Best Time to Drive from Pasadena to Santa Monica

Right now (10:32 pm PDT): about 27 minutes via I-10 West and I-110 South.

Only 5% 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 25-mile drive from Pasadena to Santa Monica (via I-10 West and I-110 South) usually takes as little as 25 minutes and up to 43 minutes, when leaving around 8:30 am on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 31 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2:30 pm on Saturdays (36 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: Santa Monica to Pasadena

Freeway, about 21 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 4 miles: 7 to 10 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 downtown Santa Monica 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 Monica 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	26	31	38	40	38	34	31	29	28	29	30	32	33	32	28	26	26
Tue	25	31	40	43	41	36	32	31	30	30	31	34	36	34	29	27	26
Wed	25	31	40	42	40	36	32	31	30	30	33	35	36	34	29	27	26
Thu	26	32	40	41	39	35	32	31	30	31	33	35	36	34	30	27	26
Fri	25	30	37	38	36	34	33	32	33	35	36	36	36	34	30	27	26
Sat	26	26	26	27	28	29	31	33	34	36	35	34	33	31	29	28	26
Sun	26	25	26	26	27	27	29	30	32	33	32	31	30	29	28	27	26

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 Monica?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 25 minutes then, versus up to 43 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 25-mile drive usually takes 25 to 43 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 31 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Pasadena to Santa Monica?

Leaving around 8:30 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 43 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

Freeways on this drive

I-10 West in Los Angeles (12 miles) · I-110 South in Los Angeles (9 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Santa Monica to Pasadena (return trip) · 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 · Pasadena to Oxnard

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	26	31	38	40	38	34	31	29	28	29	30	32	33	32	28	26	26
Tue	25	31	40	43	41	36	32	31	30	30	31	34	36	34	29	27	26
Wed	25	31	40	42	40	36	32	31	30	30	33	35	36	34	29	27	26
Thu	26	32	40	41	39	35	32	31	30	31	33	35	36	34	30	27	26
Fri	25	30	37	38	36	34	33	32	33	35	36	36	36	34	30	27	26
Sat	26	26	26	27	28	29	31	33	34	36	35	34	33	31	29	28	26
Sun	26	25	26	26	27	27	29	30	32	33	32	31	30	29	28	27	26

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	26	31	38	40	38	34	31	29	28	29	30	32	33	32	28	26	26
Tue	25	31	40	43	41	36	32	31	30	30	31	34	36	34	29	27	26
Wed	25	31	40	42	40	36	32	31	30	30	33	35	36	34	29	27	26
Thu	26	32	40	41	39	35	32	31	30	31	33	35	36	34	30	27	26
Fri	25	30	37	38	36	34	33	32	33	35	36	36	36	34	30	27	26
Sat	26	26	26	27	28	29	31	33	34	36	35	34	33	31	29	28	26
Sun	26	25	26	26	27	27	29	30	32	33	32	31	30	29	28	27	26

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	26	31	38	40	38	34	31	29	28	29	30	32	33	32	28	26	26
Tue	25	31	40	43	41	36	32	31	30	30	31	34	36	34	29	27	26
Wed	25	31	40	42	40	36	32	31	30	30	33	35	36	34	29	27	26
Thu	26	32	40	41	39	35	32	31	30	31	33	35	36	34	30	27	26
Fri	25	30	37	38	36	34	33	32	33	35	36	36	36	34	30	27	26
Sat	26	26	26	27	28	29	31	33	34	36	35	34	33	31	29	28	26
Sun	26	25	26	26	27	27	29	30	32	33	32	31	30	29	28	27	26