Best Time to Drive from Palmdale to Anaheim

Right now (7:17 pm PDT): about 101 minutes via I-5 South and SR-2 West, usually 121 at this time.

Only 4% 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 Palmdale to Anaheim 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	100	123	128	136	123	120	129	127	142	155	173	170	157	141	126	104	96
Tue	100	122	140	155	138	129	127	133	147	177	188	183	170	150	137	114	96
Wed	99	126	142	167	141	127	130	135	150	171	183	181	172	161	137	112	95
Thu	99	123	141	162	146	142	146	150	177	180	191	185	168	156	142	112	97
Fri	98	117	134	143	137	131	134	149	180	191	189	184	169	161	137	123	101
Sat	96	98	101	106	120	130	138	149	156	166	163	159	150	147	130	127	104
Sun	95	98	100	96	101	114	123	136	144	149	148	141	132	128	125	123	106

About this drive

On weekdays the 78-mile drive from Palmdale to Anaheim (via I-5 South and SR-2 West) usually takes as little as 95 minutes and up to 192 minutes, when leaving around 2:30 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 5:30 am or after 9 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 151 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2 pm on Saturdays (166 minutes).

About 37 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 41 miles surface streets (61 to 125 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Palmdale to Disneyland 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 Palmdale to Anaheim?

On weekdays, leave before 5:30 am or after 9 pm. The drive usually takes about 95 minutes then, versus up to 192 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Palmdale to Anaheim?

The 78-mile drive usually takes 95 to 192 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 151 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Palmdale to Anaheim?

Leaving around 2:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 192 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in Los Angeles (19 miles) · I-5 South in Orange County (9 miles) · SR-2 West in Los Angeles (8 miles) · I-210 West in Los Angeles (1.3 miles)

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

More drives

Anaheim to Palmdale (return trip) · Palmdale to Los Angeles · Palmdale to Long Beach · Palmdale to Riverside · Palmdale to Santa Ana

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	100	123	128	136	123	120	129	127	142	155	173	170	157	141	126	104	96
Tue	100	122	140	155	138	129	127	133	147	177	188	183	170	150	137	114	96
Wed	99	126	142	167	141	127	130	135	150	171	183	181	172	161	137	112	95
Thu	99	123	141	162	146	142	146	150	177	180	191	185	168	156	142	112	97
Fri	98	117	134	143	137	131	134	149	180	191	189	184	169	161	137	123	101
Sat	96	98	101	106	120	130	138	149	156	166	163	159	150	147	130	127	104
Sun	95	98	100	96	101	114	123	136	144	149	148	141	132	128	125	123	106

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	100	123	128	136	123	120	129	127	142	155	173	170	157	141	126	104	96
Tue	100	122	140	155	138	129	127	133	147	177	188	183	170	150	137	114	96
Wed	99	126	142	167	141	127	130	135	150	171	183	181	172	161	137	112	95
Thu	99	123	141	162	146	142	146	150	177	180	191	185	168	156	142	112	97
Fri	98	117	134	143	137	131	134	149	180	191	189	184	169	161	137	123	101
Sat	96	98	101	106	120	130	138	149	156	166	163	159	150	147	130	127	104
Sun	95	98	100	96	101	114	123	136	144	149	148	141	132	128	125	123	106

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	100	123	128	136	123	120	129	127	142	155	173	170	157	141	126	104	96
Tue	100	122	140	155	138	129	127	133	147	177	188	183	170	150	137	114	96
Wed	99	126	142	167	141	127	130	135	150	171	183	181	172	161	137	112	95
Thu	99	123	141	162	146	142	146	150	177	180	191	185	168	156	142	112	97
Fri	98	117	134	143	137	131	134	149	180	191	189	184	169	161	137	123	101
Sat	96	98	101	106	120	130	138	149	156	166	163	159	150	147	130	127	104
Sun	95	98	100	96	101	114	123	136	144	149	148	141	132	128	125	123	106