Best Time to Drive from El Monte to Palmdale

Right now (6:18 pm PDT): about 99 minutes via I-210 West and I-605 North, usually 99 at this time.

Only 12% 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	95	161	175	137	115	110	98	101	93	100	108	103	88	85	83	82
Tue	82	101	168	190	148	132	113	100	94	94	111	120	113	99	88	84	82
Wed	82	100	171	183	146	121	108	104	101	105	122	126	113	102	90	85	83
Thu	82	103	173	191	149	121	113	104	98	103	116	122	116	111	88	84	83
Fri	83	93	125	137	129	124	116	116	127	126	139	135	127	112	94	85	83
Sat	83	86	87	86	88	95	114	122	114	127	118	116	110	103	94	83	82
Sun	82	82	82	83	84	84	86	101	110	112	104	96	94	90	85	85	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 200 minutes, when leaving around 7:30 am on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 7 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 106 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2 pm on Saturdays (127 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 160 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 am or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 81 minutes then, versus up to 200 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 200 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 106 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from El Monte to Palmdale?

Leaving around 7:30 am on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 200 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	95	161	175	137	115	110	98	101	93	100	108	103	88	85	83	82
Tue	82	101	168	190	148	132	113	100	94	94	111	120	113	99	88	84	82
Wed	82	100	171	183	146	121	108	104	101	105	122	126	113	102	90	85	83
Thu	82	103	173	191	149	121	113	104	98	103	116	122	116	111	88	84	83
Fri	83	93	125	137	129	124	116	116	127	126	139	135	127	112	94	85	83
Sat	83	86	87	86	88	95	114	122	114	127	118	116	110	103	94	83	82
Sun	82	82	82	83	84	84	86	101	110	112	104	96	94	90	85	85	82

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	82	95	161	175	137	115	110	98	101	93	100	108	103	88	85	83	82
Tue	82	101	168	190	148	132	113	100	94	94	111	120	113	99	88	84	82
Wed	82	100	171	183	146	121	108	104	101	105	122	126	113	102	90	85	83
Thu	82	103	173	191	149	121	113	104	98	103	116	122	116	111	88	84	83
Fri	83	93	125	137	129	124	116	116	127	126	139	135	127	112	94	85	83
Sat	83	86	87	86	88	95	114	122	114	127	118	116	110	103	94	83	82
Sun	82	82	82	83	84	84	86	101	110	112	104	96	94	90	85	85	82

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	82	95	161	175	137	115	110	98	101	93	100	108	103	88	85	83	82
Tue	82	101	168	190	148	132	113	100	94	94	111	120	113	99	88	84	82
Wed	82	100	171	183	146	121	108	104	101	105	122	126	113	102	90	85	83
Thu	82	103	173	191	149	121	113	104	98	103	116	122	116	111	88	84	83
Fri	83	93	125	137	129	124	116	116	127	126	139	135	127	112	94	85	83
Sat	83	86	87	86	88	95	114	122	114	127	118	116	110	103	94	83	82
Sun	82	82	82	83	84	84	86	101	110	112	104	96	94	90	85	85	82