Best Time to Drive from Fountain Valley to Los Angeles

Right now (6:24 pm PDT): about 49 minutes via I-605 North and I-405 North and I-5 North, usually 43 at this time.

Only 13% 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.

On weekdays the 35-mile drive from Fountain Valley to Los Angeles (via I-605 North and I-405 North and I-5 North) usually takes as little as 31 minutes and up to 55 minutes, when leaving around 5 pm on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 40 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4 pm on Saturdays (47 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: Los Angeles to Fountain Valley

Freeway, about 34 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 0.8 miles: 1 to 2 minutes on weekdays, estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time (we don't have street sensors yet). Drive times are measured from central Fountain Valley to Downtown LA (City Hall) along the route shown. Starting or ending elsewhere in a big city can add or save several minutes.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from Fountain Valley to Los Angeles 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	31	38	43	45	41	38	38	38	38	40	43	46	47	41	35	32	31
Tue	31	39	48	50	46	41	38	38	38	41	45	50	52	48	39	33	31
Wed	31	39	48	51	47	42	39	38	39	42	47	52	55	51	42	34	31
Thu	31	39	47	49	45	41	40	39	39	43	48	53	55	49	40	34	31
Fri	31	37	40	41	40	40	41	42	43	48	51	54	54	50	42	35	32
Sat	31	31	31	33	35	37	39	42	43	44	46	47	47	44	39	35	32
Sun	31	31	31	31	32	35	37	38	39	40	40	39	39	38	38	37	32

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 Fountain Valley to Los Angeles?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 31 minutes then, versus up to 55 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Fountain Valley to Los Angeles?

The 35-mile drive usually takes 31 to 55 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 40 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Fountain Valley to Los Angeles?

Leaving around 5 pm on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 55 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

Freeways on this drive

I-605 North in Orange County (11 miles) · I-405 North in Orange County (11 miles) · I-5 North in Los Angeles (11 miles)

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

More drives

Los Angeles to Fountain Valley (return trip)

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	31	38	43	45	41	38	38	38	38	40	43	46	47	41	35	32	31
Tue	31	39	48	50	46	41	38	38	38	41	45	50	52	48	39	33	31
Wed	31	39	48	51	47	42	39	38	39	42	47	52	55	51	42	34	31
Thu	31	39	47	49	45	41	40	39	39	43	48	53	55	49	40	34	31
Fri	31	37	40	41	40	40	41	42	43	48	51	54	54	50	42	35	32
Sat	31	31	31	33	35	37	39	42	43	44	46	47	47	44	39	35	32
Sun	31	31	31	31	32	35	37	38	39	40	40	39	39	38	38	37	32

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	31	38	43	45	41	38	38	38	38	40	43	46	47	41	35	32	31
Tue	31	39	48	50	46	41	38	38	38	41	45	50	52	48	39	33	31
Wed	31	39	48	51	47	42	39	38	39	42	47	52	55	51	42	34	31
Thu	31	39	47	49	45	41	40	39	39	43	48	53	55	49	40	34	31
Fri	31	37	40	41	40	40	41	42	43	48	51	54	54	50	42	35	32
Sat	31	31	31	33	35	37	39	42	43	44	46	47	47	44	39	35	32
Sun	31	31	31	31	32	35	37	38	39	40	40	39	39	38	38	37	32

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	31	38	43	45	41	38	38	38	38	40	43	46	47	41	35	32	31
Tue	31	39	48	50	46	41	38	38	38	41	45	50	52	48	39	33	31
Wed	31	39	48	51	47	42	39	38	39	42	47	52	55	51	42	34	31
Thu	31	39	47	49	45	41	40	39	39	43	48	53	55	49	40	34	31
Fri	31	37	40	41	40	40	41	42	43	48	51	54	54	50	42	35	32
Sat	31	31	31	33	35	37	39	42	43	44	46	47	47	44	39	35	32
Sun	31	31	31	31	32	35	37	38	39	40	40	39	39	38	38	37	32