Best Time to Drive from Santa Monica to Palmdale

Right now (7:09 pm PDT): about 74 minutes via SR-14 North and I-405 North, usually 78 at this time.

Only 18% 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 Palmdale 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	58	57	57	57	60	62	63	65	68	78	92	103	105	90	70	63	59
Tue	57	58	58	58	59	60	61	61	63	70	89	104	112	92	74	65	60
Wed	58	56	57	58	59	59	61	61	64	68	87	96	104	92	78	63	58
Thu	59	59	59	62	62	63	63	67	69	74	93	110	109	93	78	66	59
Fri	58	59	58	59	60	68	67	70	74	81	92	103	105	89	75	67	59
Sat	58	58	57	58	59	62	68	70	64	67	64	64	62	60	59	61	57
Sun	57	56	56	57	57	60	68	73	81	80	81	68	60	61	59	60	58

About this drive

On weekdays the 60-mile drive from Santa Monica to Palmdale (via SR-14 North and I-405 North) usually takes as little as 56 minutes and up to 113 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 10 am or after 8:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 67 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2:30 pm on Sundays (82 minutes).

About 51 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 9 miles surface streets (12 to 21 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 Palmdale 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 Palmdale?

On weekdays, leave before 10 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 56 minutes then, versus up to 113 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 60-mile drive usually takes 56 to 113 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 67 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santa Monica to Palmdale?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 113 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

SR-14 North in Los Angeles (27 miles) · I-405 North in Los Angeles (19 miles) · I-5 North in Los Angeles (5 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Palmdale 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	58	57	57	57	60	62	63	65	68	78	92	103	105	90	70	63	59
Tue	57	58	58	58	59	60	61	61	63	70	89	104	112	92	74	65	60
Wed	58	56	57	58	59	59	61	61	64	68	87	96	104	92	78	63	58
Thu	59	59	59	62	62	63	63	67	69	74	93	110	109	93	78	66	59
Fri	58	59	58	59	60	68	67	70	74	81	92	103	105	89	75	67	59
Sat	58	58	57	58	59	62	68	70	64	67	64	64	62	60	59	61	57
Sun	57	56	56	57	57	60	68	73	81	80	81	68	60	61	59	60	58

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	58	57	57	57	60	62	63	65	68	78	92	103	105	90	70	63	59
Tue	57	58	58	58	59	60	61	61	63	70	89	104	112	92	74	65	60
Wed	58	56	57	58	59	59	61	61	64	68	87	96	104	92	78	63	58
Thu	59	59	59	62	62	63	63	67	69	74	93	110	109	93	78	66	59
Fri	58	59	58	59	60	68	67	70	74	81	92	103	105	89	75	67	59
Sat	58	58	57	58	59	62	68	70	64	67	64	64	62	60	59	61	57
Sun	57	56	56	57	57	60	68	73	81	80	81	68	60	61	59	60	58

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	58	57	57	57	60	62	63	65	68	78	92	103	105	90	70	63	59
Tue	57	58	58	58	59	60	61	61	63	70	89	104	112	92	74	65	60
Wed	58	56	57	58	59	59	61	61	64	68	87	96	104	92	78	63	58
Thu	59	59	59	62	62	63	63	67	69	74	93	110	109	93	78	66	59
Fri	58	59	58	59	60	68	67	70	74	81	92	103	105	89	75	67	59
Sat	58	58	57	58	59	62	68	70	64	67	64	64	62	60	59	61	57
Sun	57	56	56	57	57	60	68	73	81	80	81	68	60	61	59	60	58