Best Time to Drive from Costa Mesa to Los Angeles

Right now (6:24 pm PDT): about 57 minutes via I-5 North, usually 47 at this time.

Only 8% 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 43-mile drive from Costa Mesa to Los Angeles (via I-5 North) usually takes as little as 38 minutes and up to 59 minutes, when leaving around 3:30 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 47 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4:30 pm on Saturdays (50 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: Los Angeles to Costa Mesa

Freeway, about 42 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 0.8 miles: about 1 minutes, estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time (we don't have street sensors yet). Drive times are measured from central Costa Mesa to Downtown LA (City Hall) 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 Costa Mesa to Los Angeles 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	38	46	51	52	49	46	45	45	46	48	52	53	53	50	41	40	38
Tue	38	47	54	56	51	47	46	45	46	48	52	53	55	50	43	39	38
Wed	38	47	53	55	53	48	46	46	48	49	52	56	58	54	45	41	38
Thu	38	47	54	54	50	48	47	46	47	49	53	55	55	50	44	40	38
Fri	38	44	48	48	46	47	48	49	50	54	58	57	58	53	45	41	38
Sat	38	39	39	41	43	45	47	47	48	48	49	50	49	46	44	42	39
Sun	37	38	38	39	40	43	45	46	47	46	46	46	46	45	44	44	39

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 Los Angeles?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 38 minutes then, versus up to 59 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Costa Mesa to Los Angeles?

The 43-mile drive usually takes 38 to 59 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 47 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Costa Mesa to Los Angeles?

Leaving around 3:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 59 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

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)

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

More drives

Los Angeles to Costa Mesa (return trip)

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	38	46	51	52	49	46	45	45	46	48	52	53	53	50	41	40	38
Tue	38	47	54	56	51	47	46	45	46	48	52	53	55	50	43	39	38
Wed	38	47	53	55	53	48	46	46	48	49	52	56	58	54	45	41	38
Thu	38	47	54	54	50	48	47	46	47	49	53	55	55	50	44	40	38
Fri	38	44	48	48	46	47	48	49	50	54	58	57	58	53	45	41	38
Sat	38	39	39	41	43	45	47	47	48	48	49	50	49	46	44	42	39
Sun	37	38	38	39	40	43	45	46	47	46	46	46	46	45	44	44	39

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	38	46	51	52	49	46	45	45	46	48	52	53	53	50	41	40	38
Tue	38	47	54	56	51	47	46	45	46	48	52	53	55	50	43	39	38
Wed	38	47	53	55	53	48	46	46	48	49	52	56	58	54	45	41	38
Thu	38	47	54	54	50	48	47	46	47	49	53	55	55	50	44	40	38
Fri	38	44	48	48	46	47	48	49	50	54	58	57	58	53	45	41	38
Sat	38	39	39	41	43	45	47	47	48	48	49	50	49	46	44	42	39
Sun	37	38	38	39	40	43	45	46	47	46	46	46	46	45	44	44	39

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	38	46	51	52	49	46	45	45	46	48	52	53	53	50	41	40	38
Tue	38	47	54	56	51	47	46	45	46	48	52	53	55	50	43	39	38
Wed	38	47	53	55	53	48	46	46	48	49	52	56	58	54	45	41	38
Thu	38	47	54	54	50	48	47	46	47	49	53	55	55	50	44	40	38
Fri	38	44	48	48	46	47	48	49	50	54	58	57	58	53	45	41	38
Sat	38	39	39	41	43	45	47	47	48	48	49	50	49	46	44	42	39
Sun	37	38	38	39	40	43	45	46	47	46	46	46	46	45	44	44	39