Best Time to Drive from Santa Monica to Whittier

Right now (10:18 am PDT): about 51 minutes via I-10 East and I-5 South, usually 53 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.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from Santa Monica to Whittier 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	42	49	48	38	44	60	52	62	78	101	112	102	93	52	37	33
Tue	33	36	60	55	40	43	49	55	60	79	105	115	112	101	65	44	33
Wed	33	35	67	60	42	37	46	54	60	89	102	107	107	97	73	47	34
Thu	32	36	59	56	40	46	57	67	76	92	109	116	115	104	65	44	37
Fri	33	34	60	67	58	51	59	66	84	99	111	113	114	96	60	49	37
Sat	33	33	34	42	47	46	60	60	67	75	74	69	62	54	48	50	38
Sun	33	33	33	33	35	47	48	63	63	73	64	63	56	50	51	48	38

About this drive

On weekdays the 30-mile drive from Santa Monica to Whittier (via I-10 East and I-5 South) usually takes as little as 32 minutes and up to 118 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 9 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 66 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2 pm on Saturdays (75 minutes).

About 23 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 7 miles surface streets (13 to 51 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 Whittier (Painter 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 Whittier?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 9 pm. The drive usually takes about 32 minutes then, versus up to 118 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 30-mile drive usually takes 32 to 118 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 66 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santa Monica to Whittier?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 118 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-10 East in Los Angeles (16 miles) · I-5 South in Los Angeles (7 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Whittier 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	42	49	48	38	44	60	52	62	78	101	112	102	93	52	37	33
Tue	33	36	60	55	40	43	49	55	60	79	105	115	112	101	65	44	33
Wed	33	35	67	60	42	37	46	54	60	89	102	107	107	97	73	47	34
Thu	32	36	59	56	40	46	57	67	76	92	109	116	115	104	65	44	37
Fri	33	34	60	67	58	51	59	66	84	99	111	113	114	96	60	49	37
Sat	33	33	34	42	47	46	60	60	67	75	74	69	62	54	48	50	38
Sun	33	33	33	33	35	47	48	63	63	73	64	63	56	50	51	48	38

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	36	42	49	48	38	44	60	52	62	78	101	112	102	93	52	37	33
Tue	33	36	60	55	40	43	49	55	60	79	105	115	112	101	65	44	33
Wed	33	35	67	60	42	37	46	54	60	89	102	107	107	97	73	47	34
Thu	32	36	59	56	40	46	57	67	76	92	109	116	115	104	65	44	37
Fri	33	34	60	67	58	51	59	66	84	99	111	113	114	96	60	49	37
Sat	33	33	34	42	47	46	60	60	67	75	74	69	62	54	48	50	38
Sun	33	33	33	33	35	47	48	63	63	73	64	63	56	50	51	48	38

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	36	42	49	48	38	44	60	52	62	78	101	112	102	93	52	37	33
Tue	33	36	60	55	40	43	49	55	60	79	105	115	112	101	65	44	33
Wed	33	35	67	60	42	37	46	54	60	89	102	107	107	97	73	47	34
Thu	32	36	59	56	40	46	57	67	76	92	109	116	115	104	65	44	37
Fri	33	34	60	67	58	51	59	66	84	99	111	113	114	96	60	49	37
Sat	33	33	34	42	47	46	60	60	67	75	74	69	62	54	48	50	38
Sun	33	33	33	33	35	47	48	63	63	73	64	63	56	50	51	48	38