Best Time to Drive from LAX to El Monte

Right now (3:35 pm PST): about 67 minutes via I-105 East and I-605 North, usually 72 at this time.

Only 2% 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 LAX to El Monte 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	31	33	44	51	46	45	47	45	49	59	73	79	75	63	44	36	33
Tue	31	35	47	60	50	46	47	48	50	64	75	82	84	72	50	37	32
Wed	31	35	47	57	51	45	44	45	47	58	73	80	81	66	50	39	32
Thu	31	35	45	53	48	46	47	47	53	62	70	76	78	63	45	38	32
Fri	31	34	45	46	44	45	48	49	55	63	71	69	62	53	46	40	33
Sat	32	32	32	33	35	35	38	38	39	43	44	47	46	44	39	35	32
Sun	32	32	32	32	32	33	34	36	36	36	35	35	36	35	36	35	32

About this drive

On weekdays the 33-mile drive from LAX to El Monte (via I-105 East and I-605 North) usually takes as little as 31 minutes and up to 84 minutes, when leaving around 5 pm on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 9 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 51 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4 pm on Saturdays (47 minutes).

About 28 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 4 miles surface streets (7 to 18 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to central El Monte (Valley Boulevard) 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 LAX to El Monte?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 9 pm. The drive usually takes about 31 minutes then, versus up to 84 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from LAX to El Monte?

The 33-mile drive usually takes 31 to 84 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 51 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from LAX to El Monte?

Leaving around 5 pm on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 84 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-105 East in Los Angeles (16 miles) · I-605 North in Los Angeles (8 miles) · I-605 North in Orange County (3 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

El Monte to LAX (return trip) · LAX to Los Angeles · LAX to Pasadena · LAX to Long Beach · LAX to West Covina · LAX to Burbank · LAX to Glendale · LAX to Santa Clarita · LAX to Van Nuys · LAX to Downey · LAX to Whittier · LAX to Thousand Oaks

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	31	33	44	51	46	45	47	45	49	59	73	79	75	63	44	36	33
Tue	31	35	47	60	50	46	47	48	50	64	75	82	84	72	50	37	32
Wed	31	35	47	57	51	45	44	45	47	58	73	80	81	66	50	39	32
Thu	31	35	45	53	48	46	47	47	53	62	70	76	78	63	45	38	32
Fri	31	34	45	46	44	45	48	49	55	63	71	69	62	53	46	40	33
Sat	32	32	32	33	35	35	38	38	39	43	44	47	46	44	39	35	32
Sun	32	32	32	32	32	33	34	36	36	36	35	35	36	35	36	35	32

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	31	33	44	51	46	45	47	45	49	59	73	79	75	63	44	36	33
Tue	31	35	47	60	50	46	47	48	50	64	75	82	84	72	50	37	32
Wed	31	35	47	57	51	45	44	45	47	58	73	80	81	66	50	39	32
Thu	31	35	45	53	48	46	47	47	53	62	70	76	78	63	45	38	32
Fri	31	34	45	46	44	45	48	49	55	63	71	69	62	53	46	40	33
Sat	32	32	32	33	35	35	38	38	39	43	44	47	46	44	39	35	32
Sun	32	32	32	32	32	33	34	36	36	36	35	35	36	35	36	35	32

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	31	33	44	51	46	45	47	45	49	59	73	79	75	63	44	36	33
Tue	31	35	47	60	50	46	47	48	50	64	75	82	84	72	50	37	32
Wed	31	35	47	57	51	45	44	45	47	58	73	80	81	66	50	39	32
Thu	31	35	45	53	48	46	47	47	53	62	70	76	78	63	45	38	32
Fri	31	34	45	46	44	45	48	49	55	63	71	69	62	53	46	40	33
Sat	32	32	32	33	35	35	38	38	39	43	44	47	46	44	39	35	32
Sun	32	32	32	32	32	33	34	36	36	36	35	35	36	35	36	35	32