Best Time to Drive from Huntington Beach to Pasadena

Right now (3:20 pm PST): about 76 minutes via I-605 North and I-405 North and I-5 North, usually 58 at this time.

Only 4% 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 Pasadena 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	50	53	57	61	59	57	59	59	58	62	68	74	75	64	55	52	50
Tue	50	54	65	71	62	59	57	58	58	63	70	75	78	70	59	53	50
Wed	50	53	59	70	62	61	60	58	59	65	69	76	76	70	63	59	52
Thu	50	54	57	65	60	59	58	58	58	61	66	74	74	66	59	56	51
Fri	50	53	54	58	58	58	59	59	60	63	70	71	73	66	60	54	50
Sat	50	50	51	51	54	54	55	56	56	61	58	59	57	55	56	54	50
Sun	50	50	50	50	52	53	54	55	54	56	55	55	55	56	57	55	51

About this drive

On weekdays the 41-mile drive from Huntington Beach to Pasadena (via I-605 North and I-405 North and I-5 North) usually takes as little as 50 minutes and up to 78 minutes, when leaving around 5 pm on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 8:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 59 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2:30 pm on Saturdays (61 minutes).

About 27 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 14 miles surface streets (26 to 46 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Huntington Beach (Orange Avenue) to Old Pasadena (East Holly Street) 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 Pasadena?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 50 minutes then, versus up to 78 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Huntington Beach to Pasadena?

The 41-mile drive usually takes 50 to 78 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 59 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Huntington Beach to Pasadena?

Leaving around 5 pm on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 78 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-605 North in Orange County (11 miles) · I-405 North in Orange County (7 miles) · I-5 North in Los Angeles (6 miles) · I-710 North in Los Angeles (3 miles)

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

Huntington Beach to Pasadena over Thanksgiving: when to leave →

More drives

Pasadena 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	50	53	57	61	59	57	59	59	58	62	68	74	75	64	55	52	50
Tue	50	54	65	71	62	59	57	58	58	63	70	75	78	70	59	53	50
Wed	50	53	59	70	62	61	60	58	59	65	69	76	76	70	63	59	52
Thu	50	54	57	65	60	59	58	58	58	61	66	74	74	66	59	56	51
Fri	50	53	54	58	58	58	59	59	60	63	70	71	73	66	60	54	50
Sat	50	50	51	51	54	54	55	56	56	61	58	59	57	55	56	54	50
Sun	50	50	50	50	52	53	54	55	54	56	55	55	55	56	57	55	51

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	50	53	57	61	59	57	59	59	58	62	68	74	75	64	55	52	50
Tue	50	54	65	71	62	59	57	58	58	63	70	75	78	70	59	53	50
Wed	50	53	59	70	62	61	60	58	59	65	69	76	76	70	63	59	52
Thu	50	54	57	65	60	59	58	58	58	61	66	74	74	66	59	56	51
Fri	50	53	54	58	58	58	59	59	60	63	70	71	73	66	60	54	50
Sat	50	50	51	51	54	54	55	56	56	61	58	59	57	55	56	54	50
Sun	50	50	50	50	52	53	54	55	54	56	55	55	55	56	57	55	51

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	50	53	57	61	59	57	59	59	58	62	68	74	75	64	55	52	50
Tue	50	54	65	71	62	59	57	58	58	63	70	75	78	70	59	53	50
Wed	50	53	59	70	62	61	60	58	59	65	69	76	76	70	63	59	52
Thu	50	54	57	65	60	59	58	58	58	61	66	74	74	66	59	56	51
Fri	50	53	54	58	58	58	59	59	60	63	70	71	73	66	60	54	50
Sat	50	50	51	51	54	54	55	56	56	61	58	59	57	55	56	54	50
Sun	50	50	50	50	52	53	54	55	54	56	55	55	55	56	57	55	51