Best Time to Drive from Northwood to Los Angeles

Right now (6:24 pm PDT): about 53 minutes via I-5 North, usually 46 at this time.

Only 9% 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 39-mile drive from Northwood to Los Angeles (via I-5 North) usually takes as little as 35 minutes and up to 58 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 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 44 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4:30 pm on Saturdays (49 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: Los Angeles to Northwood

Freeway, about 37 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 2 miles: 3 to 4 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 Northwood 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 Northwood 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	36	43	48	51	47	43	42	43	43	45	49	50	51	47	39	37	35
Tue	36	44	51	54	49	45	43	43	43	45	49	53	54	49	42	37	35
Wed	36	44	51	54	51	46	43	44	44	46	51	54	55	51	42	38	36
Thu	36	44	52	53	49	46	44	44	44	45	50	54	54	49	43	38	36
Fri	36	42	45	46	44	44	45	46	48	51	56	56	57	53	44	39	36
Sat	35	36	37	38	40	43	45	46	46	46	48	48	48	45	42	40	36
Sun	35	36	36	36	38	41	43	44	45	45	45	44	44	43	42	42	37

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 Northwood to Los Angeles?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 35 minutes then, versus up to 58 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 39-mile drive usually takes 35 to 58 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 44 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Northwood to Los Angeles?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 58 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

Freeways on this drive

I-5 North in Orange County (26 miles) · I-5 North in Los Angeles (11 miles)

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

More drives

Los Angeles to Northwood (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	36	43	48	51	47	43	42	43	43	45	49	50	51	47	39	37	35
Tue	36	44	51	54	49	45	43	43	43	45	49	53	54	49	42	37	35
Wed	36	44	51	54	51	46	43	44	44	46	51	54	55	51	42	38	36
Thu	36	44	52	53	49	46	44	44	44	45	50	54	54	49	43	38	36
Fri	36	42	45	46	44	44	45	46	48	51	56	56	57	53	44	39	36
Sat	35	36	37	38	40	43	45	46	46	46	48	48	48	45	42	40	36
Sun	35	36	36	36	38	41	43	44	45	45	45	44	44	43	42	42	37

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

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