Best Time to Drive from El Monte to Sylmar

Right now (6:06 pm PDT): about 52 minutes via I-210 West, usually 44 at this time.

Only 31% 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 Sylmar 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	37	38	48	56	51	46	46	43	43	42	46	51	50	44	40	38	37
Tue	36	38	53	59	52	48	46	44	42	44	49	56	55	46	42	38	37
Wed	37	38	54	59	53	47	45	45	43	46	51	57	54	48	44	39	37
Thu	37	38	50	61	53	47	46	44	43	46	51	59	58	50	44	39	37
Fri	37	38	44	48	47	46	46	46	48	51	57	60	53	47	43	39	37
Sat	38	37	38	38	39	40	43	47	44	46	45	46	43	41	40	37	37
Sun	37	37	37	37	38	37	38	40	43	42	43	41	39	39	39	38	37

About this drive

On weekdays the 41-mile drive from El Monte to Sylmar (via I-210 West) usually takes as little as 36 minutes and up to 61 minutes, when leaving around 8 am on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 45 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12 pm on Saturdays (47 minutes).

About 38 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 3 miles surface streets (4 to 8 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 Sylmar 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 Sylmar?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 36 minutes then, versus up to 61 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 41-mile drive usually takes 36 to 61 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 45 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from El Monte to Sylmar?

Leaving around 8 am on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 61 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-210 West in Los Angeles (33 miles) · I-605 North in Los Angeles (5 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Sylmar 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	37	38	48	56	51	46	46	43	43	42	46	51	50	44	40	38	37
Tue	36	38	53	59	52	48	46	44	42	44	49	56	55	46	42	38	37
Wed	37	38	54	59	53	47	45	45	43	46	51	57	54	48	44	39	37
Thu	37	38	50	61	53	47	46	44	43	46	51	59	58	50	44	39	37
Fri	37	38	44	48	47	46	46	46	48	51	57	60	53	47	43	39	37
Sat	38	37	38	38	39	40	43	47	44	46	45	46	43	41	40	37	37
Sun	37	37	37	37	38	37	38	40	43	42	43	41	39	39	39	38	37

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	37	38	48	56	51	46	46	43	43	42	46	51	50	44	40	38	37
Tue	36	38	53	59	52	48	46	44	42	44	49	56	55	46	42	38	37
Wed	37	38	54	59	53	47	45	45	43	46	51	57	54	48	44	39	37
Thu	37	38	50	61	53	47	46	44	43	46	51	59	58	50	44	39	37
Fri	37	38	44	48	47	46	46	46	48	51	57	60	53	47	43	39	37
Sat	38	37	38	38	39	40	43	47	44	46	45	46	43	41	40	37	37
Sun	37	37	37	37	38	37	38	40	43	42	43	41	39	39	39	38	37

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	37	38	48	56	51	46	46	43	43	42	46	51	50	44	40	38	37
Tue	36	38	53	59	52	48	46	44	42	44	49	56	55	46	42	38	37
Wed	37	38	54	59	53	47	45	45	43	46	51	57	54	48	44	39	37
Thu	37	38	50	61	53	47	46	44	43	46	51	59	58	50	44	39	37
Fri	37	38	44	48	47	46	46	46	48	51	57	60	53	47	43	39	37
Sat	38	37	38	38	39	40	43	47	44	46	45	46	43	41	40	37	37
Sun	37	37	37	37	38	37	38	40	43	42	43	41	39	39	39	38	37