Best Time to Drive from El Monte to Costa Mesa

Right now (6:03 pm PDT): about 58 minutes via I-605 South and I-405 South, usually 55 at this time.

Only 7% 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 El Monte to Costa Mesa 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	39	44	47	44	43	43	44	44	45	53	54	61	60	45	39	38
Tue	37	39	43	51	44	42	42	42	43	49	62	71	70	62	53	40	38
Wed	38	39	45	50	44	43	43	43	43	52	65	71	74	67	54	42	39
Thu	38	40	46	51	45	43	43	43	44	47	55	61	69	63	51	40	38
Fri	37	39	42	45	43	43	44	43	49	64	74	57	54	55	48	42	40
Sat	38	38	38	39	40	41	41	43	42	43	44	45	44	43	42	43	38
Sun	38	38	38	38	39	40	41	42	42	42	42	42	43	42	41	40	38

About this drive

On weekdays the 42-mile drive from El Monte to Costa Mesa (via I-605 South and I-405 South) usually takes as little as 37 minutes and up to 74 minutes, when leaving around 3 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 45 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4:30 pm on Saturdays (46 minutes).

About 40 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 1.4 miles surface streets (2 to 3 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central El Monte to central Costa Mesa 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 El Monte to Costa Mesa?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 37 minutes then, versus up to 74 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 42-mile drive usually takes 37 to 74 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 45 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from El Monte to Costa Mesa?

Leaving around 3 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 74 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-405 South in Orange County (14 miles) · I-605 South in Los Angeles (12 miles) · I-605 South in Orange County (10 miles) · SR-55 South in Orange County (2 miles) · I-10 East in Los Angeles (1.3 miles)

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

More drives

Costa Mesa to El Monte (return trip) · El Monte to Los Angeles · El Monte to Santa Monica · El Monte to Pasadena · El Monte to Long Beach · El Monte to West Covina · El Monte to Burbank · El Monte to Glendale · El Monte to Santa Clarita · El Monte to Van Nuys · El Monte to Torrance · El Monte to LAX

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	39	44	47	44	43	43	44	44	45	53	54	61	60	45	39	38
Tue	37	39	43	51	44	42	42	42	43	49	62	71	70	62	53	40	38
Wed	38	39	45	50	44	43	43	43	43	52	65	71	74	67	54	42	39
Thu	38	40	46	51	45	43	43	43	44	47	55	61	69	63	51	40	38
Fri	37	39	42	45	43	43	44	43	49	64	74	57	54	55	48	42	40
Sat	38	38	38	39	40	41	41	43	42	43	44	45	44	43	42	43	38
Sun	38	38	38	38	39	40	41	42	42	42	42	42	43	42	41	40	38

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	38	39	44	47	44	43	43	44	44	45	53	54	61	60	45	39	38
Tue	37	39	43	51	44	42	42	42	43	49	62	71	70	62	53	40	38
Wed	38	39	45	50	44	43	43	43	43	52	65	71	74	67	54	42	39
Thu	38	40	46	51	45	43	43	43	44	47	55	61	69	63	51	40	38
Fri	37	39	42	45	43	43	44	43	49	64	74	57	54	55	48	42	40
Sat	38	38	38	39	40	41	41	43	42	43	44	45	44	43	42	43	38
Sun	38	38	38	38	39	40	41	42	42	42	42	42	43	42	41	40	38

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	38	39	44	47	44	43	43	44	44	45	53	54	61	60	45	39	38
Tue	37	39	43	51	44	42	42	42	43	49	62	71	70	62	53	40	38
Wed	38	39	45	50	44	43	43	43	43	52	65	71	74	67	54	42	39
Thu	38	40	46	51	45	43	43	43	44	47	55	61	69	63	51	40	38
Fri	37	39	42	45	43	43	44	43	49	64	74	57	54	55	48	42	40
Sat	38	38	38	39	40	41	41	43	42	43	44	45	44	43	42	43	38
Sun	38	38	38	38	39	40	41	42	42	42	42	42	43	42	41	40	38