Best Time to Drive from Irvine to El Monte

Right now (4:35 pm PST): about 67 minutes via I-5 North and I-605 North, usually 73 at this time.

Only 36% 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 Irvine to El Monte 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	36	38	44	50	48	45	45	45	47	56	62	66	67	59	45	39	37
Tue	36	39	47	56	50	47	46	47	49	57	64	71	76	67	52	40	37
Wed	36	39	47	51	49	46	45	47	50	55	65	71	76	67	52	41	37
Thu	36	40	46	52	47	46	47	47	51	56	61	71	73	61	53	41	37
Fri	36	39	43	45	44	45	47	49	54	59	67	65	68	59	47	42	37
Sat	37	37	38	38	39	41	43	43	44	45	47	48	48	45	42	40	37
Sun	37	37	37	37	38	39	40	41	41	42	41	41	41	41	41	41	37

About this drive

On weekdays the 38-mile drive from Irvine to El Monte (via I-5 North and I-605 North) usually takes as little as 36 minutes and up to 76 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 50 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3:30 pm on Saturdays (49 minutes).

About 33 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 5 miles surface streets (8 to 18 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Irvine (Harvard Avenue) to central El Monte (Valley Boulevard) 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 Irvine to El Monte?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 36 minutes then, versus up to 76 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Irvine to El Monte?

The 38-mile drive usually takes 36 to 76 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 50 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Irvine to El Monte?

Leaving around 5 pm on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 76 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 North in Orange County (21 miles) · I-605 North in Los Angeles (8 miles) · SR-55 North in Orange County (2 miles)

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

More drives

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

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	36	38	44	50	48	45	45	45	47	56	62	66	67	59	45	39	37
Tue	36	39	47	56	50	47	46	47	49	57	64	71	76	67	52	40	37
Wed	36	39	47	51	49	46	45	47	50	55	65	71	76	67	52	41	37
Thu	36	40	46	52	47	46	47	47	51	56	61	71	73	61	53	41	37
Fri	36	39	43	45	44	45	47	49	54	59	67	65	68	59	47	42	37
Sat	37	37	38	38	39	41	43	43	44	45	47	48	48	45	42	40	37
Sun	37	37	37	37	38	39	40	41	41	42	41	41	41	41	41	41	37

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	36	38	44	50	48	45	45	45	47	56	62	66	67	59	45	39	37
Tue	36	39	47	56	50	47	46	47	49	57	64	71	76	67	52	40	37
Wed	36	39	47	51	49	46	45	47	50	55	65	71	76	67	52	41	37
Thu	36	40	46	52	47	46	47	47	51	56	61	71	73	61	53	41	37
Fri	36	39	43	45	44	45	47	49	54	59	67	65	68	59	47	42	37
Sat	37	37	38	38	39	41	43	43	44	45	47	48	48	45	42	40	37
Sun	37	37	37	37	38	39	40	41	41	42	41	41	41	41	41	41	37

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	36	38	44	50	48	45	45	45	47	56	62	66	67	59	45	39	37
Tue	36	39	47	56	50	47	46	47	49	57	64	71	76	67	52	40	37
Wed	36	39	47	51	49	46	45	47	50	55	65	71	76	67	52	41	37
Thu	36	40	46	52	47	46	47	47	51	56	61	71	73	61	53	41	37
Fri	36	39	43	45	44	45	47	49	54	59	67	65	68	59	47	42	37
Sat	37	37	38	38	39	41	43	43	44	45	47	48	48	45	42	40	37
Sun	37	37	37	37	38	39	40	41	41	42	41	41	41	41	41	41	37