Best Time to Drive from Los Angeles to Palm Springs

Right now (2:50 am PST): about 104 minutes via I-10 East.

Only 24% 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	107	110	110	112	113	114	118	126	157	166	161	146	122	111	104
Tue	102	104	109	114	109	110	112	115	117	133	165	175	164	148	132	114	103
Wed	102	105	109	114	109	111	111	113	117	134	164	172	160	144	132	115	104
Thu	102	106	109	112	108	109	112	113	120	138	165	175	163	145	127	116	105
Fri	103	105	107	111	112	113	115	121	137	151	178	168	160	146	132	117	106
Sat	103	103	105	106	106	107	108	111	115	119	120	117	118	116	111	108	104
Sun	103	102	103	103	103	105	106	107	108	108	107	106	107	108	108	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 178 minutes, when leaving around 3 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 7:30 am or after 8:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 121 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2:30 pm on Saturdays (122 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 7:30 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 102 minutes then, versus up to 178 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 178 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 121 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Los Angeles to Palm Springs?

Leaving around 3 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 178 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

Los Angeles to Palm Springs over Thanksgiving: when to leave →

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	107	110	110	112	113	114	118	126	157	166	161	146	122	111	104
Tue	102	104	109	114	109	110	112	115	117	133	165	175	164	148	132	114	103
Wed	102	105	109	114	109	111	111	113	117	134	164	172	160	144	132	115	104
Thu	102	106	109	112	108	109	112	113	120	138	165	175	163	145	127	116	105
Fri	103	105	107	111	112	113	115	121	137	151	178	168	160	146	132	117	106
Sat	103	103	105	106	106	107	108	111	115	119	120	117	118	116	111	108	104
Sun	103	102	103	103	103	105	106	107	108	108	107	106	107	108	108	107	102

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	102	104	107	110	110	112	113	114	118	126	157	166	161	146	122	111	104
Tue	102	104	109	114	109	110	112	115	117	133	165	175	164	148	132	114	103
Wed	102	105	109	114	109	111	111	113	117	134	164	172	160	144	132	115	104
Thu	102	106	109	112	108	109	112	113	120	138	165	175	163	145	127	116	105
Fri	103	105	107	111	112	113	115	121	137	151	178	168	160	146	132	117	106
Sat	103	103	105	106	106	107	108	111	115	119	120	117	118	116	111	108	104
Sun	103	102	103	103	103	105	106	107	108	108	107	106	107	108	108	107	102

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	102	104	107	110	110	112	113	114	118	126	157	166	161	146	122	111	104
Tue	102	104	109	114	109	110	112	115	117	133	165	175	164	148	132	114	103
Wed	102	105	109	114	109	111	111	113	117	134	164	172	160	144	132	115	104
Thu	102	106	109	112	108	109	112	113	120	138	165	175	163	145	127	116	105
Fri	103	105	107	111	112	113	115	121	137	151	178	168	160	146	132	117	106
Sat	103	103	105	106	106	107	108	111	115	119	120	117	118	116	111	108	104
Sun	103	102	103	103	103	105	106	107	108	108	107	106	107	108	108	107	102