Best Time to Drive from La Jolla to Santa Monica

Right now (5:54 pm PDT): about 209 minutes via I-5 North and I-405 North, usually 125 at this time.

Only 43% 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 La Jolla 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	110	110	111	114	115	116	116	118	119	122	136	140	125	114	112	113	112
Tue	109	110	112	115	117	118	118	118	121	132	168	153	133	122	113	113	111
Wed	110	111	113	115	118	122	120	122	124	151	177	161	143	125	114	113	111
Thu	109	110	112	115	115	118	119	120	121	137	154	155	140	125	114	113	111
Fri	111	112	112	114	116	118	119	123	126	151	158	144	128	115	114	114	111
Sat	110	110	110	111	113	117	126	129	127	126	123	121	117	113	113	113	111
Sun	111	111	111	111	113	116	127	129	128	127	123	120	118	114	114	114	110

About this drive

On weekdays the 125-mile drive from La Jolla to Santa Monica (via I-5 North and I-405 North) usually takes as little as 109 minutes and up to 177 minutes, when leaving around 3 pm on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 12:30 pm or after 6 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 124 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 11:30 am on Sundays (130 minutes).

About 120 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 5 miles surface streets (6 to 10 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central La Jolla 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 La Jolla to Santa Monica?

On weekdays, leave before 12:30 pm or after 6 pm. The drive usually takes about 109 minutes then, versus up to 177 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from La Jolla to Santa Monica?

The 125-mile drive usually takes 109 to 177 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 124 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from La Jolla to Santa Monica?

Leaving around 3 pm on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 177 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 North in San Diego (43 miles) · I-405 North in Los Angeles (27 miles) · SR-73 North in Orange County (18 miles) · I-405 North in Orange County (16 miles) · I-5 North in Orange County (14 miles) · I-10 West in Los Angeles (3 miles)

San Diego traffic right now · San Diego traffic tomorrow · Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

La Jolla to San Diego · La Jolla to Escondido · La Jolla to Oceanside · La Jolla to Chula Vista · La Jolla to El Cajon · La Jolla to Carlsbad · La Jolla to SAN · La Jolla to Garden Grove

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	110	110	111	114	115	116	116	118	119	122	136	140	125	114	112	113	112
Tue	109	110	112	115	117	118	118	118	121	132	168	153	133	122	113	113	111
Wed	110	111	113	115	118	122	120	122	124	151	177	161	143	125	114	113	111
Thu	109	110	112	115	115	118	119	120	121	137	154	155	140	125	114	113	111
Fri	111	112	112	114	116	118	119	123	126	151	158	144	128	115	114	114	111
Sat	110	110	110	111	113	117	126	129	127	126	123	121	117	113	113	113	111
Sun	111	111	111	111	113	116	127	129	128	127	123	120	118	114	114	114	110

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	110	110	111	114	115	116	116	118	119	122	136	140	125	114	112	113	112
Tue	109	110	112	115	117	118	118	118	121	132	168	153	133	122	113	113	111
Wed	110	111	113	115	118	122	120	122	124	151	177	161	143	125	114	113	111
Thu	109	110	112	115	115	118	119	120	121	137	154	155	140	125	114	113	111
Fri	111	112	112	114	116	118	119	123	126	151	158	144	128	115	114	114	111
Sat	110	110	110	111	113	117	126	129	127	126	123	121	117	113	113	113	111
Sun	111	111	111	111	113	116	127	129	128	127	123	120	118	114	114	114	110

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	110	110	111	114	115	116	116	118	119	122	136	140	125	114	112	113	112
Tue	109	110	112	115	117	118	118	118	121	132	168	153	133	122	113	113	111
Wed	110	111	113	115	118	122	120	122	124	151	177	161	143	125	114	113	111
Thu	109	110	112	115	115	118	119	120	121	137	154	155	140	125	114	113	111
Fri	111	112	112	114	116	118	119	123	126	151	158	144	128	115	114	114	111
Sat	110	110	110	111	113	117	126	129	127	126	123	121	117	113	113	113	111
Sun	111	111	111	111	113	116	127	129	128	127	123	120	118	114	114	114	110