Best Time to Drive from Santa Monica to Glendale

Right now (8:32 am PDT): about 36 minutes via I-10 East and I-110 North and I-5 North, usually 36 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.

On weekdays the 24-mile drive from Santa Monica to Glendale (via I-10 East and I-110 North and I-5 North) usually takes as little as 22 minutes and up to 61 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 9 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 34 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4:30 pm on Saturdays (38 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: Glendale to Santa Monica

Freeway, about 22 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 2 miles: 3 to 6 minutes on weekdays, estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time (we don't have street sensors yet). Drive times are measured from downtown Santa Monica to central Glendale (South Brand Boulevard) along the route shown. Starting or ending elsewhere in a big city can add or save several minutes.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from Santa Monica to Glendale 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	23	25	29	33	34	31	29	30	32	36	43	50	50	42	33	27	24
Tue	22	25	29	34	35	32	30	31	33	38	49	57	56	47	37	29	24
Wed	22	25	29	34	35	33	31	31	34	40	51	60	59	49	38	30	25
Thu	23	25	29	34	35	32	30	31	34	41	50	58	57	49	38	31	25
Fri	23	25	28	31	32	31	32	35	39	46	54	58	56	46	38	33	25
Sat	23	23	23	24	26	28	31	34	35	36	37	37	38	37	34	30	25
Sun	23	23	23	23	23	25	27	29	31	32	32	33	32	32	29	28	24

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 Glendale?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 9 pm. The drive usually takes about 22 minutes then, versus up to 61 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 24-mile drive usually takes 22 to 61 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 34 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santa Monica to Glendale?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 61 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

Freeways on this drive

I-10 East in Los Angeles (13 miles) · I-110 North in Los Angeles (5 miles) · I-5 North in Los Angeles (4 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Glendale 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 Santa Clarita · Santa Monica to Van Nuys · Santa Monica to Torrance · Santa Monica to Culver City · Santa Monica to El Monte · Santa Monica to Downey

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	23	25	29	33	34	31	29	30	32	36	43	50	50	42	33	27	24
Tue	22	25	29	34	35	32	30	31	33	38	49	57	56	47	37	29	24
Wed	22	25	29	34	35	33	31	31	34	40	51	60	59	49	38	30	25
Thu	23	25	29	34	35	32	30	31	34	41	50	58	57	49	38	31	25
Fri	23	25	28	31	32	31	32	35	39	46	54	58	56	46	38	33	25
Sat	23	23	23	24	26	28	31	34	35	36	37	37	38	37	34	30	25
Sun	23	23	23	23	23	25	27	29	31	32	32	33	32	32	29	28	24

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	23	25	29	33	34	31	29	30	32	36	43	50	50	42	33	27	24
Tue	22	25	29	34	35	32	30	31	33	38	49	57	56	47	37	29	24
Wed	22	25	29	34	35	33	31	31	34	40	51	60	59	49	38	30	25
Thu	23	25	29	34	35	32	30	31	34	41	50	58	57	49	38	31	25
Fri	23	25	28	31	32	31	32	35	39	46	54	58	56	46	38	33	25
Sat	23	23	23	24	26	28	31	34	35	36	37	37	38	37	34	30	25
Sun	23	23	23	23	23	25	27	29	31	32	32	33	32	32	29	28	24

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	23	25	29	33	34	31	29	30	32	36	43	50	50	42	33	27	24
Tue	22	25	29	34	35	32	30	31	33	38	49	57	56	47	37	29	24
Wed	22	25	29	34	35	33	31	31	34	40	51	60	59	49	38	30	25
Thu	23	25	29	34	35	32	30	31	34	41	50	58	57	49	38	31	25
Fri	23	25	28	31	32	31	32	35	39	46	54	58	56	46	38	33	25
Sat	23	23	23	24	26	28	31	34	35	36	37	37	38	37	34	30	25
Sun	23	23	23	23	23	25	27	29	31	32	32	33	32	32	29	28	24