Best Time to Drive from Glendale to Irvine

Right now (11:21 am PST): about 61 minutes via I-5 South, usually 62 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 Glendale to Irvine 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	46	56	73	71	61	59	60	61	65	67	87	101	92	80	60	48	45
Tue	44	57	82	79	65	62	60	59	60	72	96	114	102	88	70	54	45
Wed	44	56	84	78	67	60	59	59	62	70	77	86	83	73	65	54	45
Thu	44	55	78	77	66	64	63	65	68	81	99	106	102	89	65	55	47
Fri	44	54	69	69	63	59	59	62	73	92	100	102	100	85	66	59	47
Sat	46	46	47	49	54	58	62	64	67	72	73	72	70	67	61	59	49
Sun	45	45	45	46	47	51	56	64	66	69	65	65	64	63	61	60	49

About this drive

On weekdays the 48-mile drive from Glendale to Irvine (via I-5 South) usually takes as little as 44 minutes and up to 114 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 9 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 65 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3 pm on Saturdays (73 minutes).

About 42 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 5 miles surface streets (8 to 15 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Glendale (South Brand Boulevard) to central Irvine (Harvard 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 Glendale to Irvine?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 9 pm. The drive usually takes about 44 minutes then, versus up to 114 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Glendale to Irvine?

The 48-mile drive usually takes 44 to 114 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 65 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Glendale to Irvine?

Leaving around 4 pm on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 114 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in Orange County (24 miles) · I-5 South in Los Angeles (18 miles)

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

Glendale to Irvine over Thanksgiving: when to leave →

More drives

Irvine to Glendale (return trip) · Glendale to Los Angeles · Glendale to Santa Monica · Glendale to Long Beach · Glendale to West Covina · Glendale to Santa Clarita · Glendale to Van Nuys · Glendale to Torrance · Glendale to LAX · Glendale to Culver City · Glendale to El Monte · Glendale to Downey

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	46	56	73	71	61	59	60	61	65	67	87	101	92	80	60	48	45
Tue	44	57	82	79	65	62	60	59	60	72	96	114	102	88	70	54	45
Wed	44	56	84	78	67	60	59	59	62	70	77	86	83	73	65	54	45
Thu	44	55	78	77	66	64	63	65	68	81	99	106	102	89	65	55	47
Fri	44	54	69	69	63	59	59	62	73	92	100	102	100	85	66	59	47
Sat	46	46	47	49	54	58	62	64	67	72	73	72	70	67	61	59	49
Sun	45	45	45	46	47	51	56	64	66	69	65	65	64	63	61	60	49

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	46	56	73	71	61	59	60	61	65	67	87	101	92	80	60	48	45
Tue	44	57	82	79	65	62	60	59	60	72	96	114	102	88	70	54	45
Wed	44	56	84	78	67	60	59	59	62	70	77	86	83	73	65	54	45
Thu	44	55	78	77	66	64	63	65	68	81	99	106	102	89	65	55	47
Fri	44	54	69	69	63	59	59	62	73	92	100	102	100	85	66	59	47
Sat	46	46	47	49	54	58	62	64	67	72	73	72	70	67	61	59	49
Sun	45	45	45	46	47	51	56	64	66	69	65	65	64	63	61	60	49

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	46	56	73	71	61	59	60	61	65	67	87	101	92	80	60	48	45
Tue	44	57	82	79	65	62	60	59	60	72	96	114	102	88	70	54	45
Wed	44	56	84	78	67	60	59	59	62	70	77	86	83	73	65	54	45
Thu	44	55	78	77	66	64	63	65	68	81	99	106	102	89	65	55	47
Fri	44	54	69	69	63	59	59	62	73	92	100	102	100	85	66	59	47
Sat	46	46	47	49	54	58	62	64	67	72	73	72	70	67	61	59	49
Sun	45	45	45	46	47	51	56	64	66	69	65	65	64	63	61	60	49