Best Time to Drive from El Monte to Palmdale

Right now (9:37 pm PST): about 88 minutes via I-210 West and I-605 North, usually 82 at this time.

Only 13% 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 Palmdale 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	82	83	95	102	101	96	94	92	92	90	91	91	89	90	88	84	82
Tue	82	86	101	108	108	102	98	94	89	89	91	92	91	89	88	83	82
Wed	82	86	102	106	106	100	95	93	92	90	93	94	92	91	92	85	83
Thu	82	88	97	105	105	100	97	96	92	91	93	94	92	92	90	87	83
Fri	82	90	97	98	98	97	95	93	96	93	95	97	95	90	89	84	83
Sat	82	83	84	84	85	86	89	92	91	90	89	89	88	86	85	83	82
Sun	82	82	82	82	83	83	83	85	87	87	87	86	85	85	84	83	82

About this drive

On weekdays the 63-mile drive from El Monte to Palmdale (via I-210 West and I-605 North) usually takes as little as 81 minutes and up to 108 minutes, when leaving around 8 am on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 93 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12 pm on Saturdays (92 minutes).

About 21 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 42 miles surface streets (64 to 76 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 Palmdale 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 Palmdale?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 81 minutes then, versus up to 108 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 63-mile drive usually takes 81 to 108 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 93 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from El Monte to Palmdale?

Leaving around 8 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 108 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-210 West in Los Angeles (16 miles) · I-605 North in Los Angeles (5 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Palmdale 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	82	83	95	102	101	96	94	92	92	90	91	91	89	90	88	84	82
Tue	82	86	101	108	108	102	98	94	89	89	91	92	91	89	88	83	82
Wed	82	86	102	106	106	100	95	93	92	90	93	94	92	91	92	85	83
Thu	82	88	97	105	105	100	97	96	92	91	93	94	92	92	90	87	83
Fri	82	90	97	98	98	97	95	93	96	93	95	97	95	90	89	84	83
Sat	82	83	84	84	85	86	89	92	91	90	89	89	88	86	85	83	82
Sun	82	82	82	82	83	83	83	85	87	87	87	86	85	85	84	83	82

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	82	83	95	102	101	96	94	92	92	90	91	91	89	90	88	84	82
Tue	82	86	101	108	108	102	98	94	89	89	91	92	91	89	88	83	82
Wed	82	86	102	106	106	100	95	93	92	90	93	94	92	91	92	85	83
Thu	82	88	97	105	105	100	97	96	92	91	93	94	92	92	90	87	83
Fri	82	90	97	98	98	97	95	93	96	93	95	97	95	90	89	84	83
Sat	82	83	84	84	85	86	89	92	91	90	89	89	88	86	85	83	82
Sun	82	82	82	82	83	83	83	85	87	87	87	86	85	85	84	83	82

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	82	83	95	102	101	96	94	92	92	90	91	91	89	90	88	84	82
Tue	82	86	101	108	108	102	98	94	89	89	91	92	91	89	88	83	82
Wed	82	86	102	106	106	100	95	93	92	90	93	94	92	91	92	85	83
Thu	82	88	97	105	105	100	97	96	92	91	93	94	92	92	90	87	83
Fri	82	90	97	98	98	97	95	93	96	93	95	97	95	90	89	84	83
Sat	82	83	84	84	85	86	89	92	91	90	89	89	88	86	85	83	82
Sun	82	82	82	82	83	83	83	85	87	87	87	86	85	85	84	83	82