Best Time to Drive from Santa Monica to Van Nuys

Right now (10:18 am PDT): about 20 minutes via I-405 North and I-10 East, usually 19 at this time.

Only 4% 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 17-mile drive from Santa Monica to Van Nuys (via I-405 North and I-10 East) usually takes as little as 17 minutes and up to 70 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 11:30 am or after 8:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 22 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4 pm on Saturdays (21 minutes).

About 15 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 2 miles surface streets (4 to 16 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 Van Nuys (Haynes Street) 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 Van Nuys?

On weekdays, leave before 11:30 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 17 minutes then, versus up to 70 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Santa Monica to Van Nuys?

The 17-mile drive usually takes 17 to 70 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 22 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santa Monica to Van Nuys?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 70 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-405 North in Los Angeles (12 miles) · I-10 East in Los Angeles (3 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Van Nuys 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 Torrance · Santa Monica to Culver City · Santa Monica to El Monte · Santa Monica to Downey

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