Best Time to Drive from El Monte to Laguna Niguel

Right now (7:49 pm PDT): about 54 minutes via I-5 South and I-605 South, usually 53 at this time.

Only 39% 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 Laguna Niguel 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	48	55	66	68	59	53	53	53	55	54	61	64	72	66	55	51	49
Tue	48	58	72	74	63	55	54	55	55	56	71	82	81	69	62	53	49
Wed	48	58	71	74	63	56	55	55	55	60	70	78	82	72	63	53	50
Thu	48	57	71	72	64	57	57	56	57	56	64	70	77	67	59	51	49
Fri	48	56	63	62	58	55	55	54	59	71	82	68	64	63	57	52	51
Sat	49	50	51	52	53	53	55	55	55	56	56	56	54	52	50	51	50
Sun	49	49	49	49	50	51	52	52	53	53	53	52	52	52	52	53	49

About this drive

On weekdays the 54-mile drive from El Monte to Laguna Niguel (via I-5 South and I-605 South) usually takes as little as 48 minutes and up to 82 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 56 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2 pm on Saturdays (56 minutes).

About 49 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 4 miles surface streets (6 to 7 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 Laguna Niguel 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 Laguna Niguel?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 48 minutes then, versus up to 82 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from El Monte to Laguna Niguel?

The 54-mile drive usually takes 48 to 82 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 56 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from El Monte to Laguna Niguel?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 82 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in Orange County (34 miles) · I-605 South in Los Angeles (14 miles) · I-10 East in Los Angeles (1.4 miles)

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

More drives

Laguna Niguel 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	48	55	66	68	59	53	53	53	55	54	61	64	72	66	55	51	49
Tue	48	58	72	74	63	55	54	55	55	56	71	82	81	69	62	53	49
Wed	48	58	71	74	63	56	55	55	55	60	70	78	82	72	63	53	50
Thu	48	57	71	72	64	57	57	56	57	56	64	70	77	67	59	51	49
Fri	48	56	63	62	58	55	55	54	59	71	82	68	64	63	57	52	51
Sat	49	50	51	52	53	53	55	55	55	56	56	56	54	52	50	51	50
Sun	49	49	49	49	50	51	52	52	53	53	53	52	52	52	52	53	49

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	48	55	66	68	59	53	53	53	55	54	61	64	72	66	55	51	49
Tue	48	58	72	74	63	55	54	55	55	56	71	82	81	69	62	53	49
Wed	48	58	71	74	63	56	55	55	55	60	70	78	82	72	63	53	50
Thu	48	57	71	72	64	57	57	56	57	56	64	70	77	67	59	51	49
Fri	48	56	63	62	58	55	55	54	59	71	82	68	64	63	57	52	51
Sat	49	50	51	52	53	53	55	55	55	56	56	56	54	52	50	51	50
Sun	49	49	49	49	50	51	52	52	53	53	53	52	52	52	52	53	49

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	48	55	66	68	59	53	53	53	55	54	61	64	72	66	55	51	49
Tue	48	58	72	74	63	55	54	55	55	56	71	82	81	69	62	53	49
Wed	48	58	71	74	63	56	55	55	55	60	70	78	82	72	63	53	50
Thu	48	57	71	72	64	57	57	56	57	56	64	70	77	67	59	51	49
Fri	48	56	63	62	58	55	55	54	59	71	82	68	64	63	57	52	51
Sat	49	50	51	52	53	53	55	55	55	56	56	56	54	52	50	51	50
Sun	49	49	49	49	50	51	52	52	53	53	53	52	52	52	52	53	49