Best Time to Drive from Santa Ana to Sylmar

Right now (7:18 pm PDT): about 63 minutes via I-5 North and I-210 West, usually 58 at this time.

Only 19% 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 Sylmar 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	53	64	72	78	77	69	67	67	68	67	72	76	73	67	58	55	53
Tue	52	66	74	81	76	72	69	67	66	67	72	82	79	69	62	56	54
Wed	53	64	72	77	79	71	69	68	66	66	75	83	80	72	63	57	54
Thu	53	64	73	77	74	71	69	67	67	67	76	87	84	71	66	59	54
Fri	53	63	67	72	71	69	67	68	70	72	84	82	80	76	66	60	54
Sat	54	54	56	57	63	65	69	66	67	66	67	68	68	66	66	60	55
Sun	54	54	54	54	56	59	62	65	65	66	68	66	65	65	63	61	56

About this drive

On weekdays the 61-mile drive from Santa Ana to Sylmar (via I-5 North and I-210 West) usually takes as little as 52 minutes and up to 89 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 68 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 11 am on Saturdays (69 minutes).

About 58 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 3 miles surface streets (3 to 7 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Santa Ana to central Sylmar 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 Sylmar?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 52 minutes then, versus up to 89 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 61-mile drive usually takes 52 to 89 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 68 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santa Ana to Sylmar?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 89 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 North in Orange County (20 miles) · I-210 West in Los Angeles (15 miles) · I-5 North in Los Angeles (15 miles) · SR-2 East in Los Angeles (9 miles)

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

More drives

Sylmar to Santa Ana (return trip) · Santa Ana to Los Angeles · Santa Ana to Santa Monica · Santa Ana to Pasadena · 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

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	53	64	72	78	77	69	67	67	68	67	72	76	73	67	58	55	53
Tue	52	66	74	81	76	72	69	67	66	67	72	82	79	69	62	56	54
Wed	53	64	72	77	79	71	69	68	66	66	75	83	80	72	63	57	54
Thu	53	64	73	77	74	71	69	67	67	67	76	87	84	71	66	59	54
Fri	53	63	67	72	71	69	67	68	70	72	84	82	80	76	66	60	54
Sat	54	54	56	57	63	65	69	66	67	66	67	68	68	66	66	60	55
Sun	54	54	54	54	56	59	62	65	65	66	68	66	65	65	63	61	56

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	53	64	72	78	77	69	67	67	68	67	72	76	73	67	58	55	53
Tue	52	66	74	81	76	72	69	67	66	67	72	82	79	69	62	56	54
Wed	53	64	72	77	79	71	69	68	66	66	75	83	80	72	63	57	54
Thu	53	64	73	77	74	71	69	67	67	67	76	87	84	71	66	59	54
Fri	53	63	67	72	71	69	67	68	70	72	84	82	80	76	66	60	54
Sat	54	54	56	57	63	65	69	66	67	66	67	68	68	66	66	60	55
Sun	54	54	54	54	56	59	62	65	65	66	68	66	65	65	63	61	56

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	53	64	72	78	77	69	67	67	68	67	72	76	73	67	58	55	53
Tue	52	66	74	81	76	72	69	67	66	67	72	82	79	69	62	56	54
Wed	53	64	72	77	79	71	69	68	66	66	75	83	80	72	63	57	54
Thu	53	64	73	77	74	71	69	67	67	67	76	87	84	71	66	59	54
Fri	53	63	67	72	71	69	67	68	70	72	84	82	80	76	66	60	54
Sat	54	54	56	57	63	65	69	66	67	66	67	68	68	66	66	60	55
Sun	54	54	54	54	56	59	62	65	65	66	68	66	65	65	63	61	56