Best Time to Drive from LGB to Santa Monica

Right now (1:03 pm PDT): about 37 minutes via I-405 North, usually 38 at this time.

None 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 LGB to Santa Monica 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	26	34	45	47	42	37	34	33	33	32	31	31	32	30	28	27	27
Tue	26	36	54	57	49	41	36	34	33	32	31	32	34	32	29	27	27
Wed	26	37	56	59	52	43	38	35	33	33	33	33	35	33	29	28	27
Thu	26	36	53	57	49	42	38	35	34	34	34	35	36	34	29	28	27
Fri	26	34	44	46	41	39	39	39	37	38	37	35	34	32	30	28	27
Sat	27	27	27	28	29	33	36	38	40	40	38	36	35	33	31	29	27
Sun	27	27	27	27	28	29	32	35	38	38	37	34	33	31	30	30	28

About this drive

On weekdays the 29-mile drive from LGB to Santa Monica (via I-405 North) usually takes as little as 26 minutes and up to 59 minutes, when leaving around 8 am on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 7 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 35 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1:30 pm on Saturdays (40 minutes).

About 28 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 1.6 miles surface streets (2 to 4 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from Long Beach Airport (LGB) (Globemaster Avenue) to downtown Santa Monica 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 LGB to Santa Monica?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 26 minutes then, versus up to 59 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from LGB to Santa Monica?

The 29-mile drive usually takes 26 to 59 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 35 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from LGB to Santa Monica?

Leaving around 8 am on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 59 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-405 North in Los Angeles (24 miles) · I-10 West in Los Angeles (3 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Santa Monica to LGB (return trip) · LGB to Los Angeles · LGB to Pasadena · LGB to West Covina · LGB to Burbank · LGB to Glendale · LGB to Santa Clarita · LGB to Van Nuys · LGB to LAX · LGB to Hollywood · LGB to Culver City · LGB to El Monte

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	26	34	45	47	42	37	34	33	33	32	31	31	32	30	28	27	27
Tue	26	36	54	57	49	41	36	34	33	32	31	32	34	32	29	27	27
Wed	26	37	56	59	52	43	38	35	33	33	33	33	35	33	29	28	27
Thu	26	36	53	57	49	42	38	35	34	34	34	35	36	34	29	28	27
Fri	26	34	44	46	41	39	39	39	37	38	37	35	34	32	30	28	27
Sat	27	27	27	28	29	33	36	38	40	40	38	36	35	33	31	29	27
Sun	27	27	27	27	28	29	32	35	38	38	37	34	33	31	30	30	28

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	26	34	45	47	42	37	34	33	33	32	31	31	32	30	28	27	27
Tue	26	36	54	57	49	41	36	34	33	32	31	32	34	32	29	27	27
Wed	26	37	56	59	52	43	38	35	33	33	33	33	35	33	29	28	27
Thu	26	36	53	57	49	42	38	35	34	34	34	35	36	34	29	28	27
Fri	26	34	44	46	41	39	39	39	37	38	37	35	34	32	30	28	27
Sat	27	27	27	28	29	33	36	38	40	40	38	36	35	33	31	29	27
Sun	27	27	27	27	28	29	32	35	38	38	37	34	33	31	30	30	28

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	26	34	45	47	42	37	34	33	33	32	31	31	32	30	28	27	27
Tue	26	36	54	57	49	41	36	34	33	32	31	32	34	32	29	27	27
Wed	26	37	56	59	52	43	38	35	33	33	33	33	35	33	29	28	27
Thu	26	36	53	57	49	42	38	35	34	34	34	35	36	34	29	28	27
Fri	26	34	44	46	41	39	39	39	37	38	37	35	34	32	30	28	27
Sat	27	27	27	28	29	33	36	38	40	40	38	36	35	33	31	29	27
Sun	27	27	27	27	28	29	32	35	38	38	37	34	33	31	30	30	28