Best Time to Drive from LAX to Pasadena

Right now (4:03 pm PDT): about 56 minutes via I-110 North and I-105 East, usually 38 at this time.

Only 1% 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 Pasadena 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	30	33	38	35	33	31	31	32	34	34	35	35	36	34	34	33	30
Tue	30	34	35	35	34	35	33	34	34	35	35	35	37	36	35	35	30
Wed	30	33	34	34	35	33	34	33	34	35	36	36	36	35	34	33	31
Thu	33	36	38	39	36	35	33	33	35	34	36	37	36	35	35	34	31
Fri	31	37	37	37	37	36	33	33	35	35	37	38	37	37	34	34	31
Sat	36	39	38	38	37	37	35	35	37	37	38	37	37	37	35	33	29
Sun	32	37	47	39	35	33	34	34	35	37	37	36	36	37	35	34	30

About this drive

On weekdays the 28-mile drive from LAX to Pasadena (via I-110 North and I-105 East) usually takes as little as 30 minutes and up to 39 minutes, when leaving around 8 am on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 9 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 33 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 7 am on Sundays (47 minutes).

About 23 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 5 miles surface streets (10 to 13 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 Old Pasadena (East Holly Street) 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 Pasadena?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 9 pm. The drive usually takes about 30 minutes then, versus up to 39 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from LAX to Pasadena?

The 28-mile drive usually takes 30 to 39 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 33 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from LAX to Pasadena?

Leaving around 8 am on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 39 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-110 North in Los Angeles (16 miles) · I-105 East in Los Angeles (6 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Pasadena to LAX (return trip) · LAX to Los Angeles · 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 · 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	30	33	38	35	33	31	31	32	34	34	35	35	36	34	34	33	30
Tue	30	34	35	35	34	35	33	34	34	35	35	35	37	36	35	35	30
Wed	30	33	34	34	35	33	34	33	34	35	36	36	36	35	34	33	31
Thu	33	36	38	39	36	35	33	33	35	34	36	37	36	35	35	34	31
Fri	31	37	37	37	37	36	33	33	35	35	37	38	37	37	34	34	31
Sat	36	39	38	38	37	37	35	35	37	37	38	37	37	37	35	33	29
Sun	32	37	47	39	35	33	34	34	35	37	37	36	36	37	35	34	30

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	30	33	38	35	33	31	31	32	34	34	35	35	36	34	34	33	30
Tue	30	34	35	35	34	35	33	34	34	35	35	35	37	36	35	35	30
Wed	30	33	34	34	35	33	34	33	34	35	36	36	36	35	34	33	31
Thu	33	36	38	39	36	35	33	33	35	34	36	37	36	35	35	34	31
Fri	31	37	37	37	37	36	33	33	35	35	37	38	37	37	34	34	31
Sat	36	39	38	38	37	37	35	35	37	37	38	37	37	37	35	33	29
Sun	32	37	47	39	35	33	34	34	35	37	37	36	36	37	35	34	30

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	30	33	38	35	33	31	31	32	34	34	35	35	36	34	34	33	30
Tue	30	34	35	35	34	35	33	34	34	35	35	35	37	36	35	35	30
Wed	30	33	34	34	35	33	34	33	34	35	36	36	36	35	34	33	31
Thu	33	36	38	39	36	35	33	33	35	34	36	37	36	35	35	34	31
Fri	31	37	37	37	37	36	33	33	35	35	37	38	37	37	34	34	31
Sat	36	39	38	38	37	37	35	35	37	37	38	37	37	37	35	33	29
Sun	32	37	47	39	35	33	34	34	35	37	37	36	36	37	35	34	30