Best Time to Drive from Santa Monica to Brea

Right now (12:51 am PST): about 43 minutes via SR-60 East and I-10 East.

Only 1% 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 Monica to Brea 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	43	45	49	49	48	47	45	45	45	44	46	47	49	46	45	43	42
Tue	42	46	49	49	49	47	46	45	45	45	46	51	52	50	45	43	42
Wed	43	47	52	51	50	48	46	46	45	46	47	49	52	52	47	45	43
Thu	43	45	46	47	47	46	45	44	45	45	46	48	50	48	44	43	42
Fri	43	45	47	47	46	45	45	44	45	46	47	49	52	50	44	44	42
Sat	42	42	43	43	44	44	45	44	44	45	46	45	46	45	44	44	43
Sun	43	43	43	43	43	44	44	44	44	44	45	44	44	44	44	44	43

About this drive

On weekdays the 48-mile drive from Santa Monica to Brea (via SR-60 East and I-10 East) usually takes as little as 42 minutes and up to 53 minutes, when leaving around 5:30 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 7 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 45 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 5 pm on Saturdays (46 minutes).

About 46 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 2 miles surface streets (3 to 4 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from downtown Santa Monica to central Brea 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 Monica to Brea?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 42 minutes then, versus up to 53 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Santa Monica to Brea?

The 48-mile drive usually takes 42 to 53 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 45 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santa Monica to Brea?

Leaving around 5:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 53 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

SR-60 East in Los Angeles (23 miles) · I-10 East in Los Angeles (17 miles) · SR-57 South in Los Angeles (4 miles) · SR-57 South in Orange County (3 miles)

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

More drives

Brea to Santa Monica (return trip) · Santa Monica to Los Angeles · Santa Monica to Pasadena · Santa Monica to Long Beach · Santa Monica to West Covina · Santa Monica to Burbank · Santa Monica to Glendale · Santa Monica to Santa Clarita · Santa Monica to Van Nuys · Santa Monica to Torrance · Santa Monica to Culver City · Santa Monica to El Monte

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	43	45	49	49	48	47	45	45	45	44	46	47	49	46	45	43	42
Tue	42	46	49	49	49	47	46	45	45	45	46	51	52	50	45	43	42
Wed	43	47	52	51	50	48	46	46	45	46	47	49	52	52	47	45	43
Thu	43	45	46	47	47	46	45	44	45	45	46	48	50	48	44	43	42
Fri	43	45	47	47	46	45	45	44	45	46	47	49	52	50	44	44	42
Sat	42	42	43	43	44	44	45	44	44	45	46	45	46	45	44	44	43
Sun	43	43	43	43	43	44	44	44	44	44	45	44	44	44	44	44	43

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	43	45	49	49	48	47	45	45	45	44	46	47	49	46	45	43	42
Tue	42	46	49	49	49	47	46	45	45	45	46	51	52	50	45	43	42
Wed	43	47	52	51	50	48	46	46	45	46	47	49	52	52	47	45	43
Thu	43	45	46	47	47	46	45	44	45	45	46	48	50	48	44	43	42
Fri	43	45	47	47	46	45	45	44	45	46	47	49	52	50	44	44	42
Sat	42	42	43	43	44	44	45	44	44	45	46	45	46	45	44	44	43
Sun	43	43	43	43	43	44	44	44	44	44	45	44	44	44	44	44	43

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	43	45	49	49	48	47	45	45	45	44	46	47	49	46	45	43	42
Tue	42	46	49	49	49	47	46	45	45	45	46	51	52	50	45	43	42
Wed	43	47	52	51	50	48	46	46	45	46	47	49	52	52	47	45	43
Thu	43	45	46	47	47	46	45	44	45	45	46	48	50	48	44	43	42
Fri	43	45	47	47	46	45	45	44	45	46	47	49	52	50	44	44	42
Sat	42	42	43	43	44	44	45	44	44	45	46	45	46	45	44	44	43
Sun	43	43	43	43	43	44	44	44	44	44	45	44	44	44	44	44	43