Best Time to Drive from El Monte to Rancho Santa Margarita

Right now (3:21 pm PST): about 63 minutes via SR-241 South and SR-71 North and I-10 East, usually 55 at this time.

Only 33% 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 Rancho Santa Margarita 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	50	54	54	58	57	56	55	55	55	57	64	63	64	63	57	52	50
Tue	49	54	54	60	58	57	55	54	56	58	65	68	69	65	60	53	49
Wed	50	55	54	60	57	56	54	55	55	59	66	68	66	63	60	53	50
Thu	50	54	53	58	56	55	55	55	56	60	65	65	67	63	58	52	50
Fri	49	55	54	56	55	55	55	56	59	63	69	72	65	62	60	53	50
Sat	49	51	51	51	52	52	52	53	53	54	55	56	55	54	51	51	49
Sun	49	49	50	50	50	52	51	51	52	52	52	52	51	51	51	51	49

About this drive

On weekdays the 55-mile drive from El Monte to Rancho Santa Margarita (via SR-241 South and SR-71 North and I-10 East) usually takes as little as 49 minutes and up to 73 minutes, when leaving around 3:30 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 7:30 am or after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 56 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4:30 pm on Saturdays (56 minutes).

About 54 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 1.2 miles surface streets (1 to 3 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 Rancho Santa Margarita 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 Rancho Santa Margarita?

On weekdays, leave before 7:30 am or after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 49 minutes then, versus up to 73 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from El Monte to Rancho Santa Margarita?

The 55-mile drive usually takes 49 to 73 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 56 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from El Monte to Rancho Santa Margarita?

Leaving around 3:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 73 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

SR-241 South in Orange County (20 miles) · I-10 East in Los Angeles (15 miles) · SR-71 North in Los Angeles (7 miles) · SR-71 North in Orange County (6 miles) · SR-91 West in Orange County (4 miles)

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

More drives

Rancho Santa Margarita 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	50	54	54	58	57	56	55	55	55	57	64	63	64	63	57	52	50
Tue	49	54	54	60	58	57	55	54	56	58	65	68	69	65	60	53	49
Wed	50	55	54	60	57	56	54	55	55	59	66	68	66	63	60	53	50
Thu	50	54	53	58	56	55	55	55	56	60	65	65	67	63	58	52	50
Fri	49	55	54	56	55	55	55	56	59	63	69	72	65	62	60	53	50
Sat	49	51	51	51	52	52	52	53	53	54	55	56	55	54	51	51	49
Sun	49	49	50	50	50	52	51	51	52	52	52	52	51	51	51	51	49

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	50	54	54	58	57	56	55	55	55	57	64	63	64	63	57	52	50
Tue	49	54	54	60	58	57	55	54	56	58	65	68	69	65	60	53	49
Wed	50	55	54	60	57	56	54	55	55	59	66	68	66	63	60	53	50
Thu	50	54	53	58	56	55	55	55	56	60	65	65	67	63	58	52	50
Fri	49	55	54	56	55	55	55	56	59	63	69	72	65	62	60	53	50
Sat	49	51	51	51	52	52	52	53	53	54	55	56	55	54	51	51	49
Sun	49	49	50	50	50	52	51	51	52	52	52	52	51	51	51	51	49

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	50	54	54	58	57	56	55	55	55	57	64	63	64	63	57	52	50
Tue	49	54	54	60	58	57	55	54	56	58	65	68	69	65	60	53	49
Wed	50	55	54	60	57	56	54	55	55	59	66	68	66	63	60	53	50
Thu	50	54	53	58	56	55	55	55	56	60	65	65	67	63	58	52	50
Fri	49	55	54	56	55	55	55	56	59	63	69	72	65	62	60	53	50
Sat	49	51	51	51	52	52	52	53	53	54	55	56	55	54	51	51	49
Sun	49	49	50	50	50	52	51	51	52	52	52	52	51	51	51	51	49