Best Time to Drive from Irvine to Palm Springs

Right now (2:36 am PST): about 93 minutes via SR-91 East and I-10 East and SR-60 East.

Only 27% 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 92-mile drive from Irvine to Palm Springs (via SR-91 East and I-10 East and SR-60 East) usually takes as little as 91 minutes and up to 122 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 12:30 pm or after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 102 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2:30 pm on Saturdays (102 minutes).

About 76 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 16 miles surface streets (23 to 27 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 Palm Springs (East Alejo Road) 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 Palm Springs?

On weekdays, leave before 12:30 pm or after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 91 minutes then, versus up to 122 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Irvine to Palm Springs?

The 92-mile drive usually takes 91 to 122 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 102 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Irvine to Palm Springs?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 122 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

SR-91 East in Orange County (20 miles) · SR-60 East in Inland Empire (17 miles) · I-10 East in Inland Empire (13 miles) · SR-241 North in Orange County (7 miles) · SR-261 North in Orange County (6 miles) · I-215 South in Inland Empire (5 miles)

Orange County traffic right now · Orange County traffic tomorrow

Irvine to Palm Springs over Thanksgiving: when to leave →

More drives

Palm Springs 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 →