Best Time to Drive from El Monte to SNA

Right now (2:33 pm PDT): about 45 minutes via I-5 South and I-605 South, usually 41 at this time.

None 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 SNA 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	34	39	52	57	45	39	39	37	39	39	40	40	44	40	37	36	35
Tue	34	43	60	64	52	42	41	41	40	40	43	44	47	40	39	37	35
Wed	34	43	58	63	51	44	41	41	40	40	43	43	47	41	39	37	35
Thu	34	41	58	63	52	44	43	42	42	39	41	43	45	40	38	36	35
Fri	34	41	48	48	42	40	40	40	40	42	45	44	42	41	38	37	36
Sat	35	36	37	37	38	39	41	44	41	41	41	41	40	39	37	37	36
Sun	35	35	35	36	37	37	38	39	39	39	39	38	38	38	37	38	35

About this drive

On weekdays the 37-mile drive from El Monte to SNA (via I-5 South and I-605 South) usually takes as little as 34 minutes and up to 64 minutes, when leaving around 7:30 am on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 40 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12 pm on Saturdays (44 minutes).

About 32 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 4 miles surface streets (7 to 14 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central El Monte (Valley Boulevard) to John Wayne Airport, Orange County (SNA) (Paularino Avenue) 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 SNA?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 34 minutes then, versus up to 64 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 37-mile drive usually takes 34 to 64 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 40 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from El Monte to SNA?

Leaving around 7:30 am on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 64 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in Orange County (21 miles) · I-605 South in Los Angeles (6 miles) · SR-55 South 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

SNA 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	34	39	52	57	45	39	39	37	39	39	40	40	44	40	37	36	35
Tue	34	43	60	64	52	42	41	41	40	40	43	44	47	40	39	37	35
Wed	34	43	58	63	51	44	41	41	40	40	43	43	47	41	39	37	35
Thu	34	41	58	63	52	44	43	42	42	39	41	43	45	40	38	36	35
Fri	34	41	48	48	42	40	40	40	40	42	45	44	42	41	38	37	36
Sat	35	36	37	37	38	39	41	44	41	41	41	41	40	39	37	37	36
Sun	35	35	35	36	37	37	38	39	39	39	39	38	38	38	37	38	35

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	34	39	52	57	45	39	39	37	39	39	40	40	44	40	37	36	35
Tue	34	43	60	64	52	42	41	41	40	40	43	44	47	40	39	37	35
Wed	34	43	58	63	51	44	41	41	40	40	43	43	47	41	39	37	35
Thu	34	41	58	63	52	44	43	42	42	39	41	43	45	40	38	36	35
Fri	34	41	48	48	42	40	40	40	40	42	45	44	42	41	38	37	36
Sat	35	36	37	37	38	39	41	44	41	41	41	41	40	39	37	37	36
Sun	35	35	35	36	37	37	38	39	39	39	39	38	38	38	37	38	35

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	34	39	52	57	45	39	39	37	39	39	40	40	44	40	37	36	35
Tue	34	43	60	64	52	42	41	41	40	40	43	44	47	40	39	37	35
Wed	34	43	58	63	51	44	41	41	40	40	43	43	47	41	39	37	35
Thu	34	41	58	63	52	44	43	42	42	39	41	43	45	40	38	36	35
Fri	34	41	48	48	42	40	40	40	40	42	45	44	42	41	38	37	36
Sat	35	36	37	37	38	39	41	44	41	41	41	41	40	39	37	37	36
Sun	35	35	35	36	37	37	38	39	39	39	39	38	38	38	37	38	35