Best Time to Drive from Santa Monica to Huntington Beach

Right now (8:03 pm PDT): about 61 minutes via I-405 South, usually 59 at this time.

None 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 Huntington Beach 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	49	51	53	55	55	54	54	55	58	66	76	82	80	69	57	52	50
Tue	49	51	58	59	58	55	54	56	60	72	90	97	95	80	63	54	50
Wed	49	51	55	57	60	56	56	57	62	76	92	100	95	82	66	57	51
Thu	49	51	55	58	58	56	56	59	63	75	94	109	98	83	68	59	51
Fri	49	50	52	54	55	55	58	63	72	82	93	99	91	80	66	59	52
Sat	50	49	51	52	53	61	62	67	67	71	75	75	72	68	59	55	51
Sun	49	49	49	50	52	55	56	60	59	60	62	59	62	59	56	55	51

About this drive

On weekdays the 46-mile drive from Santa Monica to Huntington Beach (via I-405 South) usually takes as little as 49 minutes and up to 109 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7 am or after 8:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 62 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4 pm on Saturdays (75 minutes).

About 34 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 12 miles surface streets (20 to 32 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 Huntington Beach (Orange Avenue) 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 Huntington Beach?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 49 minutes then, versus up to 109 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Santa Monica to Huntington Beach?

The 46-mile drive usually takes 49 to 109 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 62 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santa Monica to Huntington Beach?

Leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 109 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

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

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

More drives

Huntington Beach 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	49	51	53	55	55	54	54	55	58	66	76	82	80	69	57	52	50
Tue	49	51	58	59	58	55	54	56	60	72	90	97	95	80	63	54	50
Wed	49	51	55	57	60	56	56	57	62	76	92	100	95	82	66	57	51
Thu	49	51	55	58	58	56	56	59	63	75	94	109	98	83	68	59	51
Fri	49	50	52	54	55	55	58	63	72	82	93	99	91	80	66	59	52
Sat	50	49	51	52	53	61	62	67	67	71	75	75	72	68	59	55	51
Sun	49	49	49	50	52	55	56	60	59	60	62	59	62	59	56	55	51

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	49	51	53	55	55	54	54	55	58	66	76	82	80	69	57	52	50
Tue	49	51	58	59	58	55	54	56	60	72	90	97	95	80	63	54	50
Wed	49	51	55	57	60	56	56	57	62	76	92	100	95	82	66	57	51
Thu	49	51	55	58	58	56	56	59	63	75	94	109	98	83	68	59	51
Fri	49	50	52	54	55	55	58	63	72	82	93	99	91	80	66	59	52
Sat	50	49	51	52	53	61	62	67	67	71	75	75	72	68	59	55	51
Sun	49	49	49	50	52	55	56	60	59	60	62	59	62	59	56	55	51

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	49	51	53	55	55	54	54	55	58	66	76	82	80	69	57	52	50
Tue	49	51	58	59	58	55	54	56	60	72	90	97	95	80	63	54	50
Wed	49	51	55	57	60	56	56	57	62	76	92	100	95	82	66	57	51
Thu	49	51	55	58	58	56	56	59	63	75	94	109	98	83	68	59	51
Fri	49	50	52	54	55	55	58	63	72	82	93	99	91	80	66	59	52
Sat	50	49	51	52	53	61	62	67	67	71	75	75	72	68	59	55	51
Sun	49	49	49	50	52	55	56	60	59	60	62	59	62	59	56	55	51