Best Time to Drive from Santa Monica to Cypress

Right now (4:50 pm PST): about 46 minutes via I-405 South, usually 41 at this time.

Only 4% 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 Cypress 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	35	35	36	41	41	40	41	44	57	77	102	103	101	80	45	39	35
Tue	36	35	36	52	54	45	44	57	114	166	202	194	152	105	65	43	36
Wed	35	36	36	55	50	41	43	55	119	196	202	189	156	115	73	50	37
Thu	35	36	36	49	48	42	44	66	101	177	163	134	113	90	77	56	37
Fri	35	36	36	46	41	41	46	97	139	138	107	76	75	74	62	52	38
Sat	36	36	35	36	38	40	46	54	59	69	66	59	55	45	43	42	37
Sun	36	36	35	36	37	38	39	42	46	47	45	43	41	42	42	41	37

About this drive

On weekdays the 38-mile drive from Santa Monica to Cypress (via I-405 South) usually takes as little as 35 minutes and up to 205 minutes, when leaving around 2:30 pm on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7:30 am or after 9 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 90 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2:30 pm on Saturdays (74 minutes).

About 34 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 4 miles surface streets (6 to 17 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 Cypress 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 Cypress?

On weekdays, leave before 7:30 am or after 9 pm. The drive usually takes about 35 minutes then, versus up to 205 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 38-mile drive usually takes 35 to 205 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 90 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santa Monica to Cypress?

Leaving around 2:30 pm on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 205 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-405 South in Los Angeles (27 miles) · I-10 East in Los Angeles (3 miles) · I-405 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

Cypress 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	35	35	36	41	41	40	41	44	57	77	102	103	101	80	45	39	35
Tue	36	35	36	52	54	45	44	57	114	166	202	194	152	105	65	43	36
Wed	35	36	36	55	50	41	43	55	119	196	202	189	156	115	73	50	37
Thu	35	36	36	49	48	42	44	66	101	177	163	134	113	90	77	56	37
Fri	35	36	36	46	41	41	46	97	139	138	107	76	75	74	62	52	38
Sat	36	36	35	36	38	40	46	54	59	69	66	59	55	45	43	42	37
Sun	36	36	35	36	37	38	39	42	46	47	45	43	41	42	42	41	37

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	35	35	36	41	41	40	41	44	57	77	102	103	101	80	45	39	35
Tue	36	35	36	52	54	45	44	57	114	166	202	194	152	105	65	43	36
Wed	35	36	36	55	50	41	43	55	119	196	202	189	156	115	73	50	37
Thu	35	36	36	49	48	42	44	66	101	177	163	134	113	90	77	56	37
Fri	35	36	36	46	41	41	46	97	139	138	107	76	75	74	62	52	38
Sat	36	36	35	36	38	40	46	54	59	69	66	59	55	45	43	42	37
Sun	36	36	35	36	37	38	39	42	46	47	45	43	41	42	42	41	37

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	35	35	36	41	41	40	41	44	57	77	102	103	101	80	45	39	35
Tue	36	35	36	52	54	45	44	57	114	166	202	194	152	105	65	43	36
Wed	35	36	36	55	50	41	43	55	119	196	202	189	156	115	73	50	37
Thu	35	36	36	49	48	42	44	66	101	177	163	134	113	90	77	56	37
Fri	35	36	36	46	41	41	46	97	139	138	107	76	75	74	62	52	38
Sat	36	36	35	36	38	40	46	54	59	69	66	59	55	45	43	42	37
Sun	36	36	35	36	37	38	39	42	46	47	45	43	41	42	42	41	37