Best Time to Drive from Santa Monica to La Jolla

Right now (5:06 pm PST): about 160 minutes via I-5 South and I-405 South, usually 222 at this time.

Only 41% 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.

About this drive

On weekdays the 125-mile drive from Santa Monica to La Jolla (via I-5 South and I-405 South) usually takes as little as 112 minutes and up to 259 minutes, when leaving around 2:30 pm on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 160 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2:30 pm on Saturdays (158 minutes).

About 120 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 5 miles surface streets (6 to 9 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 La Jolla 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 La Jolla?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 112 minutes then, versus up to 259 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Santa Monica to La Jolla?

The 125-mile drive usually takes 112 to 259 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 160 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santa Monica to La Jolla?

Leaving around 2:30 pm on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 259 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in San Diego (35 miles) · I-405 South in Los Angeles (27 miles) · I-5 South in Orange County (19 miles) · SR-73 South in Orange County (17 miles) · I-405 South in Orange County (16 miles) · I-10 East in Los Angeles (3 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow · San Diego traffic right now · San Diego traffic tomorrow

More drives

La Jolla 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 →