Best Time to Drive from Lake Forest to Los Angeles

Right now (4:34 am PDT): about 42 minutes via I-5 North, usually 41 at this time.

Only 40% 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 Lake Forest 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	42	48	51	56	53	48	49	50	52	52	55	55	57	54	47	44	42
Tue	43	49	56	59	55	52	51	51	51	52	56	59	60	57	51	45	42
Wed	42	48	53	56	53	51	50	50	51	51	57	61	62	58	51	46	42
Thu	43	48	53	57	53	51	52	51	51	53	57	63	61	56	52	47	43
Fri	42	48	48	51	50	52	52	52	54	55	61	61	63	60	52	49	42
Sat	42	43	44	45	46	50	52	51	51	50	52	53	52	50	50	47	43
Sun	42	42	42	43	44	45	49	49	50	51	52	51	52	53	54	48	43

About this drive

On weekdays the 47-mile drive from Lake Forest to Los Angeles (via I-5 North) usually takes as little as 42 minutes and up to 64 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 51 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 6:30 pm on Sundays (54 minutes).

About 44 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 3 miles surface streets (4 to 6 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Lake Forest 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 Lake Forest to Los Angeles?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 42 minutes then, versus up to 64 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Lake Forest to Los Angeles?

The 47-mile drive usually takes 42 to 64 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 51 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Lake Forest to Los Angeles?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 64 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 North in Orange County (32 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 Lake Forest (return trip) · Lake Forest to Moreno Valley · Lake Forest to Long Beach · Lake Forest to Anaheim · Lake Forest to Riverside · Lake Forest to Santa Ana · Lake Forest to Irvine · Lake Forest to San Bernardino · Lake Forest to Fontana · Lake Forest to Huntington Beach · Lake Forest to Glendale · Lake Forest to Oceanside

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	42	48	51	56	53	48	49	50	52	52	55	55	57	54	47	44	42
Tue	43	49	56	59	55	52	51	51	51	52	56	59	60	57	51	45	42
Wed	42	48	53	56	53	51	50	50	51	51	57	61	62	58	51	46	42
Thu	43	48	53	57	53	51	52	51	51	53	57	63	61	56	52	47	43
Fri	42	48	48	51	50	52	52	52	54	55	61	61	63	60	52	49	42
Sat	42	43	44	45	46	50	52	51	51	50	52	53	52	50	50	47	43
Sun	42	42	42	43	44	45	49	49	50	51	52	51	52	53	54	48	43

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	42	48	51	56	53	48	49	50	52	52	55	55	57	54	47	44	42
Tue	43	49	56	59	55	52	51	51	51	52	56	59	60	57	51	45	42
Wed	42	48	53	56	53	51	50	50	51	51	57	61	62	58	51	46	42
Thu	43	48	53	57	53	51	52	51	51	53	57	63	61	56	52	47	43
Fri	42	48	48	51	50	52	52	52	54	55	61	61	63	60	52	49	42
Sat	42	43	44	45	46	50	52	51	51	50	52	53	52	50	50	47	43
Sun	42	42	42	43	44	45	49	49	50	51	52	51	52	53	54	48	43

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	42	48	51	56	53	48	49	50	52	52	55	55	57	54	47	44	42
Tue	43	49	56	59	55	52	51	51	51	52	56	59	60	57	51	45	42
Wed	42	48	53	56	53	51	50	50	51	51	57	61	62	58	51	46	42
Thu	43	48	53	57	53	51	52	51	51	53	57	63	61	56	52	47	43
Fri	42	48	48	51	50	52	52	52	54	55	61	61	63	60	52	49	42
Sat	42	43	44	45	46	50	52	51	51	50	52	53	52	50	50	47	43
Sun	42	42	42	43	44	45	49	49	50	51	52	51	52	53	54	48	43