Best Time to Drive from Santa Monica to Lake Forest

Right now (3:20 pm PST): about 74 minutes via I-405 South, usually 75 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 Lake Forest 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	54	58	81	78	65	61	62	65	72	82	100	101	95	88	66	61	57
Tue	55	59	74	93	78	66	65	71	113	154	185	193	163	119	82	64	55
Wed	54	59	79	90	81	67	62	71	113	174	198	184	163	126	87	68	56
Thu	54	59	74	85	74	64	65	78	98	163	165	139	121	101	90	74	56
Fri	54	58	63	74	63	61	63	96	133	139	116	90	88	89	77	70	57
Sat	55	55	54	55	57	58	62	69	73	78	79	74	71	63	61	61	56
Sun	55	55	55	58	57	58	60	62	65	66	65	63	64	61	60	60	55

About this drive

On weekdays the 61-mile drive from Santa Monica to Lake Forest (via I-405 South) usually takes as little as 54 minutes and up to 201 minutes, when leaving around 2:30 pm on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 9 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 96 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2:30 pm on Saturdays (85 minutes).

About 57 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 4 miles surface streets (5 to 8 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 Lake Forest 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 Lake Forest?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 9 pm. The drive usually takes about 54 minutes then, versus up to 201 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Santa Monica to Lake Forest?

The 61-mile drive usually takes 54 to 201 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 96 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santa Monica to Lake Forest?

Leaving around 2:30 pm on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 201 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-405 South in Los Angeles (27 miles) · I-405 South in Orange County (26 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

Lake Forest 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	54	58	81	78	65	61	62	65	72	82	100	101	95	88	66	61	57
Tue	55	59	74	93	78	66	65	71	113	154	185	193	163	119	82	64	55
Wed	54	59	79	90	81	67	62	71	113	174	198	184	163	126	87	68	56
Thu	54	59	74	85	74	64	65	78	98	163	165	139	121	101	90	74	56
Fri	54	58	63	74	63	61	63	96	133	139	116	90	88	89	77	70	57
Sat	55	55	54	55	57	58	62	69	73	78	79	74	71	63	61	61	56
Sun	55	55	55	58	57	58	60	62	65	66	65	63	64	61	60	60	55

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	54	58	81	78	65	61	62	65	72	82	100	101	95	88	66	61	57
Tue	55	59	74	93	78	66	65	71	113	154	185	193	163	119	82	64	55
Wed	54	59	79	90	81	67	62	71	113	174	198	184	163	126	87	68	56
Thu	54	59	74	85	74	64	65	78	98	163	165	139	121	101	90	74	56
Fri	54	58	63	74	63	61	63	96	133	139	116	90	88	89	77	70	57
Sat	55	55	54	55	57	58	62	69	73	78	79	74	71	63	61	61	56
Sun	55	55	55	58	57	58	60	62	65	66	65	63	64	61	60	60	55

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	54	58	81	78	65	61	62	65	72	82	100	101	95	88	66	61	57
Tue	55	59	74	93	78	66	65	71	113	154	185	193	163	119	82	64	55
Wed	54	59	79	90	81	67	62	71	113	174	198	184	163	126	87	68	56
Thu	54	59	74	85	74	64	65	78	98	163	165	139	121	101	90	74	56
Fri	54	58	63	74	63	61	63	96	133	139	116	90	88	89	77	70	57
Sat	55	55	54	55	57	58	62	69	73	78	79	74	71	63	61	61	56
Sun	55	55	55	58	57	58	60	62	65	66	65	63	64	61	60	60	55