Best Time to Drive from Laguna Hills to Los Angeles

Right now (11:30 am PDT): about 51 minutes via I-5 North, usually 49 at this time.

Only 41% 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 Laguna Hills to Los Angeles 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	41	47	50	55	52	47	48	49	50	51	53	53	54	52	46	43	40
Tue	41	47	53	57	53	50	49	49	50	50	54	57	58	55	50	43	41
Wed	41	46	52	55	52	49	49	49	49	49	55	59	60	56	50	45	41
Thu	41	47	52	56	52	50	50	49	50	51	56	61	59	54	50	45	41
Fri	41	47	46	49	49	50	50	51	52	54	59	59	61	59	50	47	41
Sat	40	42	43	43	44	49	50	50	50	49	51	51	51	48	49	46	42
Sun	40	41	41	41	43	44	47	47	49	49	50	49	50	51	52	47	42

About this drive

On weekdays the 46-mile drive from Laguna Hills to Los Angeles (via I-5 North) usually takes as little as 40 minutes and up to 62 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 8:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 50 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 6:30 pm on Sundays (52 minutes).

About 45 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 1 mile surface streets (1 to 2 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Laguna Hills to Downtown LA (City Hall) 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 Laguna Hills to Los Angeles?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 40 minutes then, versus up to 62 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Laguna Hills to Los Angeles?

The 46-mile drive usually takes 40 to 62 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 50 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Laguna Hills to Los Angeles?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 62 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 North in Orange County (34 miles) · I-5 North in Los Angeles (11 miles)

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

More drives

Los Angeles to Laguna Hills (return trip)

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	41	47	50	55	52	47	48	49	50	51	53	53	54	52	46	43	40
Tue	41	47	53	57	53	50	49	49	50	50	54	57	58	55	50	43	41
Wed	41	46	52	55	52	49	49	49	49	49	55	59	60	56	50	45	41
Thu	41	47	52	56	52	50	50	49	50	51	56	61	59	54	50	45	41
Fri	41	47	46	49	49	50	50	51	52	54	59	59	61	59	50	47	41
Sat	40	42	43	43	44	49	50	50	50	49	51	51	51	48	49	46	42
Sun	40	41	41	41	43	44	47	47	49	49	50	49	50	51	52	47	42

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	41	47	50	55	52	47	48	49	50	51	53	53	54	52	46	43	40
Tue	41	47	53	57	53	50	49	49	50	50	54	57	58	55	50	43	41
Wed	41	46	52	55	52	49	49	49	49	49	55	59	60	56	50	45	41
Thu	41	47	52	56	52	50	50	49	50	51	56	61	59	54	50	45	41
Fri	41	47	46	49	49	50	50	51	52	54	59	59	61	59	50	47	41
Sat	40	42	43	43	44	49	50	50	50	49	51	51	51	48	49	46	42
Sun	40	41	41	41	43	44	47	47	49	49	50	49	50	51	52	47	42

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	41	47	50	55	52	47	48	49	50	51	53	53	54	52	46	43	40
Tue	41	47	53	57	53	50	49	49	50	50	54	57	58	55	50	43	41
Wed	41	46	52	55	52	49	49	49	49	49	55	59	60	56	50	45	41
Thu	41	47	52	56	52	50	50	49	50	51	56	61	59	54	50	45	41
Fri	41	47	46	49	49	50	50	51	52	54	59	59	61	59	50	47	41
Sat	40	42	43	43	44	49	50	50	50	49	51	51	51	48	49	46	42
Sun	40	41	41	41	43	44	47	47	49	49	50	49	50	51	52	47	42