Best Time to Drive from El Monte to San Clemente

Right now (7:49 pm PDT): about 60 minutes via I-5 South and I-605 South, usually 58 at this time.

Only 45% 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 San Clemente 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	53	60	72	74	65	58	58	59	60	60	67	69	78	72	61	56	55
Tue	53	64	78	80	69	61	60	61	61	62	76	88	86	75	68	58	55
Wed	53	64	77	80	69	62	61	61	61	65	76	83	87	77	68	58	55
Thu	53	62	76	78	70	63	63	62	62	62	69	76	82	72	64	57	55
Fri	53	62	68	68	64	61	61	60	64	77	88	73	70	68	62	58	56
Sat	54	55	56	58	59	59	61	60	60	62	61	62	59	57	56	56	55
Sun	54	54	54	55	56	57	58	58	59	58	59	58	58	57	57	58	54

About this drive

On weekdays the 62-mile drive from El Monte to San Clemente (via I-5 South and I-605 South) usually takes as little as 53 minutes and up to 88 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 62 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2 pm on Saturdays (62 minutes).

About 60 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 1.7 miles surface streets (2 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 San Clemente 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 San Clemente?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 53 minutes then, versus up to 88 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from El Monte to San Clemente?

The 62-mile drive usually takes 53 to 88 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 62 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from El Monte to San Clemente?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 88 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in Orange County (45 miles) · I-605 South in Los Angeles (14 miles) · I-10 East in Los Angeles (1.4 miles)

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

More drives

San Clemente 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	53	60	72	74	65	58	58	59	60	60	67	69	78	72	61	56	55
Tue	53	64	78	80	69	61	60	61	61	62	76	88	86	75	68	58	55
Wed	53	64	77	80	69	62	61	61	61	65	76	83	87	77	68	58	55
Thu	53	62	76	78	70	63	63	62	62	62	69	76	82	72	64	57	55
Fri	53	62	68	68	64	61	61	60	64	77	88	73	70	68	62	58	56
Sat	54	55	56	58	59	59	61	60	60	62	61	62	59	57	56	56	55
Sun	54	54	54	55	56	57	58	58	59	58	59	58	58	57	57	58	54

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	53	60	72	74	65	58	58	59	60	60	67	69	78	72	61	56	55
Tue	53	64	78	80	69	61	60	61	61	62	76	88	86	75	68	58	55
Wed	53	64	77	80	69	62	61	61	61	65	76	83	87	77	68	58	55
Thu	53	62	76	78	70	63	63	62	62	62	69	76	82	72	64	57	55
Fri	53	62	68	68	64	61	61	60	64	77	88	73	70	68	62	58	56
Sat	54	55	56	58	59	59	61	60	60	62	61	62	59	57	56	56	55
Sun	54	54	54	55	56	57	58	58	59	58	59	58	58	57	57	58	54

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	53	60	72	74	65	58	58	59	60	60	67	69	78	72	61	56	55
Tue	53	64	78	80	69	61	60	61	61	62	76	88	86	75	68	58	55
Wed	53	64	77	80	69	62	61	61	61	65	76	83	87	77	68	58	55
Thu	53	62	76	78	70	63	63	62	62	62	69	76	82	72	64	57	55
Fri	53	62	68	68	64	61	61	60	64	77	88	73	70	68	62	58	56
Sat	54	55	56	58	59	59	61	60	60	62	61	62	59	57	56	56	55
Sun	54	54	54	55	56	57	58	58	59	58	59	58	58	57	57	58	54