Best Time to Drive from Los Angeles to Costa Mesa

Right now (10:19 pm PDT): about 38 minutes via I-5 South.

Only 43% 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 Costa Mesa 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	37	45	57	58	46	42	46	44	48	46	61	71	70	61	48	40	38
Tue	36	44	65	67	51	44	44	46	46	51	63	73	74	66	54	43	37
Wed	36	44	63	66	51	45	44	45	45	48	52	64	61	53	48	42	38
Thu	36	43	60	65	52	46	49	50	54	51	68	72	75	68	54	42	39
Fri	36	42	55	56	50	45	46	47	52	60	68	71	72	67	52	44	39
Sat	37	38	39	40	43	44	47	48	48	50	52	51	48	47	44	43	40
Sun	37	37	37	38	39	43	44	47	47	48	49	47	47	46	45	43	40

About this drive

On weekdays the 42-mile drive from Los Angeles to Costa Mesa (via I-5 South) usually takes as little as 36 minutes and up to 77 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 9 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 48 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3:30 pm on Saturdays (53 minutes).

About 41 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 1 mile 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 Costa Mesa 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 Costa Mesa?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 9 pm. The drive usually takes about 36 minutes then, versus up to 77 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Los Angeles to Costa Mesa?

The 42-mile drive usually takes 36 to 77 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 48 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Los Angeles to Costa Mesa?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 77 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in Orange County (18 miles) · I-5 South in Los Angeles (13 miles) · SR-55 South in Orange County (8 miles) · US-101 South in Los Angeles (3 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow · Orange County traffic right now · Orange County traffic tomorrow

More drives

Costa Mesa 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	37	45	57	58	46	42	46	44	48	46	61	71	70	61	48	40	38
Tue	36	44	65	67	51	44	44	46	46	51	63	73	74	66	54	43	37
Wed	36	44	63	66	51	45	44	45	45	48	52	64	61	53	48	42	38
Thu	36	43	60	65	52	46	49	50	54	51	68	72	75	68	54	42	39
Fri	36	42	55	56	50	45	46	47	52	60	68	71	72	67	52	44	39
Sat	37	38	39	40	43	44	47	48	48	50	52	51	48	47	44	43	40
Sun	37	37	37	38	39	43	44	47	47	48	49	47	47	46	45	43	40

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	37	45	57	58	46	42	46	44	48	46	61	71	70	61	48	40	38
Tue	36	44	65	67	51	44	44	46	46	51	63	73	74	66	54	43	37
Wed	36	44	63	66	51	45	44	45	45	48	52	64	61	53	48	42	38
Thu	36	43	60	65	52	46	49	50	54	51	68	72	75	68	54	42	39
Fri	36	42	55	56	50	45	46	47	52	60	68	71	72	67	52	44	39
Sat	37	38	39	40	43	44	47	48	48	50	52	51	48	47	44	43	40
Sun	37	37	37	38	39	43	44	47	47	48	49	47	47	46	45	43	40

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	37	45	57	58	46	42	46	44	48	46	61	71	70	61	48	40	38
Tue	36	44	65	67	51	44	44	46	46	51	63	73	74	66	54	43	37
Wed	36	44	63	66	51	45	44	45	45	48	52	64	61	53	48	42	38
Thu	36	43	60	65	52	46	49	50	54	51	68	72	75	68	54	42	39
Fri	36	42	55	56	50	45	46	47	52	60	68	71	72	67	52	44	39
Sat	37	38	39	40	43	44	47	48	48	50	52	51	48	47	44	43	40
Sun	37	37	37	38	39	43	44	47	47	48	49	47	47	46	45	43	40