Best Time to Drive from Santa Monica to LGB

Right now (1:18 pm PDT): about 39 minutes via I-405 South, usually 40 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 LGB 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	28	28	30	33	32	31	32	33	35	41	49	54	53	46	35	30	28
Tue	28	29	31	35	34	32	32	33	37	45	57	66	66	56	41	32	29
Wed	28	29	31	34	34	32	32	34	38	47	59	67	65	57	43	34	29
Thu	28	29	31	35	34	33	33	35	40	49	62	71	68	57	44	37	30
Fri	28	28	30	32	32	33	35	39	45	53	61	64	59	50	42	36	30
Sat	28	28	28	29	29	31	34	37	39	41	42	43	43	40	36	33	29
Sun	28	28	28	28	28	29	31	32	34	35	35	35	35	35	33	32	29

About this drive

On weekdays the 29-mile drive from Santa Monica to LGB (via I-405 South) usually takes as little as 28 minutes and up to 71 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7 am or after 9 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 38 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4 pm on Saturdays (43 minutes).

About 26 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 3 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 Long Beach Airport (LGB) (Globemaster 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 LGB?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 9 pm. The drive usually takes about 28 minutes then, versus up to 71 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 29-mile drive usually takes 28 to 71 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 38 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santa Monica to LGB?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 71 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-405 South in Los Angeles (23 miles) · I-10 East in Los Angeles (3 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

LGB 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	28	28	30	33	32	31	32	33	35	41	49	54	53	46	35	30	28
Tue	28	29	31	35	34	32	32	33	37	45	57	66	66	56	41	32	29
Wed	28	29	31	34	34	32	32	34	38	47	59	67	65	57	43	34	29
Thu	28	29	31	35	34	33	33	35	40	49	62	71	68	57	44	37	30
Fri	28	28	30	32	32	33	35	39	45	53	61	64	59	50	42	36	30
Sat	28	28	28	29	29	31	34	37	39	41	42	43	43	40	36	33	29
Sun	28	28	28	28	28	29	31	32	34	35	35	35	35	35	33	32	29

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	28	28	30	33	32	31	32	33	35	41	49	54	53	46	35	30	28
Tue	28	29	31	35	34	32	32	33	37	45	57	66	66	56	41	32	29
Wed	28	29	31	34	34	32	32	34	38	47	59	67	65	57	43	34	29
Thu	28	29	31	35	34	33	33	35	40	49	62	71	68	57	44	37	30
Fri	28	28	30	32	32	33	35	39	45	53	61	64	59	50	42	36	30
Sat	28	28	28	29	29	31	34	37	39	41	42	43	43	40	36	33	29
Sun	28	28	28	28	28	29	31	32	34	35	35	35	35	35	33	32	29

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	28	28	30	33	32	31	32	33	35	41	49	54	53	46	35	30	28
Tue	28	29	31	35	34	32	32	33	37	45	57	66	66	56	41	32	29
Wed	28	29	31	34	34	32	32	34	38	47	59	67	65	57	43	34	29
Thu	28	29	31	35	34	33	33	35	40	49	62	71	68	57	44	37	30
Fri	28	28	30	32	32	33	35	39	45	53	61	64	59	50	42	36	30
Sat	28	28	28	29	29	31	34	37	39	41	42	43	43	40	36	33	29
Sun	28	28	28	28	28	29	31	32	34	35	35	35	35	35	33	32	29