Best Time to Drive from Los Angeles to Fountain Valley

Right now (6:24 pm PDT): about 48 minutes via I-5 South and I-605 South and I-405 South, usually 47 at this time.

Only 5% 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 35-mile drive from Los Angeles to Fountain Valley (via I-5 South and I-605 South and I-405 South) usually takes as little as 31 minutes and up to 61 minutes, when leaving around 3:30 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 8:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 41 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3:30 pm on Saturdays (46 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: Fountain Valley to Los Angeles

Freeway, about 34 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 1.1 miles: 1 to 3 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 Fountain Valley 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 Fountain Valley 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	31	34	43	44	39	37	38	38	40	43	50	55	56	49	39	33	32
Tue	31	35	47	48	40	37	37	38	39	43	50	56	59	52	42	34	31
Wed	31	35	47	48	41	37	38	39	40	44	52	57	59	52	42	35	31
Thu	31	35	45	46	40	38	39	40	41	45	53	58	60	54	43	36	32
Fri	31	33	41	42	39	38	40	41	44	50	57	60	59	55	44	37	33
Sat	31	31	32	33	35	37	39	41	43	45	45	45	45	42	37	35	32
Sun	31	31	31	31	32	34	36	38	40	41	42	40	39	37	36	35	32

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 Fountain Valley?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 31 minutes then, versus up to 61 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Los Angeles to Fountain Valley?

The 35-mile drive usually takes 31 to 61 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 41 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Los Angeles to Fountain Valley?

Leaving around 3:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 61 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in Los Angeles (11 miles) · I-605 South in Orange County (10 miles) · I-405 South in Orange County (10 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

Fountain Valley 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	31	34	43	44	39	37	38	38	40	43	50	55	56	49	39	33	32
Tue	31	35	47	48	40	37	37	38	39	43	50	56	59	52	42	34	31
Wed	31	35	47	48	41	37	38	39	40	44	52	57	59	52	42	35	31
Thu	31	35	45	46	40	38	39	40	41	45	53	58	60	54	43	36	32
Fri	31	33	41	42	39	38	40	41	44	50	57	60	59	55	44	37	33
Sat	31	31	32	33	35	37	39	41	43	45	45	45	45	42	37	35	32
Sun	31	31	31	31	32	34	36	38	40	41	42	40	39	37	36	35	32

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	31	34	43	44	39	37	38	38	40	43	50	55	56	49	39	33	32
Tue	31	35	47	48	40	37	37	38	39	43	50	56	59	52	42	34	31
Wed	31	35	47	48	41	37	38	39	40	44	52	57	59	52	42	35	31
Thu	31	35	45	46	40	38	39	40	41	45	53	58	60	54	43	36	32
Fri	31	33	41	42	39	38	40	41	44	50	57	60	59	55	44	37	33
Sat	31	31	32	33	35	37	39	41	43	45	45	45	45	42	37	35	32
Sun	31	31	31	31	32	34	36	38	40	41	42	40	39	37	36	35	32

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	31	34	43	44	39	37	38	38	40	43	50	55	56	49	39	33	32
Tue	31	35	47	48	40	37	37	38	39	43	50	56	59	52	42	34	31
Wed	31	35	47	48	41	37	38	39	40	44	52	57	59	52	42	35	31
Thu	31	35	45	46	40	38	39	40	41	45	53	58	60	54	43	36	32
Fri	31	33	41	42	39	38	40	41	44	50	57	60	59	55	44	37	33
Sat	31	31	32	33	35	37	39	41	43	45	45	45	45	42	37	35	32
Sun	31	31	31	31	32	34	36	38	40	41	42	40	39	37	36	35	32