Best Time to Drive from Irvine to Santa Monica

Right now (9:03 pm PDT): about 47 minutes via I-405 North, usually 47 at this time.

None 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 Santa Monica 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	47	50	50	50	53	53	55	55	55	55	57	60	62	61	53	53	47
Tue	47	48	49	52	53	55	54	54	54	55	57	58	61	64	53	51	47
Wed	46	49	50	56	59	63	62	61	62	63	63	70	70	69	71	67	49
Thu	46	50	51	54	55	56	56	56	57	57	57	63	63	62	57	53	47
Fri	47	48	51	54	54	51	51	51	52	53	55	57	57	57	52	50	47
Sat	47	47	48	49	50	50	51	52	52	52	53	52	53	52	51	51	47
Sun	47	47	47	49	50	51	52	52	51	51	51	51	51	51	51	51	47

About this drive

On weekdays the 52-mile drive from Irvine to Santa Monica (via I-405 North) usually takes as little as 46 minutes and up to 74 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7:30 am or after 9 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 56 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12:30 pm on Sundays (53 minutes).

About 50 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 2 miles surface streets (3 to 6 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 downtown Santa Monica 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 Santa Monica?

On weekdays, leave before 7:30 am or after 9 pm. The drive usually takes about 46 minutes then, versus up to 74 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Irvine to Santa Monica?

The 52-mile drive usually takes 46 to 74 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 56 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Irvine to Santa Monica?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 74 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-405 North in Los Angeles (27 miles) · I-405 North in Orange County (20 miles) · I-10 West in Los Angeles (3 miles)

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

More drives

Santa Monica to Irvine (return trip) · Irvine to Los Angeles · 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 · 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	47	50	50	50	53	53	55	55	55	55	57	60	62	61	53	53	47
Tue	47	48	49	52	53	55	54	54	54	55	57	58	61	64	53	51	47
Wed	46	49	50	56	59	63	62	61	62	63	63	70	70	69	71	67	49
Thu	46	50	51	54	55	56	56	56	57	57	57	63	63	62	57	53	47
Fri	47	48	51	54	54	51	51	51	52	53	55	57	57	57	52	50	47
Sat	47	47	48	49	50	50	51	52	52	52	53	52	53	52	51	51	47
Sun	47	47	47	49	50	51	52	52	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	47	50	50	50	53	53	55	55	55	55	57	60	62	61	53	53	47
Tue	47	48	49	52	53	55	54	54	54	55	57	58	61	64	53	51	47
Wed	46	49	50	56	59	63	62	61	62	63	63	70	70	69	71	67	49
Thu	46	50	51	54	55	56	56	56	57	57	57	63	63	62	57	53	47
Fri	47	48	51	54	54	51	51	51	52	53	55	57	57	57	52	50	47
Sat	47	47	48	49	50	50	51	52	52	52	53	52	53	52	51	51	47
Sun	47	47	47	49	50	51	52	52	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	47	50	50	50	53	53	55	55	55	55	57	60	62	61	53	53	47
Tue	47	48	49	52	53	55	54	54	54	55	57	58	61	64	53	51	47
Wed	46	49	50	56	59	63	62	61	62	63	63	70	70	69	71	67	49
Thu	46	50	51	54	55	56	56	56	57	57	57	63	63	62	57	53	47
Fri	47	48	51	54	54	51	51	51	52	53	55	57	57	57	52	50	47
Sat	47	47	48	49	50	50	51	52	52	52	53	52	53	52	51	51	47
Sun	47	47	47	49	50	51	52	52	51	51	51	51	51	51	51	51	47