Best Time to Drive from Los Angeles to Palm Springs

Right now (8:03 pm PDT): about 129 minutes via I-10 East, usually 114 at this time.

Only 26% 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 Palm Springs 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	102	104	106	109	110	112	113	114	118	127	147	158	156	143	119	111	104
Tue	102	104	107	112	109	111	112	114	116	129	152	170	160	146	129	112	103
Wed	102	106	109	114	110	112	113	114	117	133	159	169	159	144	128	114	104
Thu	102	105	109	113	109	110	112	113	119	137	162	170	161	146	128	116	105
Fri	102	104	106	111	112	113	115	121	140	153	177	163	156	142	128	114	104
Sat	102	102	105	105	105	106	109	115	116	122	121	117	116	112	108	107	103
Sun	103	103	103	104	103	106	107	107	107	107	106	106	105	106	106	107	102

About this drive

On weekdays the 107-mile drive from Los Angeles to Palm Springs (via I-10 East) usually takes as little as 102 minutes and up to 177 minutes, when leaving around 3 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 8 am or after 8:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 120 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2:30 pm on Saturdays (125 minutes).

About 95 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 12 miles surface streets (17 to 19 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from Downtown LA (City Hall) (West 1st Street) to central Palm Springs (East Alejo Road) 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 Palm Springs?

On weekdays, leave before 8 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 102 minutes then, versus up to 177 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Los Angeles to Palm Springs?

The 107-mile drive usually takes 102 to 177 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 120 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Los Angeles to Palm Springs?

Leaving around 3 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 177 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-10 East in Inland Empire (58 miles) · I-10 East in Los Angeles (31 miles) · US-101 South in Los Angeles (1.4 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Palm Springs 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	102	104	106	109	110	112	113	114	118	127	147	158	156	143	119	111	104
Tue	102	104	107	112	109	111	112	114	116	129	152	170	160	146	129	112	103
Wed	102	106	109	114	110	112	113	114	117	133	159	169	159	144	128	114	104
Thu	102	105	109	113	109	110	112	113	119	137	162	170	161	146	128	116	105
Fri	102	104	106	111	112	113	115	121	140	153	177	163	156	142	128	114	104
Sat	102	102	105	105	105	106	109	115	116	122	121	117	116	112	108	107	103
Sun	103	103	103	104	103	106	107	107	107	107	106	106	105	106	106	107	102

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	102	104	106	109	110	112	113	114	118	127	147	158	156	143	119	111	104
Tue	102	104	107	112	109	111	112	114	116	129	152	170	160	146	129	112	103
Wed	102	106	109	114	110	112	113	114	117	133	159	169	159	144	128	114	104
Thu	102	105	109	113	109	110	112	113	119	137	162	170	161	146	128	116	105
Fri	102	104	106	111	112	113	115	121	140	153	177	163	156	142	128	114	104
Sat	102	102	105	105	105	106	109	115	116	122	121	117	116	112	108	107	103
Sun	103	103	103	104	103	106	107	107	107	107	106	106	105	106	106	107	102

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	102	104	106	109	110	112	113	114	118	127	147	158	156	143	119	111	104
Tue	102	104	107	112	109	111	112	114	116	129	152	170	160	146	129	112	103
Wed	102	106	109	114	110	112	113	114	117	133	159	169	159	144	128	114	104
Thu	102	105	109	113	109	110	112	113	119	137	162	170	161	146	128	116	105
Fri	102	104	106	111	112	113	115	121	140	153	177	163	156	142	128	114	104
Sat	102	102	105	105	105	106	109	115	116	122	121	117	116	112	108	107	103
Sun	103	103	103	104	103	106	107	107	107	107	106	106	105	106	106	107	102