Best Time to Drive from Palm Springs to Los Angeles

Right now (8:50 pm PST): about 108 minutes via I-10 West, usually 102 at this time.

Only 20% 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 Springs 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	123	133	135	127	117	114	111	113	113	115	114	111	111	105	105	104	104
Tue	124	140	148	131	120	115	112	112	113	114	112	133	127	107	106	104	103
Wed	123	138	144	131	121	116	112	114	114	116	114	133	136	123	116	104	102
Thu	121	134	138	129	120	115	113	112	114	116	117	137	123	110	110	104	102
Fri	110	118	128	121	117	118	115	118	120	118	121	139	131	118	113	102	102
Sat	103	105	104	106	108	112	109	112	110	112	112	112	116	111	110	103	103
Sun	102	102	102	105	105	106	110	111	112	108	109	108	110	115	112	105	102

About this drive

On weekdays the 107-mile drive from Palm Springs to Los Angeles (via I-10 West) usually takes as little as 101 minutes and up to 148 minutes, when leaving around 7 am on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 114 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 5 pm on Saturdays (116 minutes).

About 95 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 12 miles surface streets (17 to 18 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Palm Springs (East Alejo Road) to Downtown LA (City Hall) (West 1st Street) 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 Springs to Los Angeles?

On weekdays, leave after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 101 minutes then, versus up to 148 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Palm Springs to Los Angeles?

The 107-mile drive usually takes 101 to 148 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 114 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Palm Springs to Los Angeles?

Leaving around 7 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 148 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-10 West in Inland Empire (57 miles) · I-10 West in Los Angeles (31 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

Palm Springs to Los Angeles over Thanksgiving: when to leave →

More drives

Los Angeles to Palm Springs (return trip) · Palm Springs to Mission Viejo · Palm Springs to Riverside · Palm Springs to San Bernardino · Palm Springs to Ontario · Palm Springs to Corona · Palm Springs to LAX · Palm Springs to Irvine · Palm Springs to ONT · Palm Springs to Claremont · Palm Springs to Rancho Cucamonga · Palm Springs 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	123	133	135	127	117	114	111	113	113	115	114	111	111	105	105	104	104
Tue	124	140	148	131	120	115	112	112	113	114	112	133	127	107	106	104	103
Wed	123	138	144	131	121	116	112	114	114	116	114	133	136	123	116	104	102
Thu	121	134	138	129	120	115	113	112	114	116	117	137	123	110	110	104	102
Fri	110	118	128	121	117	118	115	118	120	118	121	139	131	118	113	102	102
Sat	103	105	104	106	108	112	109	112	110	112	112	112	116	111	110	103	103
Sun	102	102	102	105	105	106	110	111	112	108	109	108	110	115	112	105	102

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	123	133	135	127	117	114	111	113	113	115	114	111	111	105	105	104	104
Tue	124	140	148	131	120	115	112	112	113	114	112	133	127	107	106	104	103
Wed	123	138	144	131	121	116	112	114	114	116	114	133	136	123	116	104	102
Thu	121	134	138	129	120	115	113	112	114	116	117	137	123	110	110	104	102
Fri	110	118	128	121	117	118	115	118	120	118	121	139	131	118	113	102	102
Sat	103	105	104	106	108	112	109	112	110	112	112	112	116	111	110	103	103
Sun	102	102	102	105	105	106	110	111	112	108	109	108	110	115	112	105	102

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	123	133	135	127	117	114	111	113	113	115	114	111	111	105	105	104	104
Tue	124	140	148	131	120	115	112	112	113	114	112	133	127	107	106	104	103
Wed	123	138	144	131	121	116	112	114	114	116	114	133	136	123	116	104	102
Thu	121	134	138	129	120	115	113	112	114	116	117	137	123	110	110	104	102
Fri	110	118	128	121	117	118	115	118	120	118	121	139	131	118	113	102	102
Sat	103	105	104	106	108	112	109	112	110	112	112	112	116	111	110	103	103
Sun	102	102	102	105	105	106	110	111	112	108	109	108	110	115	112	105	102