Best Time to Drive from Irvine to Pasadena

Right now (12:39 pm PST): about 63 minutes via I-5 North, usually 61 at this time.

Only 31% 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	57	56	52	53	53	54	60	68	72	75	65	54	48	46
Tue	45	49	55	63	57	55	53	54	56	62	72	76	82	76	61	49	47
Wed	46	48	53	59	56	54	53	54	57	61	71	77	83	77	60	51	47
Thu	46	49	53	59	55	55	54	54	56	60	69	80	81	72	62	51	47
Fri	46	49	50	53	54	54	55	57	61	66	76	76	82	71	57	50	46
Sat	46	47	48	48	49	50	52	52	54	58	57	58	56	54	52	50	47
Sun	46	47	46	47	48	49	51	51	51	52	52	52	52	52	53	51	47

About this drive

On weekdays the 43-mile drive from Irvine to Pasadena (via I-5 North) usually takes as little as 45 minutes and up to 84 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 (59 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 38 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 45 minutes then, versus up to 84 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 43-mile drive usually takes 45 to 84 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 84 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

Irvine to Pasadena over Thanksgiving: when to leave →

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	57	56	52	53	53	54	60	68	72	75	65	54	48	46
Tue	45	49	55	63	57	55	53	54	56	62	72	76	82	76	61	49	47
Wed	46	48	53	59	56	54	53	54	57	61	71	77	83	77	60	51	47
Thu	46	49	53	59	55	55	54	54	56	60	69	80	81	72	62	51	47
Fri	46	49	50	53	54	54	55	57	61	66	76	76	82	71	57	50	46
Sat	46	47	48	48	49	50	52	52	54	58	57	58	56	54	52	50	47
Sun	46	47	46	47	48	49	51	51	51	52	52	52	52	52	53	51	47

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	46	49	52	57	56	52	53	53	54	60	68	72	75	65	54	48	46
Tue	45	49	55	63	57	55	53	54	56	62	72	76	82	76	61	49	47
Wed	46	48	53	59	56	54	53	54	57	61	71	77	83	77	60	51	47
Thu	46	49	53	59	55	55	54	54	56	60	69	80	81	72	62	51	47
Fri	46	49	50	53	54	54	55	57	61	66	76	76	82	71	57	50	46
Sat	46	47	48	48	49	50	52	52	54	58	57	58	56	54	52	50	47
Sun	46	47	46	47	48	49	51	51	51	52	52	52	52	52	53	51	47

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	46	49	52	57	56	52	53	53	54	60	68	72	75	65	54	48	46
Tue	45	49	55	63	57	55	53	54	56	62	72	76	82	76	61	49	47
Wed	46	48	53	59	56	54	53	54	57	61	71	77	83	77	60	51	47
Thu	46	49	53	59	55	55	54	54	56	60	69	80	81	72	62	51	47
Fri	46	49	50	53	54	54	55	57	61	66	76	76	82	71	57	50	46
Sat	46	47	48	48	49	50	52	52	54	58	57	58	56	54	52	50	47
Sun	46	47	46	47	48	49	51	51	51	52	52	52	52	52	53	51	47