Best Time to Drive from Irvine to Pasadena

Right now (9:03 pm PDT): about 48 minutes via I-5 North, usually 46 at this time.

Only 3% 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 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	46	49	52	55	55	51	52	52	52	60	70	71	74	63	50	48	46
Tue	46	49	55	64	57	56	52	54	56	63	72	77	78	70	55	48	47
Wed	46	48	53	57	56	55	53	54	58	62	70	78	83	74	60	51	46
Thu	47	48	52	57	55	54	52	52	54	62	71	80	79	67	63	50	48
Fri	46	49	49	51	52	52	53	57	61	65	75	75	82	67	56	49	46
Sat	46	47	47	48	49	50	51	52	52	58	56	56	55	53	49	49	46
Sun	46	47	46	47	48	49	51	51	51	51	51	51	51	51	51	51	47

About this drive

On weekdays the 43-mile drive from Irvine to Pasadena (via I-5 North) usually takes as little as 46 minutes and up to 83 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 7 am or after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 56 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4:30 pm on Saturdays (60 minutes).

About 34 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 10 miles surface streets (16 to 36 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 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 Irvine to Pasadena?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 46 minutes then, versus up to 83 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Irvine to Pasadena?

The 43-mile drive usually takes 46 to 83 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 56 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Irvine to Pasadena?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 83 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 North in Orange County (22 miles) · I-5 North in Los Angeles (6 miles) · I-710 North in Los Angeles (3 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

Pasadena to Irvine (return trip) · Irvine to Los Angeles · Irvine to Santa Monica · 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 · Irvine to Hollywood

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	46	49	52	55	55	51	52	52	52	60	70	71	74	63	50	48	46
Tue	46	49	55	64	57	56	52	54	56	63	72	77	78	70	55	48	47
Wed	46	48	53	57	56	55	53	54	58	62	70	78	83	74	60	51	46
Thu	47	48	52	57	55	54	52	52	54	62	71	80	79	67	63	50	48
Fri	46	49	49	51	52	52	53	57	61	65	75	75	82	67	56	49	46
Sat	46	47	47	48	49	50	51	52	52	58	56	56	55	53	49	49	46
Sun	46	47	46	47	48	49	51	51	51	51	51	51	51	51	51	51	47

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	46	49	52	55	55	51	52	52	52	60	70	71	74	63	50	48	46
Tue	46	49	55	64	57	56	52	54	56	63	72	77	78	70	55	48	47
Wed	46	48	53	57	56	55	53	54	58	62	70	78	83	74	60	51	46
Thu	47	48	52	57	55	54	52	52	54	62	71	80	79	67	63	50	48
Fri	46	49	49	51	52	52	53	57	61	65	75	75	82	67	56	49	46
Sat	46	47	47	48	49	50	51	52	52	58	56	56	55	53	49	49	46
Sun	46	47	46	47	48	49	51	51	51	51	51	51	51	51	51	51	47

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	46	49	52	55	55	51	52	52	52	60	70	71	74	63	50	48	46
Tue	46	49	55	64	57	56	52	54	56	63	72	77	78	70	55	48	47
Wed	46	48	53	57	56	55	53	54	58	62	70	78	83	74	60	51	46
Thu	47	48	52	57	55	54	52	52	54	62	71	80	79	67	63	50	48
Fri	46	49	49	51	52	52	53	57	61	65	75	75	82	67	56	49	46
Sat	46	47	47	48	49	50	51	52	52	58	56	56	55	53	49	49	46
Sun	46	47	46	47	48	49	51	51	51	51	51	51	51	51	51	51	47