mesa to central Hollywood 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 Hollywood?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 42 minutes then, versus up to 70 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Costa Mesa to Hollywood?

The 48-mile drive usually takes 42 to 70 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 53 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Costa Mesa to Hollywood?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 70 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 North in Orange County (22 miles) · I-5 North in Los Angeles (11 miles) · SR-55 North in Orange County (8 miles) · US-101 North in Los Angeles (6 miles)

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

More drives

Hollywood 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	43	54	58	63	57	50	50	50	51	55	58	61	61	58	48	44	42
Tue	43	55	64	67	58	53	51	51	52	55	60	63	64	62	49	46	43
Wed	43	53	59	63	57	52	50	51	53	55	62	66	67	65	55	46	43
Thu	43	54	61	64	56	52	52	50	51	55	62	66	66	62	56	47	44
Fri	43	53	52	54	52	52	53	54	57	61	66	67	69	63	51	47	43
Sat	42	44	45	46	48	50	52	52	51	50	52	53	52	50	49	47	44
Sun	42	43	43	43	45	47	48	50	50	50	50	50	51	52	51	49	44

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	43	54	58	63	57	50	50	50	51	55	58	61	61	58	48	44	42
Tue	43	55	64	67	58	53	51	51	52	55	60	63	64	62	49	46	43
Wed	43	53	59	63	57	52	50	51	53	55	62	66	67	65	55	46	43
Thu	43	54	61	64	56	52	52	50	51	55	62	66	66	62	56	47	44
Fri	43	53	52	54	52	52	53	54	57	61	66	67	69	63	51	47	43
Sat	42	44	45	46	48	50	52	52	51	50	52	53	52	50	49	47	44
Sun	42	43	43	43	45	47	48	50	50	50	50	50	51	52	51	49	44

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	43	54	58	63	57	50	50	50	51	55	58	61	61	58	48	44	42
Tue	43	55	64	67	58	53	51	51	52	55	60	63	64	62	49	46	43
Wed	43	53	59	63	57	52	50	51	53	55	62	66	67	65	55	46	43
Thu	43	54	61	64	56	52	52	50	51	55	62	66	66	62	56	47	44
Fri	43	53	52	54	52	52	53	54	57	61	66	67	69	63	51	47	43
Sat	42	44	45	46	48	50	52	52	51	50	52	53	52	50	49	47	44
Sun	42	43	43	43	45	47	48	50	50	50	50	50	51	52	51	49	44