Best Time to Drive from Huntington Beach to East Los Angeles

Right now (7:18 pm PDT): about 44 minutes via I-605 North and I-5 North, usually 39 at this time.

Only 11% 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 Huntington Beach to East 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	35	38	44	44	43	41	44	43	42	47	48	49	48	45	40	37	35
Tue	35	38	48	52	47	45	42	42	42	46	50	51	52	47	43	37	35
Wed	35	38	48	52	51	47	44	44	44	51	51	54	55	50	45	43	37
Thu	35	38	45	48	47	44	43	43	45	48	50	54	54	49	44	39	35
Fri	35	37	41	43	43	43	46	46	45	50	50	52	52	46	43	38	35
Sat	35	35	36	36	38	38	38	40	42	44	45	46	45	40	38	37	35
Sun	35	35	35	35	36	36	37	38	38	38	38	38	38	38	37	38	35

About this drive

On weekdays the 32-mile drive from Huntington Beach to East Los Angeles (via I-605 North and I-5 North) usually takes as little as 35 minutes and up to 56 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 8:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 45 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4 pm on Saturdays (46 minutes).

About 20 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 12 miles surface streets (18 to 25 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Huntington Beach to central East Los Angeles 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 Huntington Beach to East Los Angeles?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 35 minutes then, versus up to 56 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Huntington Beach to East Los Angeles?

The 32-mile drive usually takes 35 to 56 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 45 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Huntington Beach to East Los Angeles?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 56 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-605 North in Orange County (11 miles) · I-5 North in Los Angeles (6 miles) · I-405 North in Orange County (3 miles)

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

More drives

East Los Angeles to Huntington Beach (return trip) · Huntington Beach to Los Angeles · Huntington Beach to Santa Monica · Huntington Beach to West Covina · Huntington Beach to Burbank · Huntington Beach to Glendale · Huntington Beach to Santa Clarita · Huntington Beach to Van Nuys · Huntington Beach to LAX · Huntington Beach to Hollywood · Huntington Beach to Culver City · Huntington Beach to El Monte

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	35	38	44	44	43	41	44	43	42	47	48	49	48	45	40	37	35
Tue	35	38	48	52	47	45	42	42	42	46	50	51	52	47	43	37	35
Wed	35	38	48	52	51	47	44	44	44	51	51	54	55	50	45	43	37
Thu	35	38	45	48	47	44	43	43	45	48	50	54	54	49	44	39	35
Fri	35	37	41	43	43	43	46	46	45	50	50	52	52	46	43	38	35
Sat	35	35	36	36	38	38	38	40	42	44	45	46	45	40	38	37	35
Sun	35	35	35	35	36	36	37	38	38	38	38	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	35	38	44	44	43	41	44	43	42	47	48	49	48	45	40	37	35
Tue	35	38	48	52	47	45	42	42	42	46	50	51	52	47	43	37	35
Wed	35	38	48	52	51	47	44	44	44	51	51	54	55	50	45	43	37
Thu	35	38	45	48	47	44	43	43	45	48	50	54	54	49	44	39	35
Fri	35	37	41	43	43	43	46	46	45	50	50	52	52	46	43	38	35
Sat	35	35	36	36	38	38	38	40	42	44	45	46	45	40	38	37	35
Sun	35	35	35	35	36	36	37	38	38	38	38	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	35	38	44	44	43	41	44	43	42	47	48	49	48	45	40	37	35
Tue	35	38	48	52	47	45	42	42	42	46	50	51	52	47	43	37	35
Wed	35	38	48	52	51	47	44	44	44	51	51	54	55	50	45	43	37
Thu	35	38	45	48	47	44	43	43	45	48	50	54	54	49	44	39	35
Fri	35	37	41	43	43	43	46	46	45	50	50	52	52	46	43	38	35
Sat	35	35	36	36	38	38	38	40	42	44	45	46	45	40	38	37	35
Sun	35	35	35	35	36	36	37	38	38	38	38	38	38	38	37	38	35