Best Time to Drive from Northridge to Los Angeles

Right now (6:24 pm PDT): about 49 minutes via US-101 South and I-405 South, usually 40 at this time.

Only 4% 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 25-mile drive from Northridge to Los Angeles (via US-101 South and I-405 South) usually takes as little as 25 minutes and up to 57 minutes, when leaving around 4 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 38 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1:30 pm on Saturdays (39 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: Los Angeles to Northridge

Freeway, about 21 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 5 miles: 7 to 14 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 Northridge 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 Northridge 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	25	31	44	47	42	34	33	34	35	39	45	50	48	40	32	28	26
Tue	25	32	50	54	50	39	35	35	37	42	51	54	53	45	35	29	26
Wed	25	32	51	55	49	40	35	36	38	43	51	56	54	46	36	30	26
Thu	25	32	50	53	48	39	36	37	39	44	52	57	54	47	37	31	26
Fri	25	30	41	43	38	36	37	40	43	48	55	55	51	46	38	32	27
Sat	25	26	26	27	29	32	36	38	39	39	39	39	38	36	33	31	26
Sun	25	25	25	26	26	28	30	32	33	34	34	33	32	31	30	29	26

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 Northridge to Los Angeles?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 9 pm. The drive usually takes about 25 minutes then, versus up to 57 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 25-mile drive usually takes 25 to 57 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 38 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Northridge to Los Angeles?

Leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 57 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

Freeways on this drive

US-101 South in Los Angeles (16 miles) · I-405 South in Los Angeles (4 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Los Angeles to Northridge (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	25	31	44	47	42	34	33	34	35	39	45	50	48	40	32	28	26
Tue	25	32	50	54	50	39	35	35	37	42	51	54	53	45	35	29	26
Wed	25	32	51	55	49	40	35	36	38	43	51	56	54	46	36	30	26
Thu	25	32	50	53	48	39	36	37	39	44	52	57	54	47	37	31	26
Fri	25	30	41	43	38	36	37	40	43	48	55	55	51	46	38	32	27
Sat	25	26	26	27	29	32	36	38	39	39	39	39	38	36	33	31	26
Sun	25	25	25	26	26	28	30	32	33	34	34	33	32	31	30	29	26

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	25	31	44	47	42	34	33	34	35	39	45	50	48	40	32	28	26
Tue	25	32	50	54	50	39	35	35	37	42	51	54	53	45	35	29	26
Wed	25	32	51	55	49	40	35	36	38	43	51	56	54	46	36	30	26
Thu	25	32	50	53	48	39	36	37	39	44	52	57	54	47	37	31	26
Fri	25	30	41	43	38	36	37	40	43	48	55	55	51	46	38	32	27
Sat	25	26	26	27	29	32	36	38	39	39	39	39	38	36	33	31	26
Sun	25	25	25	26	26	28	30	32	33	34	34	33	32	31	30	29	26

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	25	31	44	47	42	34	33	34	35	39	45	50	48	40	32	28	26
Tue	25	32	50	54	50	39	35	35	37	42	51	54	53	45	35	29	26
Wed	25	32	51	55	49	40	35	36	38	43	51	56	54	46	36	30	26
Thu	25	32	50	53	48	39	36	37	39	44	52	57	54	47	37	31	26
Fri	25	30	41	43	38	36	37	40	43	48	55	55	51	46	38	32	27
Sat	25	26	26	27	29	32	36	38	39	39	39	39	38	36	33	31	26
Sun	25	25	25	26	26	28	30	32	33	34	34	33	32	31	30	29	26