Best Time to Drive from Pasadena to Santa Ana

Right now (8:32 am PDT): about 65 minutes via I-5 South, usually 58 at this time.

Only 2% 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.

On weekdays the 37-mile drive from Pasadena to Santa Ana (via I-5 South) usually takes as little as 40 minutes and up to 78 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 8:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 52 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2:30 pm on Saturdays (57 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: Santa Ana to Pasadena

Freeway, about 27 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 9 miles: 16 to 31 minutes on weekdays, estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time (we don't have street sensors yet). Drive times are measured from Old Pasadena (East Holly Street) to central Santa Ana (Main Street) along the route shown. Starting or ending elsewhere in a big city can add or save several minutes.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from Pasadena to Santa Ana 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	40	46	59	59	49	48	48	48	50	53	62	69	69	60	47	42	41
Tue	40	49	63	63	52	49	48	49	49	54	64	74	73	65	52	44	41
Wed	40	48	65	63	54	50	49	50	51	55	66	72	74	65	52	44	41
Thu	41	48	63	62	53	51	51	51	53	57	68	75	75	66	54	46	41
Fri	41	46	55	55	51	50	51	52	58	66	74	77	75	67	54	47	42
Sat	41	42	42	43	45	46	48	50	52	55	57	56	54	51	46	44	42
Sun	41	41	41	41	42	43	45	47	49	50	50	49	47	46	45	45	42

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 Santa Ana?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 40 minutes then, versus up to 78 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Pasadena to Santa Ana?

The 37-mile drive usually takes 40 to 78 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 52 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Pasadena to Santa Ana?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 78 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in Orange County (19 miles) · I-5 South in Los Angeles (6 miles) · I-710 South in Los Angeles (3 miles)

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

More drives

Santa Ana 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	40	46	59	59	49	48	48	48	50	53	62	69	69	60	47	42	41
Tue	40	49	63	63	52	49	48	49	49	54	64	74	73	65	52	44	41
Wed	40	48	65	63	54	50	49	50	51	55	66	72	74	65	52	44	41
Thu	41	48	63	62	53	51	51	51	53	57	68	75	75	66	54	46	41
Fri	41	46	55	55	51	50	51	52	58	66	74	77	75	67	54	47	42
Sat	41	42	42	43	45	46	48	50	52	55	57	56	54	51	46	44	42
Sun	41	41	41	41	42	43	45	47	49	50	50	49	47	46	45	45	42

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	40	46	59	59	49	48	48	48	50	53	62	69	69	60	47	42	41
Tue	40	49	63	63	52	49	48	49	49	54	64	74	73	65	52	44	41
Wed	40	48	65	63	54	50	49	50	51	55	66	72	74	65	52	44	41
Thu	41	48	63	62	53	51	51	51	53	57	68	75	75	66	54	46	41
Fri	41	46	55	55	51	50	51	52	58	66	74	77	75	67	54	47	42
Sat	41	42	42	43	45	46	48	50	52	55	57	56	54	51	46	44	42
Sun	41	41	41	41	42	43	45	47	49	50	50	49	47	46	45	45	42

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	40	46	59	59	49	48	48	48	50	53	62	69	69	60	47	42	41
Tue	40	49	63	63	52	49	48	49	49	54	64	74	73	65	52	44	41
Wed	40	48	65	63	54	50	49	50	51	55	66	72	74	65	52	44	41
Thu	41	48	63	62	53	51	51	51	53	57	68	75	75	66	54	46	41
Fri	41	46	55	55	51	50	51	52	58	66	74	77	75	67	54	47	42
Sat	41	42	42	43	45	46	48	50	52	55	57	56	54	51	46	44	42
Sun	41	41	41	41	42	43	45	47	49	50	50	49	47	46	45	45	42