Best Time to Drive from Palm Desert to Van Nuys

Right now (5:33 pm PDT): about 140 minutes via I-210 West and I-10 West, usually 136 at this time.

Only 43% 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 Van Nuys 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	158	169	170	153	145	141	140	140	141	149	156	152	138	132	131	131	129
Tue	165	184	192	166	151	142	139	139	145	153	167	160	140	133	131	130	128
Wed	166	182	187	162	147	145	141	141	146	163	170	163	146	134	132	129	128
Thu	163	182	185	161	150	142	140	144	148	162	168	163	146	135	132	130	128
Fri	143	152	157	148	149	147	149	151	156	164	165	156	145	134	130	129	127
Sat	128	129	129	132	138	145	145	146	148	146	144	142	138	133	132	128	127
Sun	127	129	130	131	143	136	146	145	144	141	140	138	136	135	135	129	128

About this drive

On weekdays the 141-mile drive from Palm Desert to Van Nuys (via I-210 West and I-10 West) usually takes as little as 127 minutes and up to 192 minutes, when leaving around 7 am on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are after 5:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 147 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1 pm on Saturdays (148 minutes).

About 124 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 17 miles surface streets (11 to 17 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 Van Nuys 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 Van Nuys?

On weekdays, leave after 5:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 127 minutes then, versus up to 192 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Palm Desert to Van Nuys?

The 141-mile drive usually takes 127 to 192 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 147 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Palm Desert to Van Nuys?

Leaving around 7 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 192 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-210 West in Inland Empire (33 miles) · I-210 West in Los Angeles (27 miles) · I-10 West in Inland Empire (18 miles) · SR-134 West in Los Angeles (14 miles) · US-101 North in Los Angeles (3 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Palm Desert to Riverside · Palm Desert to San Bernardino · Palm Desert to Fontana

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	158	169	170	153	145	141	140	140	141	149	156	152	138	132	131	131	129
Tue	165	184	192	166	151	142	139	139	145	153	167	160	140	133	131	130	128
Wed	166	182	187	162	147	145	141	141	146	163	170	163	146	134	132	129	128
Thu	163	182	185	161	150	142	140	144	148	162	168	163	146	135	132	130	128
Fri	143	152	157	148	149	147	149	151	156	164	165	156	145	134	130	129	127
Sat	128	129	129	132	138	145	145	146	148	146	144	142	138	133	132	128	127
Sun	127	129	130	131	143	136	146	145	144	141	140	138	136	135	135	129	128

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	158	169	170	153	145	141	140	140	141	149	156	152	138	132	131	131	129
Tue	165	184	192	166	151	142	139	139	145	153	167	160	140	133	131	130	128
Wed	166	182	187	162	147	145	141	141	146	163	170	163	146	134	132	129	128
Thu	163	182	185	161	150	142	140	144	148	162	168	163	146	135	132	130	128
Fri	143	152	157	148	149	147	149	151	156	164	165	156	145	134	130	129	127
Sat	128	129	129	132	138	145	145	146	148	146	144	142	138	133	132	128	127
Sun	127	129	130	131	143	136	146	145	144	141	140	138	136	135	135	129	128

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	158	169	170	153	145	141	140	140	141	149	156	152	138	132	131	131	129
Tue	165	184	192	166	151	142	139	139	145	153	167	160	140	133	131	130	128
Wed	166	182	187	162	147	145	141	141	146	163	170	163	146	134	132	129	128
Thu	163	182	185	161	150	142	140	144	148	162	168	163	146	135	132	130	128
Fri	143	152	157	148	149	147	149	151	156	164	165	156	145	134	130	129	127
Sat	128	129	129	132	138	145	145	146	148	146	144	142	138	133	132	128	127
Sun	127	129	130	131	143	136	146	145	144	141	140	138	136	135	135	129	128