Best Time to Drive from Pasadena to Anaheim

Right now (2:05 pm PST): about 46 minutes via I-5 South, usually 56 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 Pasadena 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	36	39	47	48	40	42	44	44	47	46	69	80	74	66	45	37	35
Tue	33	39	53	56	43	42	41	42	42	51	72	86	82	73	55	41	34
Wed	33	38	55	53	45	41	41	41	43	49	56	63	58	55	49	40	35
Thu	34	38	52	55	43	45	46	47	51	56	74	80	80	73	50	40	35
Fri	34	36	46	50	45	43	45	47	55	71	80	82	81	71	52	43	35
Sat	34	35	35	37	40	41	45	48	50	54	55	54	51	47	43	41	36
Sun	34	34	34	35	35	38	41	46	47	49	48	47	46	45	45	43	36

About this drive

On weekdays the 35-mile drive from Pasadena to Anaheim (via I-5 South) usually takes as little as 33 minutes and up to 88 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 9 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 47 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2:30 pm on Saturdays (55 minutes).

About 31 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 4 miles surface streets (7 to 12 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from Old Pasadena (East Holly Street) 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 Pasadena to Anaheim?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 9 pm. The drive usually takes about 33 minutes then, versus up to 88 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 35-mile drive usually takes 33 to 88 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 47 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Pasadena to Anaheim?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 88 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in Orange County (14 miles) · I-5 South in Los Angeles (12 miles) · I-110 South in Los Angeles (5 miles)

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

More drives

Anaheim to Pasadena (return trip) · Pasadena to Santa Monica · Pasadena to Long Beach · Pasadena to West Covina · Pasadena to Burbank · Pasadena to Santa Clarita · Pasadena to Van Nuys · Pasadena to Torrance · Pasadena to Hollywood · Pasadena to Culver City · Pasadena to Whittier · Pasadena to Thousand Oaks

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	36	39	47	48	40	42	44	44	47	46	69	80	74	66	45	37	35
Tue	33	39	53	56	43	42	41	42	42	51	72	86	82	73	55	41	34
Wed	33	38	55	53	45	41	41	41	43	49	56	63	58	55	49	40	35
Thu	34	38	52	55	43	45	46	47	51	56	74	80	80	73	50	40	35
Fri	34	36	46	50	45	43	45	47	55	71	80	82	81	71	52	43	35
Sat	34	35	35	37	40	41	45	48	50	54	55	54	51	47	43	41	36
Sun	34	34	34	35	35	38	41	46	47	49	48	47	46	45	45	43	36

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	36	39	47	48	40	42	44	44	47	46	69	80	74	66	45	37	35
Tue	33	39	53	56	43	42	41	42	42	51	72	86	82	73	55	41	34
Wed	33	38	55	53	45	41	41	41	43	49	56	63	58	55	49	40	35
Thu	34	38	52	55	43	45	46	47	51	56	74	80	80	73	50	40	35
Fri	34	36	46	50	45	43	45	47	55	71	80	82	81	71	52	43	35
Sat	34	35	35	37	40	41	45	48	50	54	55	54	51	47	43	41	36
Sun	34	34	34	35	35	38	41	46	47	49	48	47	46	45	45	43	36

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	36	39	47	48	40	42	44	44	47	46	69	80	74	66	45	37	35
Tue	33	39	53	56	43	42	41	42	42	51	72	86	82	73	55	41	34
Wed	33	38	55	53	45	41	41	41	43	49	56	63	58	55	49	40	35
Thu	34	38	52	55	43	45	46	47	51	56	74	80	80	73	50	40	35
Fri	34	36	46	50	45	43	45	47	55	71	80	82	81	71	52	43	35
Sat	34	35	35	37	40	41	45	48	50	54	55	54	51	47	43	41	36
Sun	34	34	34	35	35	38	41	46	47	49	48	47	46	45	45	43	36