Best Time to Drive from Los Angeles to Costa Mesa

Right now (6:24 pm PDT): about 54 minutes via I-5 South, usually 53 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.

On weekdays the 42-mile drive from Los Angeles to Costa Mesa (via I-5 South) usually takes as little as 37 minutes and up to 70 minutes, when leaving around 5 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 8:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 49 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4 pm on Saturdays (53 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: Costa Mesa to Los Angeles

Freeway, about 41 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 1 mile: 1 to 2 minutes on weekdays, estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time (we don't have street sensors yet). Drive times are measured from Downtown LA (City Hall) to central Costa Mesa along the route shown. Starting or ending elsewhere in a big city can add or save several minutes.

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	43	55	57	48	44	45	45	47	50	56	62	64	55	45	40	38
Tue	37	45	62	63	50	46	45	46	47	52	58	66	67	58	49	41	38
Wed	37	44	60	63	52	47	46	47	49	52	60	65	69	59	49	41	38
Thu	37	45	60	62	52	47	48	49	51	52	62	66	70	61	50	43	39
Fri	37	43	53	53	49	47	48	49	52	58	65	68	68	63	51	44	40
Sat	38	39	39	41	43	45	48	48	50	52	52	53	52	49	44	42	39
Sun	37	37	37	38	39	41	44	45	47	48	49	48	46	45	43	43	39

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 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 37 minutes then, versus up to 70 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 42-mile drive usually takes 37 to 70 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 49 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Los Angeles to Costa Mesa?

Leaving around 5 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 70 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

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	43	55	57	48	44	45	45	47	50	56	62	64	55	45	40	38
Tue	37	45	62	63	50	46	45	46	47	52	58	66	67	58	49	41	38
Wed	37	44	60	63	52	47	46	47	49	52	60	65	69	59	49	41	38
Thu	37	45	60	62	52	47	48	49	51	52	62	66	70	61	50	43	39
Fri	37	43	53	53	49	47	48	49	52	58	65	68	68	63	51	44	40
Sat	38	39	39	41	43	45	48	48	50	52	52	53	52	49	44	42	39
Sun	37	37	37	38	39	41	44	45	47	48	49	48	46	45	43	43	39

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	37	43	55	57	48	44	45	45	47	50	56	62	64	55	45	40	38
Tue	37	45	62	63	50	46	45	46	47	52	58	66	67	58	49	41	38
Wed	37	44	60	63	52	47	46	47	49	52	60	65	69	59	49	41	38
Thu	37	45	60	62	52	47	48	49	51	52	62	66	70	61	50	43	39
Fri	37	43	53	53	49	47	48	49	52	58	65	68	68	63	51	44	40
Sat	38	39	39	41	43	45	48	48	50	52	52	53	52	49	44	42	39
Sun	37	37	37	38	39	41	44	45	47	48	49	48	46	45	43	43	39

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	37	43	55	57	48	44	45	45	47	50	56	62	64	55	45	40	38
Tue	37	45	62	63	50	46	45	46	47	52	58	66	67	58	49	41	38
Wed	37	44	60	63	52	47	46	47	49	52	60	65	69	59	49	41	38
Thu	37	45	60	62	52	47	48	49	51	52	62	66	70	61	50	43	39
Fri	37	43	53	53	49	47	48	49	52	58	65	68	68	63	51	44	40
Sat	38	39	39	41	43	45	48	48	50	52	52	53	52	49	44	42	39
Sun	37	37	37	38	39	41	44	45	47	48	49	48	46	45	43	43	39