Best Time to Drive from Los Angeles to Whittier

On weekdays the 16-mile drive from Los Angeles to Whittier (via I-5 South and US-101 South) usually takes as little as 22 minutes and up to 63 minutes, when leaving around 5 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 36 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3:30 pm on Saturdays (46 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: Whittier to Los Angeles

Freeway, about 9 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 7 miles: 14 to 38 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) (West 1st Street) to central Whittier (Painter Avenue) 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 Whittier 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	22	23	30	38	34	30	30	29	31	38	48	53	54	43	28	23	23
Tue	22	23	33	42	37	32	30	30	32	40	49	55	57	49	33	23	22
Wed	22	23	32	41	37	32	31	31	34	43	53	59	61	52	35	24	23
Thu	22	23	33	41	38	34	33	33	39	45	55	61	63	54	38	25	23
Fri	22	23	29	39	34	34	35	40	46	54	61	62	58	51	34	24	23
Sat	22	22	23	23	24	27	30	35	41	43	45	45	43	35	24	24	23
Sun	22	22	22	22	23	24	24	27	30	32	32	30	27	24	24	24	23

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 Whittier?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 22 minutes then, versus up to 63 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Los Angeles to Whittier?

The 16-mile drive usually takes 22 to 63 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 36 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Los Angeles to Whittier?

Leaving around 5 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 63 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

More drives

Whittier 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	22	23	30	38	34	30	30	29	31	38	48	53	54	43	28	23	23
Tue	22	23	33	42	37	32	30	30	32	40	49	55	57	49	33	23	22
Wed	22	23	32	41	37	32	31	31	34	43	53	59	61	52	35	24	23
Thu	22	23	33	41	38	34	33	33	39	45	55	61	63	54	38	25	23
Fri	22	23	29	39	34	34	35	40	46	54	61	62	58	51	34	24	23
Sat	22	22	23	23	24	27	30	35	41	43	45	45	43	35	24	24	23
Sun	22	22	22	22	23	24	24	27	30	32	32	30	27	24	24	24	23

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	22	23	30	38	34	30	30	29	31	38	48	53	54	43	28	23	23
Tue	22	23	33	42	37	32	30	30	32	40	49	55	57	49	33	23	22
Wed	22	23	32	41	37	32	31	31	34	43	53	59	61	52	35	24	23
Thu	22	23	33	41	38	34	33	33	39	45	55	61	63	54	38	25	23
Fri	22	23	29	39	34	34	35	40	46	54	61	62	58	51	34	24	23
Sat	22	22	23	23	24	27	30	35	41	43	45	45	43	35	24	24	23
Sun	22	22	22	22	23	24	24	27	30	32	32	30	27	24	24	24	23

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	22	23	30	38	34	30	30	29	31	38	48	53	54	43	28	23	23
Tue	22	23	33	42	37	32	30	30	32	40	49	55	57	49	33	23	22
Wed	22	23	32	41	37	32	31	31	34	43	53	59	61	52	35	24	23
Thu	22	23	33	41	38	34	33	33	39	45	55	61	63	54	38	25	23
Fri	22	23	29	39	34	34	35	40	46	54	61	62	58	51	34	24	23
Sat	22	22	23	23	24	27	30	35	41	43	45	45	43	35	24	24	23
Sun	22	22	22	22	23	24	24	27	30	32	32	30	27	24	24	24	23