Best Time to Drive from San Diego to Santa Monica

Right now (8:20 pm PST): about 121 minutes via I-5 North and I-405 North, usually 119 at this time.

Only 49% 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 San Diego 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	140	149	144	146	141	134	134	133	131	133	144	155	138	124	123	120	120
Tue	182	201	181	165	159	142	137	133	133	135	154	168	149	132	122	120	118
Wed	175	211	189	165	156	144	138	136	138	142	160	171	153	137	126	119	117
Thu	174	196	173	159	156	142	138	133	135	139	159	163	152	134	123	119	118
Fri	170	181	151	147	144	150	145	145	149	152	154	157	142	131	126	121	118
Sat	119	119	123	129	137	145	152	158	151	146	144	136	134	129	126	120	118
Sun	118	119	119	120	128	139	150	163	159	151	141	137	136	132	131	122	120

About this drive

On weekdays the 134-mile drive from San Diego to Santa Monica (via I-5 North and I-405 North) usually takes as little as 117 minutes and up to 211 minutes, when leaving around 6 am on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 137 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 11:30 am on Sundays (165 minutes).

About 132 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 1.6 miles surface streets (2 to 3 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from downtown San Diego to downtown Santa Monica 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 San Diego to Santa Monica?

On weekdays, leave after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 117 minutes then, versus up to 211 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from San Diego to Santa Monica?

The 134-mile drive usually takes 117 to 211 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 137 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from San Diego to Santa Monica?

Leaving around 6 am on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 211 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 North in San Diego (55 miles) · I-405 North in Los Angeles (27 miles) · SR-73 North in Orange County (18 miles) · I-405 North in Orange County (16 miles) · I-5 North in Orange County (14 miles) · I-10 West in Los Angeles (3 miles)

San Diego traffic right now · San Diego traffic tomorrow · Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Santa Monica to San Diego (return trip) · San Diego to Escondido · San Diego to Oceanside · San Diego to El Cajon · San Diego to Carlsbad · San Diego to Los Angeles · San Diego to Irvine · San Diego to Temecula · San Diego to LAX · San Diego to Riverside · San Diego to Chula Vista · San Diego to La Jolla

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	140	149	144	146	141	134	134	133	131	133	144	155	138	124	123	120	120
Tue	182	201	181	165	159	142	137	133	133	135	154	168	149	132	122	120	118
Wed	175	211	189	165	156	144	138	136	138	142	160	171	153	137	126	119	117
Thu	174	196	173	159	156	142	138	133	135	139	159	163	152	134	123	119	118
Fri	170	181	151	147	144	150	145	145	149	152	154	157	142	131	126	121	118
Sat	119	119	123	129	137	145	152	158	151	146	144	136	134	129	126	120	118
Sun	118	119	119	120	128	139	150	163	159	151	141	137	136	132	131	122	120

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	140	149	144	146	141	134	134	133	131	133	144	155	138	124	123	120	120
Tue	182	201	181	165	159	142	137	133	133	135	154	168	149	132	122	120	118
Wed	175	211	189	165	156	144	138	136	138	142	160	171	153	137	126	119	117
Thu	174	196	173	159	156	142	138	133	135	139	159	163	152	134	123	119	118
Fri	170	181	151	147	144	150	145	145	149	152	154	157	142	131	126	121	118
Sat	119	119	123	129	137	145	152	158	151	146	144	136	134	129	126	120	118
Sun	118	119	119	120	128	139	150	163	159	151	141	137	136	132	131	122	120

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	140	149	144	146	141	134	134	133	131	133	144	155	138	124	123	120	120
Tue	182	201	181	165	159	142	137	133	133	135	154	168	149	132	122	120	118
Wed	175	211	189	165	156	144	138	136	138	142	160	171	153	137	126	119	117
Thu	174	196	173	159	156	142	138	133	135	139	159	163	152	134	123	119	118
Fri	170	181	151	147	144	150	145	145	149	152	154	157	142	131	126	121	118
Sat	119	119	123	129	137	145	152	158	151	146	144	136	134	129	126	120	118
Sun	118	119	119	120	128	139	150	163	159	151	141	137	136	132	131	122	120