Best Time to Drive from Downey to Buena Park

Right now (3:20 pm PST): about 18 minutes via I-5 South, usually 13 at this time.

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 Downey to Buena Park 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	12	13	13	13	14	13	13	13	14	13	13	13	13	12	13	13	12
Tue	12	13	14	14	15	14	14	14	14	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13
Wed	12	13	14	16	14	14	14	14	14	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13
Thu	12	13	14	15	14	15	15	15	14	13	13	13	13	12	13	13	13
Fri	12	13	14	13	14	14	14	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13
Sat	12	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13
Sun	12	12	12	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13

About this drive

On weekdays the 12-mile drive from Downey to Buena Park (via I-5 South) usually takes as little as 12 minutes and up to 16 minutes, when leaving around 8 am on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 2 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 14 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 8 pm on Sundays (13 minutes).

About 10 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 2 miles surface streets (4 to 5 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Downey to central Buena Park 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 Downey to Buena Park?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 2 pm. The drive usually takes about 12 minutes then, versus up to 16 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Downey to Buena Park?

The 12-mile drive usually takes 12 to 16 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 14 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Downey to Buena Park?

Leaving around 8 am on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 16 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in Los Angeles (5 miles) · I-5 South in Orange County (5 miles)

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

More drives

Buena Park to Downey (return trip) · Downey to Los Angeles · Downey to Santa Monica · Downey to Long Beach · Downey to West Covina · Downey to Burbank · Downey to Glendale · Downey to Santa Clarita · Downey to Van Nuys · Downey to LAX · Downey to Hollywood · Downey to Culver City

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	12	13	13	13	14	13	13	13	14	13	13	13	13	12	13	13	12
Tue	12	13	14	14	15	14	14	14	14	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13
Wed	12	13	14	16	14	14	14	14	14	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13
Thu	12	13	14	15	14	15	15	15	14	13	13	13	13	12	13	13	13
Fri	12	13	14	13	14	14	14	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13
Sat	12	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13
Sun	12	12	12	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	12	13	13	13	14	13	13	13	14	13	13	13	13	12	13	13	12
Tue	12	13	14	14	15	14	14	14	14	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13
Wed	12	13	14	16	14	14	14	14	14	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13
Thu	12	13	14	15	14	15	15	15	14	13	13	13	13	12	13	13	13
Fri	12	13	14	13	14	14	14	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13
Sat	12	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13
Sun	12	12	12	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	12	13	13	13	14	13	13	13	14	13	13	13	13	12	13	13	12
Tue	12	13	14	14	15	14	14	14	14	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13
Wed	12	13	14	16	14	14	14	14	14	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13
Thu	12	13	14	15	14	15	15	15	14	13	13	13	13	12	13	13	13
Fri	12	13	14	13	14	14	14	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13
Sat	12	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13
Sun	12	12	12	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13