Best Time to Drive from Santa Ana to Long Beach

Right now (11:18 pm PDT): about 29 minutes via SR-22 West.

None 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 22-mile drive from Santa Ana to Long Beach (via SR-22 West) usually takes as little as 29 minutes and up to 42 minutes, when leaving around 5:30 pm on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 7 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 31 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4 pm on Saturdays (35 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: Long Beach to Santa Ana

Freeway, about 13 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 9 miles: 18 to 24 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 central Santa Ana (Main Street) to downtown Long Beach (Pacific Avenue) 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 Santa Ana to Long Beach 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	29	30	33	35	33	30	30	30	31	31	32	34	36	33	30	30	29
Tue	29	30	35	36	34	32	31	31	31	31	33	36	40	36	30	30	29
Wed	29	30	34	36	35	33	31	31	31	31	34	37	41	37	31	30	29
Thu	29	30	33	35	34	32	31	31	31	32	34	38	39	36	31	30	29
Fri	29	30	32	34	33	31	31	32	33	34	37	40	41	37	32	30	30
Sat	29	29	29	30	30	31	32	34	33	34	34	35	34	33	30	30	29
Sun	29	29	29	29	30	30	30	31	31	31	31	31	31	30	30	30	30

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 Santa Ana to Long Beach?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 29 minutes then, versus up to 42 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Santa Ana to Long Beach?

The 22-mile drive usually takes 29 to 42 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 31 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santa Ana to Long Beach?

Leaving around 5:30 pm on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 42 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

Freeways on this drive

SR-22 West in Orange County (10 miles) · I-405 North in Orange County (2 miles)

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

More drives

Long Beach to Santa Ana (return trip) · Santa Ana to Los Angeles · Santa Ana to Santa Monica · Santa Ana to Pasadena · Santa Ana to West Covina · Santa Ana to Burbank · Santa Ana to Glendale · Santa Ana to Santa Clarita · Santa Ana to Van Nuys · Santa Ana to Torrance · Santa Ana to LAX · Santa Ana to Hollywood

Open the live traffic map →

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

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

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