Best Time to Drive from Los Angeles to Castaic

Right now (7:32 pm PDT): about 40 minutes via I-5 North and US-101 North, usually 38 at this time.

Only 3% 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 Los Angeles to Castaic 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	36	37	37	37	39	40	42	41	40	45	45	43	47	46	40	39	37
Tue	36	37	37	38	37	39	39	38	39	38	42	48	61	57	48	41	39
Wed	35	36	36	36	36	37	39	37	37	37	41	45	45	46	39	37	35
Thu	35	36	39	41	42	43	46	44	45	45	66	99	80	63	55	46	37
Fri	36	37	38	38	37	53	50	56	58	59	95	76	78	60	51	45	38
Sat	38	37	38	38	38	44	57	56	53	59	59	52	59	43	39	40	37
Sun	36	36	35	36	36	40	54	65	79	75	74	54	43	44	38	39	39

About this drive

On weekdays the 40-mile drive from Los Angeles to Castaic (via I-5 North and US-101 North) usually takes as little as 35 minutes and up to 99 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7:30 am or after 9 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 44 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1 pm on Sundays (79 minutes).

About 39 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 1.2 miles surface streets (1 to 2 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from Downtown LA (City Hall) to central Castaic 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 Los Angeles to Castaic?

On weekdays, leave before 7:30 am or after 9 pm. The drive usually takes about 35 minutes then, versus up to 99 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Los Angeles to Castaic?

The 40-mile drive usually takes 35 to 99 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 44 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Los Angeles to Castaic?

Leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 99 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 North in Los Angeles (22 miles) · US-101 North in Los Angeles (12 miles) · SR-170 North in Los Angeles (6 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Castaic to Los Angeles (return trip) · Los Angeles to Santa Monica · Los Angeles to Long Beach · Los Angeles to West Covina · Los Angeles to Burbank · Los Angeles to Glendale · Los Angeles to Santa Clarita · Los Angeles to Van Nuys · Los Angeles to Torrance · Los Angeles to Hollywood · Los Angeles to Culver City · Los Angeles 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	36	37	37	37	39	40	42	41	40	45	45	43	47	46	40	39	37
Tue	36	37	37	38	37	39	39	38	39	38	42	48	61	57	48	41	39
Wed	35	36	36	36	36	37	39	37	37	37	41	45	45	46	39	37	35
Thu	35	36	39	41	42	43	46	44	45	45	66	99	80	63	55	46	37
Fri	36	37	38	38	37	53	50	56	58	59	95	76	78	60	51	45	38
Sat	38	37	38	38	38	44	57	56	53	59	59	52	59	43	39	40	37
Sun	36	36	35	36	36	40	54	65	79	75	74	54	43	44	38	39	39

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	36	37	37	37	39	40	42	41	40	45	45	43	47	46	40	39	37
Tue	36	37	37	38	37	39	39	38	39	38	42	48	61	57	48	41	39
Wed	35	36	36	36	36	37	39	37	37	37	41	45	45	46	39	37	35
Thu	35	36	39	41	42	43	46	44	45	45	66	99	80	63	55	46	37
Fri	36	37	38	38	37	53	50	56	58	59	95	76	78	60	51	45	38
Sat	38	37	38	38	38	44	57	56	53	59	59	52	59	43	39	40	37
Sun	36	36	35	36	36	40	54	65	79	75	74	54	43	44	38	39	39

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	36	37	37	37	39	40	42	41	40	45	45	43	47	46	40	39	37
Tue	36	37	37	38	37	39	39	38	39	38	42	48	61	57	48	41	39
Wed	35	36	36	36	36	37	39	37	37	37	41	45	45	46	39	37	35
Thu	35	36	39	41	42	43	46	44	45	45	66	99	80	63	55	46	37
Fri	36	37	38	38	37	53	50	56	58	59	95	76	78	60	51	45	38
Sat	38	37	38	38	38	44	57	56	53	59	59	52	59	43	39	40	37
Sun	36	36	35	36	36	40	54	65	79	75	74	54	43	44	38	39	39