Best Time to Drive from Santa Ana to Pasadena

Right now (10:18 am PDT): about 48 minutes via I-5 North, usually 47 at this time.

Only 3% 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 Santa Ana to Pasadena 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	39	42	47	49	49	44	45	44	45	48	57	58	61	53	44	41	40
Tue	39	43	50	55	49	46	44	45	46	50	58	59	65	61	48	42	40
Wed	39	42	47	51	49	47	45	45	46	50	55	61	66	59	47	43	40
Thu	39	42	47	51	48	47	45	45	47	51	58	67	66	58	50	45	41
Fri	39	42	43	46	46	46	46	47	50	52	65	62	67	61	49	43	40
Sat	40	40	41	41	42	44	45	45	46	51	49	50	49	45	43	43	40
Sun	40	40	40	40	41	42	44	45	44	45	44	44	44	44	44	45	42

About this drive

On weekdays the 37-mile drive from Santa Ana to Pasadena (via I-5 North) usually takes as little as 39 minutes and up to 69 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 47 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2:30 pm on Saturdays (51 minutes).

About 28 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 9 miles surface streets (15 to 32 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Santa Ana (Main Street) to Old Pasadena (East Holly Street) 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 Santa Ana to Pasadena?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 39 minutes then, versus up to 69 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 37-mile drive usually takes 39 to 69 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 47 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santa Ana to Pasadena?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 69 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

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

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

More drives

Pasadena to Santa Ana (return trip) · Santa Ana to Los Angeles · Santa Ana to Santa Monica · Santa Ana to Long Beach · 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	39	42	47	49	49	44	45	44	45	48	57	58	61	53	44	41	40
Tue	39	43	50	55	49	46	44	45	46	50	58	59	65	61	48	42	40
Wed	39	42	47	51	49	47	45	45	46	50	55	61	66	59	47	43	40
Thu	39	42	47	51	48	47	45	45	47	51	58	67	66	58	50	45	41
Fri	39	42	43	46	46	46	46	47	50	52	65	62	67	61	49	43	40
Sat	40	40	41	41	42	44	45	45	46	51	49	50	49	45	43	43	40
Sun	40	40	40	40	41	42	44	45	44	45	44	44	44	44	44	45	42

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	39	42	47	49	49	44	45	44	45	48	57	58	61	53	44	41	40
Tue	39	43	50	55	49	46	44	45	46	50	58	59	65	61	48	42	40
Wed	39	42	47	51	49	47	45	45	46	50	55	61	66	59	47	43	40
Thu	39	42	47	51	48	47	45	45	47	51	58	67	66	58	50	45	41
Fri	39	42	43	46	46	46	46	47	50	52	65	62	67	61	49	43	40
Sat	40	40	41	41	42	44	45	45	46	51	49	50	49	45	43	43	40
Sun	40	40	40	40	41	42	44	45	44	45	44	44	44	44	44	45	42

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	39	42	47	49	49	44	45	44	45	48	57	58	61	53	44	41	40
Tue	39	43	50	55	49	46	44	45	46	50	58	59	65	61	48	42	40
Wed	39	42	47	51	49	47	45	45	46	50	55	61	66	59	47	43	40
Thu	39	42	47	51	48	47	45	45	47	51	58	67	66	58	50	45	41
Fri	39	42	43	46	46	46	46	47	50	52	65	62	67	61	49	43	40
Sat	40	40	41	41	42	44	45	45	46	51	49	50	49	45	43	43	40
Sun	40	40	40	40	41	42	44	45	44	45	44	44	44	44	44	45	42