Best Time to Drive from El Monte to Lancaster

Right now (8:16 pm PST): about 87 minutes via SR-14 North and I-5 North, usually 82 at this time.

Only 19% 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	77	84	96	103	103	102	101	97	101	101	103	105	106	99	92	83	81
Tue	78	85	96	100	104	101	95	94	92	95	100	106	111	100	97	86	79
Wed	77	83	92	99	102	98	96	95	95	98	99	103	106	99	96	86	78
Thu	79	83	95	100	106	102	99	100	99	99	106	112	109	100	97	91	79
Fri	78	84	90	97	99	100	98	100	101	101	103	105	103	101	99	92	79
Sat	80	78	78	81	84	95	100	98	98	100	97	98	96	95	98	93	80
Sun	78	78	77	78	79	83	96	105	112	113	109	100	95	97	95	91	82

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 77 minutes and up to 112 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 8:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 98 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2 pm on Sundays (113 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 6:30 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 77 minutes then, versus up to 112 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 86-mile drive usually takes 77 to 112 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 98 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from El Monte to Lancaster?

Leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 112 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	77	84	96	103	103	102	101	97	101	101	103	105	106	99	92	83	81
Tue	78	85	96	100	104	101	95	94	92	95	100	106	111	100	97	86	79
Wed	77	83	92	99	102	98	96	95	95	98	99	103	106	99	96	86	78
Thu	79	83	95	100	106	102	99	100	99	99	106	112	109	100	97	91	79
Fri	78	84	90	97	99	100	98	100	101	101	103	105	103	101	99	92	79
Sat	80	78	78	81	84	95	100	98	98	100	97	98	96	95	98	93	80
Sun	78	78	77	78	79	83	96	105	112	113	109	100	95	97	95	91	82

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	77	84	96	103	103	102	101	97	101	101	103	105	106	99	92	83	81
Tue	78	85	96	100	104	101	95	94	92	95	100	106	111	100	97	86	79
Wed	77	83	92	99	102	98	96	95	95	98	99	103	106	99	96	86	78
Thu	79	83	95	100	106	102	99	100	99	99	106	112	109	100	97	91	79
Fri	78	84	90	97	99	100	98	100	101	101	103	105	103	101	99	92	79
Sat	80	78	78	81	84	95	100	98	98	100	97	98	96	95	98	93	80
Sun	78	78	77	78	79	83	96	105	112	113	109	100	95	97	95	91	82

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	77	84	96	103	103	102	101	97	101	101	103	105	106	99	92	83	81
Tue	78	85	96	100	104	101	95	94	92	95	100	106	111	100	97	86	79
Wed	77	83	92	99	102	98	96	95	95	98	99	103	106	99	96	86	78
Thu	79	83	95	100	106	102	99	100	99	99	106	112	109	100	97	91	79
Fri	78	84	90	97	99	100	98	100	101	101	103	105	103	101	99	92	79
Sat	80	78	78	81	84	95	100	98	98	100	97	98	96	95	98	93	80
Sun	78	78	77	78	79	83	96	105	112	113	109	100	95	97	95	91	82