Best Time to Drive from Palm Desert to Riverside

Right now (6:53 pm PDT): about 76 minutes via I-10 West and SR-60 West, usually 73 at this time.

Only 28% 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 Palm Desert to Riverside 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	70	77	86	74	71	72	73	75	76	77	76	75	74	73	74	74	72
Tue	70	79	95	77	72	72	73	77	75	78	76	75	74	73	74	75	70
Wed	70	79	92	78	72	71	72	75	75	77	76	75	74	72	73	72	70
Thu	70	79	93	78	72	72	73	76	77	77	77	76	75	73	73	73	70
Fri	70	76	78	73	72	74	73	76	77	80	77	75	73	72	70	71	70
Sat	70	69	69	70	72	72	72	72	72	73	72	71	71	70	70	70	69
Sun	70	69	70	70	70	72	75	74	75	72	71	71	71	71	71	71	70

About this drive

On weekdays the 70-mile drive from Palm Desert to Riverside (via I-10 West and SR-60 West) usually takes as little as 70 minutes and up to 95 minutes, when leaving around 7 am on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 3 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 76 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12:30 pm on Sundays (77 minutes).

About 48 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 23 miles surface streets (20 to 24 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Palm Desert to central Riverside 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 Palm Desert to Riverside?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 3 pm. The drive usually takes about 70 minutes then, versus up to 95 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Palm Desert to Riverside?

The 70-mile drive usually takes 70 to 95 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 76 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Palm Desert to Riverside?

Leaving around 7 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 95 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

SR-60 West in Inland Empire (12 miles) · I-10 West in Inland Empire (7 miles)

Inland Empire traffic right now · Inland Empire traffic tomorrow

More drives

Riverside to Palm Desert (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	70	77	86	74	71	72	73	75	76	77	76	75	74	73	74	74	72
Tue	70	79	95	77	72	72	73	77	75	78	76	75	74	73	74	75	70
Wed	70	79	92	78	72	71	72	75	75	77	76	75	74	72	73	72	70
Thu	70	79	93	78	72	72	73	76	77	77	77	76	75	73	73	73	70
Fri	70	76	78	73	72	74	73	76	77	80	77	75	73	72	70	71	70
Sat	70	69	69	70	72	72	72	72	72	73	72	71	71	70	70	70	69
Sun	70	69	70	70	70	72	75	74	75	72	71	71	71	71	71	71	70

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	70	77	86	74	71	72	73	75	76	77	76	75	74	73	74	74	72
Tue	70	79	95	77	72	72	73	77	75	78	76	75	74	73	74	75	70
Wed	70	79	92	78	72	71	72	75	75	77	76	75	74	72	73	72	70
Thu	70	79	93	78	72	72	73	76	77	77	77	76	75	73	73	73	70
Fri	70	76	78	73	72	74	73	76	77	80	77	75	73	72	70	71	70
Sat	70	69	69	70	72	72	72	72	72	73	72	71	71	70	70	70	69
Sun	70	69	70	70	70	72	75	74	75	72	71	71	71	71	71	71	70

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	70	77	86	74	71	72	73	75	76	77	76	75	74	73	74	74	72
Tue	70	79	95	77	72	72	73	77	75	78	76	75	74	73	74	75	70
Wed	70	79	92	78	72	71	72	75	75	77	76	75	74	72	73	72	70
Thu	70	79	93	78	72	72	73	76	77	77	77	76	75	73	73	73	70
Fri	70	76	78	73	72	74	73	76	77	80	77	75	73	72	70	71	70
Sat	70	69	69	70	72	72	72	72	72	73	72	71	71	70	70	70	69
Sun	70	69	70	70	70	72	75	74	75	72	71	71	71	71	71	71	70