Best Time to Drive from Pasadena to Costa Mesa

Right now (7:36 pm PST): about 57 minutes via I-5 South, usually 53 at this time.

Only 40% 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 Costa Mesa 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	45	53	70	68	56	53	55	55	57	56	72	81	76	69	54	48	46
Tue	44	55	76	76	59	54	54	55	55	60	72	85	82	74	62	51	45
Wed	44	53	77	74	61	54	54	53	55	58	63	70	70	62	56	51	46
Thu	44	53	73	74	59	57	57	58	62	61	75	80	82	74	60	50	47
Fri	44	52	66	64	57	54	56	57	62	71	78	81	80	75	60	52	47
Sat	45	47	47	49	52	53	56	57	59	61	61	60	59	56	53	52	48
Sun	45	45	45	46	47	51	53	56	57	58	58	56	56	55	54	53	47

About this drive

On weekdays the 51-mile drive from Pasadena to Costa Mesa (via I-5 South) usually takes as little as 44 minutes and up to 89 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 57 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3:30 pm on Saturdays (62 minutes).

About 49 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 2 miles surface streets (3 to 4 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from Old Pasadena to central Costa Mesa 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 Costa Mesa?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 9 pm. The drive usually takes about 44 minutes then, versus up to 89 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Pasadena to Costa Mesa?

The 51-mile drive usually takes 44 to 89 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 57 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Pasadena to Costa Mesa?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 89 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in Orange County (18 miles) · I-5 South in Los Angeles (17 miles) · SR-55 South in Orange County (8 miles) · I-110 South in Los Angeles (6 miles)

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

More drives

Costa Mesa 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	45	53	70	68	56	53	55	55	57	56	72	81	76	69	54	48	46
Tue	44	55	76	76	59	54	54	55	55	60	72	85	82	74	62	51	45
Wed	44	53	77	74	61	54	54	53	55	58	63	70	70	62	56	51	46
Thu	44	53	73	74	59	57	57	58	62	61	75	80	82	74	60	50	47
Fri	44	52	66	64	57	54	56	57	62	71	78	81	80	75	60	52	47
Sat	45	47	47	49	52	53	56	57	59	61	61	60	59	56	53	52	48
Sun	45	45	45	46	47	51	53	56	57	58	58	56	56	55	54	53	47

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	45	53	70	68	56	53	55	55	57	56	72	81	76	69	54	48	46
Tue	44	55	76	76	59	54	54	55	55	60	72	85	82	74	62	51	45
Wed	44	53	77	74	61	54	54	53	55	58	63	70	70	62	56	51	46
Thu	44	53	73	74	59	57	57	58	62	61	75	80	82	74	60	50	47
Fri	44	52	66	64	57	54	56	57	62	71	78	81	80	75	60	52	47
Sat	45	47	47	49	52	53	56	57	59	61	61	60	59	56	53	52	48
Sun	45	45	45	46	47	51	53	56	57	58	58	56	56	55	54	53	47

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	45	53	70	68	56	53	55	55	57	56	72	81	76	69	54	48	46
Tue	44	55	76	76	59	54	54	55	55	60	72	85	82	74	62	51	45
Wed	44	53	77	74	61	54	54	53	55	58	63	70	70	62	56	51	46
Thu	44	53	73	74	59	57	57	58	62	61	75	80	82	74	60	50	47
Fri	44	52	66	64	57	54	56	57	62	71	78	81	80	75	60	52	47
Sat	45	47	47	49	52	53	56	57	59	61	61	60	59	56	53	52	48
Sun	45	45	45	46	47	51	53	56	57	58	58	56	56	55	54	53	47