Best Time to Drive from Newport Beach to Los Angeles

Right now (8:04 pm PDT): about 43 minutes via I-5 North, usually 41 at this time.

Only 45% 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 Newport Beach to Los Angeles 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	40	46	49	53	49	45	46	46	46	51	54	56	57	53	43	41	40
Tue	40	47	53	57	51	49	46	47	48	51	56	59	61	57	45	42	40
Wed	40	46	51	52	51	47	46	47	50	52	58	62	64	62	50	44	40
Thu	40	46	51	54	50	47	47	46	46	51	57	62	62	57	50	44	41
Fri	40	46	45	47	46	47	48	49	52	55	61	63	65	59	46	43	40
Sat	40	41	42	42	44	45	47	46	46	47	49	50	47	47	46	44	41
Sun	40	40	40	41	42	43	44	46	45	46	45	45	46	46	47	46	41

About this drive

On weekdays the 44-mile drive from Newport Beach to Los Angeles (via I-5 North) usually takes as little as 40 minutes and up to 65 minutes, when leaving around 5:30 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 48 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4:30 pm on Saturdays (51 minutes).

About 42 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 3 miles surface streets (3 to 4 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Newport Beach to Downtown LA (City Hall) 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 Newport Beach to Los Angeles?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 40 minutes then, versus up to 65 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Newport Beach to Los Angeles?

The 44-mile drive usually takes 40 to 65 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 48 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Newport Beach to Los Angeles?

Leaving around 5:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 65 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 North in Orange County (22 miles) · I-5 North in Los Angeles (11 miles) · SR-55 North in Orange County (8 miles)

Orange County traffic right now · Orange County traffic tomorrow · Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Los Angeles to Newport Beach (return trip) · Newport Beach to Sawtelle · Newport Beach to Anaheim · Newport Beach to Santa Monica

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	40	46	49	53	49	45	46	46	46	51	54	56	57	53	43	41	40
Tue	40	47	53	57	51	49	46	47	48	51	56	59	61	57	45	42	40
Wed	40	46	51	52	51	47	46	47	50	52	58	62	64	62	50	44	40
Thu	40	46	51	54	50	47	47	46	46	51	57	62	62	57	50	44	41
Fri	40	46	45	47	46	47	48	49	52	55	61	63	65	59	46	43	40
Sat	40	41	42	42	44	45	47	46	46	47	49	50	47	47	46	44	41
Sun	40	40	40	41	42	43	44	46	45	46	45	45	46	46	47	46	41

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	40	46	49	53	49	45	46	46	46	51	54	56	57	53	43	41	40
Tue	40	47	53	57	51	49	46	47	48	51	56	59	61	57	45	42	40
Wed	40	46	51	52	51	47	46	47	50	52	58	62	64	62	50	44	40
Thu	40	46	51	54	50	47	47	46	46	51	57	62	62	57	50	44	41
Fri	40	46	45	47	46	47	48	49	52	55	61	63	65	59	46	43	40
Sat	40	41	42	42	44	45	47	46	46	47	49	50	47	47	46	44	41
Sun	40	40	40	41	42	43	44	46	45	46	45	45	46	46	47	46	41

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	40	46	49	53	49	45	46	46	46	51	54	56	57	53	43	41	40
Tue	40	47	53	57	51	49	46	47	48	51	56	59	61	57	45	42	40
Wed	40	46	51	52	51	47	46	47	50	52	58	62	64	62	50	44	40
Thu	40	46	51	54	50	47	47	46	46	51	57	62	62	57	50	44	41
Fri	40	46	45	47	46	47	48	49	52	55	61	63	65	59	46	43	40
Sat	40	41	42	42	44	45	47	46	46	47	49	50	47	47	46	44	41
Sun	40	40	40	41	42	43	44	46	45	46	45	45	46	46	47	46	41