Best Time to Drive from Newport Beach to Los Angeles

Right now (6:24 pm PDT): about 59 minutes via I-5 North, usually 49 at this time.

Only 8% 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 44-mile drive from Newport Beach to Los Angeles (via I-5 North) usually takes as little as 40 minutes and up to 62 minutes, when leaving around 3:30 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 50 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4:30 pm on Saturdays (53 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: Los Angeles to Newport Beach

Freeway, about 42 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 3 miles: 3 to 5 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 central Newport Beach to Downtown LA (City Hall) 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 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	41	49	53	55	51	48	48	48	48	51	55	55	56	52	43	42	40
Tue	41	50	56	58	53	49	48	48	49	51	55	56	57	52	45	42	40
Wed	41	50	56	58	55	50	49	49	51	52	55	59	61	56	47	44	40
Thu	41	50	57	57	53	50	49	49	49	52	56	58	58	53	46	43	40
Fri	41	47	50	51	49	49	50	51	53	57	61	59	61	56	47	43	41
Sat	40	41	42	43	45	47	50	50	50	50	52	52	52	49	46	44	41
Sun	40	40	40	41	43	46	47	49	49	49	49	48	48	47	47	46	41

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 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 40 minutes then, versus up to 62 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 62 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 50 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Newport Beach to Los Angeles?

Leaving around 3:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 62 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

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)

Open the live traffic map →

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

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

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