Best Time to Drive from ONT to Irvine

Right now (6:47 am PDT): about 50 minutes via SR-241 South and SR-261 South, usually 51 at this time.

Only 11% 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 ONT to Irvine 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	42	47	49	53	49	48	46	46	48	50	52	52	55	47	45	44	42
Tue	42	47	52	59	53	51	49	47	48	49	52	56	58	50	45	44	42
Wed	42	48	52	59	53	51	48	47	47	50	52	54	59	52	44	43	42
Thu	42	49	51	56	50	49	47	47	48	49	52	56	58	52	45	43	43
Fri	41	47	48	49	47	47	47	48	49	52	54	53	55	51	45	44	42
Sat	41	43	43	43	43	44	44	45	46	47	47	46	47	45	44	43	41
Sun	41	42	42	42	43	44	45	45	46	45	44	44	43	44	43	44	42

About this drive

On weekdays the 36-mile drive from ONT to Irvine (via SR-241 South and SR-261 South) usually takes as little as 41 minutes and up to 60 minutes, when leaving around 5:30 pm on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 7 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 48 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3:30 pm on Saturdays (47 minutes).

About 25 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 11 miles surface streets (19 to 36 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from Ontario International Airport (ONT) (Tower Drive) to central Irvine (Harvard Avenue) 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 ONT to Irvine?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 41 minutes then, versus up to 60 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from ONT to Irvine?

The 36-mile drive usually takes 41 to 60 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 48 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from ONT to Irvine?

Leaving around 5:30 pm on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 60 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

SR-241 South in Orange County (7 miles) · SR-261 South in Orange County (5 miles) · SR-91 West in Orange County (5 miles) · SR-60 West in Inland Empire (4 miles) · SR-71 North in Orange County (4 miles)

Inland Empire traffic right now · Inland Empire traffic tomorrow · Orange County traffic right now · Orange County traffic tomorrow

More drives

Irvine to ONT (return trip) · ONT to Los Angeles · ONT to Santa Monica · ONT to Pasadena · ONT to Long Beach · ONT to West Covina · ONT to Burbank · ONT to Glendale · ONT to Santa Clarita · ONT to Van Nuys · ONT to Torrance · ONT to LAX

Open the live traffic map →

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

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

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