Best Time to Drive from LAX to Palm Springs

Right now (4:05 am PDT): about 121 minutes via I-10 East, usually 118 at this time.

Only 21% 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 Palm Springs 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	117	123	144	149	147	143	143	148	148	172	191	190	179	160	142	126	120
Tue	118	126	157	163	160	152	146	143	150	179	202	204	196	177	155	128	118
Wed	118	128	152	159	155	151	144	143	148	174	191	194	178	164	148	130	119
Thu	119	128	153	158	156	147	144	149	163	190	209	205	193	172	154	133	120
Fri	119	123	139	144	144	148	161	174	187	207	217	208	194	175	155	131	121
Sat	117	119	122	122	123	127	132	139	153	158	162	163	161	144	132	126	122
Sun	119	119	120	120	120	121	123	126	127	126	126	123	124	124	124	123	119

About this drive

On weekdays the 123-mile drive from LAX to Palm Springs (via I-10 East) usually takes as little as 117 minutes and up to 217 minutes, when leaving around 3 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 8:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 159 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4 pm on Saturdays (163 minutes).

About 110 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 14 miles surface streets (20 to 27 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 Palm Springs (East Alejo Road) 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 Palm Springs?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 117 minutes then, versus up to 217 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from LAX to Palm Springs?

The 123-mile drive usually takes 117 to 217 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 159 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from LAX to Palm Springs?

Leaving around 3 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 217 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-10 East in Inland Empire (58 miles) · I-10 East in Los Angeles (17 miles) · I-105 East in Los Angeles (16 miles) · I-605 North in Los Angeles (10 miles) · I-605 North in Orange County (3 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Palm Springs 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 El Monte · LAX to Downey · LAX to Whittier

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	117	123	144	149	147	143	143	148	148	172	191	190	179	160	142	126	120
Tue	118	126	157	163	160	152	146	143	150	179	202	204	196	177	155	128	118
Wed	118	128	152	159	155	151	144	143	148	174	191	194	178	164	148	130	119
Thu	119	128	153	158	156	147	144	149	163	190	209	205	193	172	154	133	120
Fri	119	123	139	144	144	148	161	174	187	207	217	208	194	175	155	131	121
Sat	117	119	122	122	123	127	132	139	153	158	162	163	161	144	132	126	122
Sun	119	119	120	120	120	121	123	126	127	126	126	123	124	124	124	123	119

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	117	123	144	149	147	143	143	148	148	172	191	190	179	160	142	126	120
Tue	118	126	157	163	160	152	146	143	150	179	202	204	196	177	155	128	118
Wed	118	128	152	159	155	151	144	143	148	174	191	194	178	164	148	130	119
Thu	119	128	153	158	156	147	144	149	163	190	209	205	193	172	154	133	120
Fri	119	123	139	144	144	148	161	174	187	207	217	208	194	175	155	131	121
Sat	117	119	122	122	123	127	132	139	153	158	162	163	161	144	132	126	122
Sun	119	119	120	120	120	121	123	126	127	126	126	123	124	124	124	123	119

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	117	123	144	149	147	143	143	148	148	172	191	190	179	160	142	126	120
Tue	118	126	157	163	160	152	146	143	150	179	202	204	196	177	155	128	118
Wed	118	128	152	159	155	151	144	143	148	174	191	194	178	164	148	130	119
Thu	119	128	153	158	156	147	144	149	163	190	209	205	193	172	154	133	120
Fri	119	123	139	144	144	148	161	174	187	207	217	208	194	175	155	131	121
Sat	117	119	122	122	123	127	132	139	153	158	162	163	161	144	132	126	122
Sun	119	119	120	120	120	121	123	126	127	126	126	123	124	124	124	123	119