Best Time to Drive from Glendale to Santa Monica

Right now (10:18 am PDT): about 34 minutes via I-10 West and I-5 South, usually 39 at this time.

Only 3% 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 Santa Monica 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	22	27	35	38	38	35	33	35	34	37	39	43	40	34	30	25	23
Tue	22	27	40	45	46	49	40	35	36	51	65	67	57	34	32	27	22
Wed	22	26	41	45	45	49	45	43	42	52	62	61	59	46	32	28	24
Thu	22	26	40	42	49	46	38	39	41	61	69	67	59	42	33	32	24
Fri	22	26	37	45	44	37	39	44	59	69	63	59	56	39	37	36	28
Sat	24	23	24	24	31	45	45	50	59	59	61	65	62	57	43	40	26
Sun	23	23	24	23	23	27	33	39	41	42	46	42	35	32	31	33	28

About this drive

On weekdays the 24-mile drive from Glendale to Santa Monica (via I-10 West and I-5 South) usually takes as little as 21 minutes and up to 69 minutes, when leaving around 2 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 43 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4 pm on Saturdays (65 minutes).

About 22 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 2 miles surface streets (3 to 8 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 downtown Santa Monica 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 Santa Monica?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am. The drive usually takes about 21 minutes then, versus up to 69 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Glendale to Santa Monica?

The 24-mile drive usually takes 21 to 69 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 43 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Glendale to Santa Monica?

Leaving around 2 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 69 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-10 West in Los Angeles (12 miles) · I-5 South in Los Angeles (6 miles) · I-110 South in Los Angeles (4 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Santa Monica to Glendale (return trip) · Glendale to Los Angeles · 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 · Glendale to Whittier

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	22	27	35	38	38	35	33	35	34	37	39	43	40	34	30	25	23
Tue	22	27	40	45	46	49	40	35	36	51	65	67	57	34	32	27	22
Wed	22	26	41	45	45	49	45	43	42	52	62	61	59	46	32	28	24
Thu	22	26	40	42	49	46	38	39	41	61	69	67	59	42	33	32	24
Fri	22	26	37	45	44	37	39	44	59	69	63	59	56	39	37	36	28
Sat	24	23	24	24	31	45	45	50	59	59	61	65	62	57	43	40	26
Sun	23	23	24	23	23	27	33	39	41	42	46	42	35	32	31	33	28

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	22	27	35	38	38	35	33	35	34	37	39	43	40	34	30	25	23
Tue	22	27	40	45	46	49	40	35	36	51	65	67	57	34	32	27	22
Wed	22	26	41	45	45	49	45	43	42	52	62	61	59	46	32	28	24
Thu	22	26	40	42	49	46	38	39	41	61	69	67	59	42	33	32	24
Fri	22	26	37	45	44	37	39	44	59	69	63	59	56	39	37	36	28
Sat	24	23	24	24	31	45	45	50	59	59	61	65	62	57	43	40	26
Sun	23	23	24	23	23	27	33	39	41	42	46	42	35	32	31	33	28

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	22	27	35	38	38	35	33	35	34	37	39	43	40	34	30	25	23
Tue	22	27	40	45	46	49	40	35	36	51	65	67	57	34	32	27	22
Wed	22	26	41	45	45	49	45	43	42	52	62	61	59	46	32	28	24
Thu	22	26	40	42	49	46	38	39	41	61	69	67	59	42	33	32	24
Fri	22	26	37	45	44	37	39	44	59	69	63	59	56	39	37	36	28
Sat	24	23	24	24	31	45	45	50	59	59	61	65	62	57	43	40	26
Sun	23	23	24	23	23	27	33	39	41	42	46	42	35	32	31	33	28