Best Time to Drive from Santa Monica to Irvine

Right now (10:47 pm PDT): about 47 minutes via I-405 South.

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.

On weekdays the 52-mile drive from Santa Monica to Irvine (via I-405 South) usually takes as little as 47 minutes and up to 97 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 8:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 59 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4 pm on Saturdays (66 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: Irvine to Santa Monica

Freeway, about 49 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 3 miles: 4 to 8 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 Irvine (Harvard Avenue) 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 Irvine 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	47	49	56	58	54	52	52	54	56	63	72	79	76	67	55	51	48
Tue	47	50	60	62	56	52	53	54	58	67	82	94	90	77	61	52	48
Wed	47	50	60	62	57	53	53	55	59	69	84	95	90	79	63	54	49
Thu	47	50	59	61	57	53	54	56	61	72	87	97	92	79	65	57	49
Fri	47	49	53	54	53	54	56	60	68	78	87	90	84	73	63	56	50
Sat	47	47	48	49	50	53	56	59	62	64	65	66	65	61	56	53	49
Sun	47	47	47	48	49	50	51	53	55	56	56	56	55	55	53	52	49

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 Irvine?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 47 minutes then, versus up to 97 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 52-mile drive usually takes 47 to 97 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 59 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santa Monica to Irvine?

Leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 97 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

Freeways on this drive

I-405 South in Los Angeles (27 miles) · I-405 South in Orange County (19 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

Irvine 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	47	49	56	58	54	52	52	54	56	63	72	79	76	67	55	51	48
Tue	47	50	60	62	56	52	53	54	58	67	82	94	90	77	61	52	48
Wed	47	50	60	62	57	53	53	55	59	69	84	95	90	79	63	54	49
Thu	47	50	59	61	57	53	54	56	61	72	87	97	92	79	65	57	49
Fri	47	49	53	54	53	54	56	60	68	78	87	90	84	73	63	56	50
Sat	47	47	48	49	50	53	56	59	62	64	65	66	65	61	56	53	49
Sun	47	47	47	48	49	50	51	53	55	56	56	56	55	55	53	52	49

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	47	49	56	58	54	52	52	54	56	63	72	79	76	67	55	51	48
Tue	47	50	60	62	56	52	53	54	58	67	82	94	90	77	61	52	48
Wed	47	50	60	62	57	53	53	55	59	69	84	95	90	79	63	54	49
Thu	47	50	59	61	57	53	54	56	61	72	87	97	92	79	65	57	49
Fri	47	49	53	54	53	54	56	60	68	78	87	90	84	73	63	56	50
Sat	47	47	48	49	50	53	56	59	62	64	65	66	65	61	56	53	49
Sun	47	47	47	48	49	50	51	53	55	56	56	56	55	55	53	52	49

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	47	49	56	58	54	52	52	54	56	63	72	79	76	67	55	51	48
Tue	47	50	60	62	56	52	53	54	58	67	82	94	90	77	61	52	48
Wed	47	50	60	62	57	53	53	55	59	69	84	95	90	79	63	54	49
Thu	47	50	59	61	57	53	54	56	61	72	87	97	92	79	65	57	49
Fri	47	49	53	54	53	54	56	60	68	78	87	90	84	73	63	56	50
Sat	47	47	48	49	50	53	56	59	62	64	65	66	65	61	56	53	49
Sun	47	47	47	48	49	50	51	53	55	56	56	56	55	55	53	52	49