Best Time to Drive from North Hollywood to Costa Mesa

Right now (6:49 pm PDT): about 76 minutes via I-5 South and US-101 South, usually 63 at this time.

Only 32% 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 North Hollywood to Costa Mesa 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	50	58	72	69	58	56	58	58	61	60	76	86	82	73	58	53	50
Tue	48	62	79	77	62	59	58	59	59	65	81	95	89	76	65	55	49
Wed	47	62	80	75	63	59	58	59	59	62	67	78	76	67	60	55	49
Thu	48	60	77	77	62	62	62	62	66	68	86	96	89	79	63	54	50
Fri	48	58	71	66	62	59	60	62	66	77	90	89	89	78	64	57	50
Sat	49	50	51	53	57	57	61	62	65	66	69	67	67	60	57	56	51
Sun	49	49	49	50	52	56	58	61	61	62	62	62	60	59	58	59	52

About this drive

On weekdays the 55-mile drive from North Hollywood to Costa Mesa (via I-5 South and US-101 South) usually takes as little as 47 minutes and up to 99 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 9 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 62 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3 pm on Saturdays (69 minutes).

About 54 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 1.6 miles surface streets (2 to 3 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central North Hollywood to central Costa Mesa 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 North Hollywood to Costa Mesa?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 9 pm. The drive usually takes about 47 minutes then, versus up to 99 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from North Hollywood to Costa Mesa?

The 55-mile drive usually takes 47 to 99 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 62 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from North Hollywood to Costa Mesa?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 99 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in Orange County (18 miles) · US-101 South in Los Angeles (13 miles) · I-5 South in Los Angeles (13 miles) · SR-55 South in Orange County (8 miles) · SR-170 South in Los Angeles (1.5 miles)

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

More drives

Costa Mesa to North Hollywood (return trip) · North Hollywood to Buena Park · North Hollywood to Fontana · North Hollywood to Moreno Valley · North Hollywood to Hollywood · North Hollywood to Lancaster · North Hollywood to Palmdale · North Hollywood to Valencia · North Hollywood to Fullerton · North Hollywood to East Los Angeles · North Hollywood to Victorville · North Hollywood to Inglewood

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	50	58	72	69	58	56	58	58	61	60	76	86	82	73	58	53	50
Tue	48	62	79	77	62	59	58	59	59	65	81	95	89	76	65	55	49
Wed	47	62	80	75	63	59	58	59	59	62	67	78	76	67	60	55	49
Thu	48	60	77	77	62	62	62	62	66	68	86	96	89	79	63	54	50
Fri	48	58	71	66	62	59	60	62	66	77	90	89	89	78	64	57	50
Sat	49	50	51	53	57	57	61	62	65	66	69	67	67	60	57	56	51
Sun	49	49	49	50	52	56	58	61	61	62	62	62	60	59	58	59	52

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	50	58	72	69	58	56	58	58	61	60	76	86	82	73	58	53	50
Tue	48	62	79	77	62	59	58	59	59	65	81	95	89	76	65	55	49
Wed	47	62	80	75	63	59	58	59	59	62	67	78	76	67	60	55	49
Thu	48	60	77	77	62	62	62	62	66	68	86	96	89	79	63	54	50
Fri	48	58	71	66	62	59	60	62	66	77	90	89	89	78	64	57	50
Sat	49	50	51	53	57	57	61	62	65	66	69	67	67	60	57	56	51
Sun	49	49	49	50	52	56	58	61	61	62	62	62	60	59	58	59	52

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	50	58	72	69	58	56	58	58	61	60	76	86	82	73	58	53	50
Tue	48	62	79	77	62	59	58	59	59	65	81	95	89	76	65	55	49
Wed	47	62	80	75	63	59	58	59	59	62	67	78	76	67	60	55	49
Thu	48	60	77	77	62	62	62	62	66	68	86	96	89	79	63	54	50
Fri	48	58	71	66	62	59	60	62	66	77	90	89	89	78	64	57	50
Sat	49	50	51	53	57	57	61	62	65	66	69	67	67	60	57	56	51
Sun	49	49	49	50	52	56	58	61	61	62	62	62	60	59	58	59	52