Best Time to Drive from LAX to El Monte

Right now (10:18 am PDT): about 39 minutes via I-105 East and I-605 North, usually 57 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	35	56	58	54	48	48	50	50	68	77	80	76	62	46	35	32
Tue	32	38	69	75	70	60	52	47	52	72	87	97	95	81	59	37	32
Wed	31	38	63	70	64	57	48	46	49	65	73	81	81	70	55	38	32
Thu	32	38	63	69	65	55	50	53	61	77	87	95	93	77	59	42	33
Fri	32	35	51	52	50	53	62	68	71	82	88	90	83	71	56	40	33
Sat	32	32	33	33	35	37	39	42	51	60	65	67	67	52	42	36	34
Sun	32	32	32	32	32	33	33	35	36	36	36	34	35	35	35	34	33

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 99 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 8:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 58 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4:30 pm on Saturdays (68 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 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 31 minutes then, versus up to 99 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 99 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 58 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from LAX to El Monte?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 99 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	35	56	58	54	48	48	50	50	68	77	80	76	62	46	35	32
Tue	32	38	69	75	70	60	52	47	52	72	87	97	95	81	59	37	32
Wed	31	38	63	70	64	57	48	46	49	65	73	81	81	70	55	38	32
Thu	32	38	63	69	65	55	50	53	61	77	87	95	93	77	59	42	33
Fri	32	35	51	52	50	53	62	68	71	82	88	90	83	71	56	40	33
Sat	32	32	33	33	35	37	39	42	51	60	65	67	67	52	42	36	34
Sun	32	32	32	32	32	33	33	35	36	36	36	34	35	35	35	34	33

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	31	35	56	58	54	48	48	50	50	68	77	80	76	62	46	35	32
Tue	32	38	69	75	70	60	52	47	52	72	87	97	95	81	59	37	32
Wed	31	38	63	70	64	57	48	46	49	65	73	81	81	70	55	38	32
Thu	32	38	63	69	65	55	50	53	61	77	87	95	93	77	59	42	33
Fri	32	35	51	52	50	53	62	68	71	82	88	90	83	71	56	40	33
Sat	32	32	33	33	35	37	39	42	51	60	65	67	67	52	42	36	34
Sun	32	32	32	32	32	33	33	35	36	36	36	34	35	35	35	34	33

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	31	35	56	58	54	48	48	50	50	68	77	80	76	62	46	35	32
Tue	32	38	69	75	70	60	52	47	52	72	87	97	95	81	59	37	32
Wed	31	38	63	70	64	57	48	46	49	65	73	81	81	70	55	38	32
Thu	32	38	63	69	65	55	50	53	61	77	87	95	93	77	59	42	33
Fri	32	35	51	52	50	53	62	68	71	82	88	90	83	71	56	40	33
Sat	32	32	33	33	35	37	39	42	51	60	65	67	67	52	42	36	34
Sun	32	32	32	32	32	33	33	35	36	36	36	34	35	35	35	34	33