Best Time to Drive from El Monte to Lancaster

Right now (6:18 pm PDT): about 94 minutes via SR-14 North and I-5 North, usually 98 at this time.

Only 20% 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 Lancaster 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	79	84	94	103	104	103	105	99	105	100	101	103	102	97	89	85	80
Tue	77	85	96	100	103	100	97	95	92	95	100	105	112	100	96	86	80
Wed	77	83	92	98	103	99	97	96	95	95	98	101	104	97	97	86	77
Thu	79	83	95	100	106	101	102	99	99	101	110	116	110	101	99	89	78
Fri	78	84	91	98	100	103	101	103	104	104	104	107	105	102	99	92	80
Sat	80	78	79	81	88	99	108	104	104	103	100	100	96	94	98	93	79
Sun	78	77	77	77	79	85	95	104	114	114	111	99	93	93	93	92	81

About this drive

On weekdays the 86-mile drive from El Monte to Lancaster (via SR-14 North and I-5 North) usually takes as little as 76 minutes and up to 116 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 8:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 99 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1 pm on Sundays (114 minutes).

About 79 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 7 miles surface streets (6 to 8 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 Lancaster 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 Lancaster?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 76 minutes then, versus up to 116 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from El Monte to Lancaster?

The 86-mile drive usually takes 76 to 116 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 99 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from El Monte to Lancaster?

Leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 116 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

SR-14 North in Los Angeles (39 miles) · I-5 North in Los Angeles (29 miles) · I-10 West in Los Angeles (12 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Lancaster 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	79	84	94	103	104	103	105	99	105	100	101	103	102	97	89	85	80
Tue	77	85	96	100	103	100	97	95	92	95	100	105	112	100	96	86	80
Wed	77	83	92	98	103	99	97	96	95	95	98	101	104	97	97	86	77
Thu	79	83	95	100	106	101	102	99	99	101	110	116	110	101	99	89	78
Fri	78	84	91	98	100	103	101	103	104	104	104	107	105	102	99	92	80
Sat	80	78	79	81	88	99	108	104	104	103	100	100	96	94	98	93	79
Sun	78	77	77	77	79	85	95	104	114	114	111	99	93	93	93	92	81

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	79	84	94	103	104	103	105	99	105	100	101	103	102	97	89	85	80
Tue	77	85	96	100	103	100	97	95	92	95	100	105	112	100	96	86	80
Wed	77	83	92	98	103	99	97	96	95	95	98	101	104	97	97	86	77
Thu	79	83	95	100	106	101	102	99	99	101	110	116	110	101	99	89	78
Fri	78	84	91	98	100	103	101	103	104	104	104	107	105	102	99	92	80
Sat	80	78	79	81	88	99	108	104	104	103	100	100	96	94	98	93	79
Sun	78	77	77	77	79	85	95	104	114	114	111	99	93	93	93	92	81

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	79	84	94	103	104	103	105	99	105	100	101	103	102	97	89	85	80
Tue	77	85	96	100	103	100	97	95	92	95	100	105	112	100	96	86	80
Wed	77	83	92	98	103	99	97	96	95	95	98	101	104	97	97	86	77
Thu	79	83	95	100	106	101	102	99	99	101	110	116	110	101	99	89	78
Fri	78	84	91	98	100	103	101	103	104	104	104	107	105	102	99	92	80
Sat	80	78	79	81	88	99	108	104	104	103	100	100	96	94	98	93	79
Sun	78	77	77	77	79	85	95	104	114	114	111	99	93	93	93	92	81