Best Time to Drive from Santa Monica to Westminster

Right now (5:34 pm PDT): about 80 minutes via I-405 South, usually 73 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 Westminster 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	36	37	39	41	41	40	40	41	44	51	60	65	64	55	43	39	36
Tue	36	37	42	44	43	40	40	42	46	56	70	79	77	66	49	41	37
Wed	36	37	41	43	43	41	41	43	47	57	71	80	77	67	52	43	37
Thu	36	37	41	43	43	41	42	44	49	60	74	84	79	68	54	45	38
Fri	36	37	38	40	41	41	44	48	55	65	74	77	71	62	51	45	38
Sat	36	36	36	37	38	41	43	47	49	51	53	54	53	49	45	41	37
Sun	36	36	36	36	37	38	40	41	43	44	44	44	44	44	42	41	37

About this drive

On weekdays the 40-mile drive from Santa Monica to Westminster (via I-405 South) usually takes as little as 36 minutes and up to 84 minutes, when leaving around 4 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 47 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4 pm on Saturdays (54 minutes).

About 38 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 2 miles surface streets (3 to 4 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 Westminster 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 Westminster?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 9 pm. The drive usually takes about 36 minutes then, versus up to 84 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 40-mile drive usually takes 36 to 84 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 47 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santa Monica to Westminster?

Leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 84 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-405 South in Los Angeles (27 miles) · I-405 South in Orange County (7 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

Westminster 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	36	37	39	41	41	40	40	41	44	51	60	65	64	55	43	39	36
Tue	36	37	42	44	43	40	40	42	46	56	70	79	77	66	49	41	37
Wed	36	37	41	43	43	41	41	43	47	57	71	80	77	67	52	43	37
Thu	36	37	41	43	43	41	42	44	49	60	74	84	79	68	54	45	38
Fri	36	37	38	40	41	41	44	48	55	65	74	77	71	62	51	45	38
Sat	36	36	36	37	38	41	43	47	49	51	53	54	53	49	45	41	37
Sun	36	36	36	36	37	38	40	41	43	44	44	44	44	44	42	41	37

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	36	37	39	41	41	40	40	41	44	51	60	65	64	55	43	39	36
Tue	36	37	42	44	43	40	40	42	46	56	70	79	77	66	49	41	37
Wed	36	37	41	43	43	41	41	43	47	57	71	80	77	67	52	43	37
Thu	36	37	41	43	43	41	42	44	49	60	74	84	79	68	54	45	38
Fri	36	37	38	40	41	41	44	48	55	65	74	77	71	62	51	45	38
Sat	36	36	36	37	38	41	43	47	49	51	53	54	53	49	45	41	37
Sun	36	36	36	36	37	38	40	41	43	44	44	44	44	44	42	41	37

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	36	37	39	41	41	40	40	41	44	51	60	65	64	55	43	39	36
Tue	36	37	42	44	43	40	40	42	46	56	70	79	77	66	49	41	37
Wed	36	37	41	43	43	41	41	43	47	57	71	80	77	67	52	43	37
Thu	36	37	41	43	43	41	42	44	49	60	74	84	79	68	54	45	38
Fri	36	37	38	40	41	41	44	48	55	65	74	77	71	62	51	45	38
Sat	36	36	36	37	38	41	43	47	49	51	53	54	53	49	45	41	37
Sun	36	36	36	36	37	38	40	41	43	44	44	44	44	44	42	41	37