Best Time to Drive from Irvine to Laguna Beach

Right now (5:50 pm PDT): about 15 minutes via I-405 South, usually 15 at this time.

Only 15% 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.

About this drive

On weekdays the 12-mile drive from Irvine to Laguna Beach (via I-405 South) usually takes as little as 14 minutes and up to 18 minutes, when leaving around 9 am on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 9 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 16 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12:30 pm on Saturdays (15 minutes).

About 6 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 6 miles surface streets (9 to 10 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Irvine to central Laguna Beach 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 Laguna Beach?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 9 pm. The drive usually takes about 14 minutes then, versus up to 18 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Irvine to Laguna Beach?

The 12-mile drive usually takes 14 to 18 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 16 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Irvine to Laguna Beach?

Leaving around 9 am on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 18 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-405 South in Orange County (5 miles)

Orange County traffic right now · Orange County traffic tomorrow

More drives

Laguna Beach 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

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