Best Time to Drive from Santa Clarita to Palmdale

Right now (5:47 pm PDT): about 45 minutes via SR-14 North, usually 40 at this time.

Only 22% 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 Clarita to Palmdale 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	37	37	37	36	38	39	41	44	41	44	40	43	43	42	42	38	38
Tue	36	37	37	37	37	38	38	39	39	40	41	42	40	40	39	39	38
Wed	37	37	36	36	38	37	37	38	39	39	40	42	41	40	40	40	37
Thu	37	37	37	36	37	37	38	40	40	40	40	42	41	40	43	42	38
Fri	37	37	37	36	37	38	37	38	39	40	41	42	44	43	46	44	38
Sat	37	36	36	37	37	36	37	38	37	39	38	37	38	37	37	38	37
Sun	37	36	36	36	36	36	37	36	36	36	36	36	36	36	37	38	37

About this drive

On weekdays the 36-mile drive from Santa Clarita to Palmdale (via SR-14 North) usually takes as little as 36 minutes and up to 46 minutes, when leaving around 7 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 12 pm or after 9 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 39 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12:30 pm on Saturdays (39 minutes).

About 27 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 9 miles surface streets (13 to 16 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Santa Clarita to central Palmdale 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 Clarita to Palmdale?

On weekdays, leave before 12 pm or after 9 pm. The drive usually takes about 36 minutes then, versus up to 46 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Santa Clarita to Palmdale?

The 36-mile drive usually takes 36 to 46 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 39 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santa Clarita to Palmdale?

Leaving around 7 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 46 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

SR-14 North in Los Angeles (27 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Palmdale to Santa Clarita (return trip) · Santa Clarita to Los Angeles · Santa Clarita to Santa Monica · Santa Clarita to Pasadena · Santa Clarita to Long Beach · Santa Clarita to West Covina · Santa Clarita to Burbank · Santa Clarita to Glendale · Santa Clarita to Van Nuys · Santa Clarita to Torrance · Santa Clarita to LAX · Santa Clarita 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	37	37	37	36	38	39	41	44	41	44	40	43	43	42	42	38	38
Tue	36	37	37	37	37	38	38	39	39	40	41	42	40	40	39	39	38
Wed	37	37	36	36	38	37	37	38	39	39	40	42	41	40	40	40	37
Thu	37	37	37	36	37	37	38	40	40	40	40	42	41	40	43	42	38
Fri	37	37	37	36	37	38	37	38	39	40	41	42	44	43	46	44	38
Sat	37	36	36	37	37	36	37	38	37	39	38	37	38	37	37	38	37
Sun	37	36	36	36	36	36	37	36	36	36	36	36	36	36	37	38	37

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	37	37	37	36	38	39	41	44	41	44	40	43	43	42	42	38	38
Tue	36	37	37	37	37	38	38	39	39	40	41	42	40	40	39	39	38
Wed	37	37	36	36	38	37	37	38	39	39	40	42	41	40	40	40	37
Thu	37	37	37	36	37	37	38	40	40	40	40	42	41	40	43	42	38
Fri	37	37	37	36	37	38	37	38	39	40	41	42	44	43	46	44	38
Sat	37	36	36	37	37	36	37	38	37	39	38	37	38	37	37	38	37
Sun	37	36	36	36	36	36	37	36	36	36	36	36	36	36	37	38	37

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	37	37	37	36	38	39	41	44	41	44	40	43	43	42	42	38	38
Tue	36	37	37	37	37	38	38	39	39	40	41	42	40	40	39	39	38
Wed	37	37	36	36	38	37	37	38	39	39	40	42	41	40	40	40	37
Thu	37	37	37	36	37	37	38	40	40	40	40	42	41	40	43	42	38
Fri	37	37	37	36	37	38	37	38	39	40	41	42	44	43	46	44	38
Sat	37	36	36	37	37	36	37	38	37	39	38	37	38	37	37	38	37
Sun	37	36	36	36	36	36	37	36	36	36	36	36	36	36	37	38	37