Best Time to Drive from SNA to El Monte

Right now (12:20 am PST): about 35 minutes via I-5 North and I-605 North.

Only 3% 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 SNA to El Monte 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	34	37	42	47	45	42	43	43	45	55	62	68	67	59	43	38	35
Tue	34	38	45	52	47	44	44	45	47	56	63	70	74	66	52	39	36
Wed	34	37	44	49	46	43	43	45	48	55	65	71	74	66	50	40	36
Thu	34	38	44	49	44	44	44	45	48	55	62	69	71	61	49	40	36
Fri	34	37	42	43	42	43	45	47	52	59	67	67	66	59	47	40	36
Sat	35	36	36	37	37	39	40	40	41	43	45	46	46	44	40	39	36
Sun	35	36	35	36	36	37	38	39	39	40	39	39	40	40	40	39	36

About this drive

On weekdays the 38-mile drive from SNA to El Monte (via I-5 North and I-605 North) usually takes as little as 34 minutes and up to 74 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 8:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 48 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4:30 pm on Saturdays (47 minutes).

About 35 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 3 miles surface streets (4 to 8 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from John Wayne Airport, Orange County (SNA) (Paularino Avenue) to central El Monte (Valley Boulevard) 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 SNA to El Monte?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 34 minutes then, versus up to 74 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from SNA to El Monte?

The 38-mile drive usually takes 34 to 74 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 48 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from SNA to El Monte?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 74 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 North in Orange County (21 miles) · I-605 North in Los Angeles (8 miles) · SR-55 North in Orange County (5 miles)

Orange County traffic right now · Orange County traffic tomorrow · Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

El Monte to SNA (return trip) · SNA to Los Angeles · SNA to Santa Monica · SNA to Pasadena · SNA to Long Beach · SNA to West Covina · SNA to Burbank · SNA to Glendale · SNA to Santa Clarita · SNA to Van Nuys · SNA to Torrance · SNA to LAX

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	34	37	42	47	45	42	43	43	45	55	62	68	67	59	43	38	35
Tue	34	38	45	52	47	44	44	45	47	56	63	70	74	66	52	39	36
Wed	34	37	44	49	46	43	43	45	48	55	65	71	74	66	50	40	36
Thu	34	38	44	49	44	44	44	45	48	55	62	69	71	61	49	40	36
Fri	34	37	42	43	42	43	45	47	52	59	67	67	66	59	47	40	36
Sat	35	36	36	37	37	39	40	40	41	43	45	46	46	44	40	39	36
Sun	35	36	35	36	36	37	38	39	39	40	39	39	40	40	40	39	36

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	34	37	42	47	45	42	43	43	45	55	62	68	67	59	43	38	35
Tue	34	38	45	52	47	44	44	45	47	56	63	70	74	66	52	39	36
Wed	34	37	44	49	46	43	43	45	48	55	65	71	74	66	50	40	36
Thu	34	38	44	49	44	44	44	45	48	55	62	69	71	61	49	40	36
Fri	34	37	42	43	42	43	45	47	52	59	67	67	66	59	47	40	36
Sat	35	36	36	37	37	39	40	40	41	43	45	46	46	44	40	39	36
Sun	35	36	35	36	36	37	38	39	39	40	39	39	40	40	40	39	36

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	34	37	42	47	45	42	43	43	45	55	62	68	67	59	43	38	35
Tue	34	38	45	52	47	44	44	45	47	56	63	70	74	66	52	39	36
Wed	34	37	44	49	46	43	43	45	48	55	65	71	74	66	50	40	36
Thu	34	38	44	49	44	44	44	45	48	55	62	69	71	61	49	40	36
Fri	34	37	42	43	42	43	45	47	52	59	67	67	66	59	47	40	36
Sat	35	36	36	37	37	39	40	40	41	43	45	46	46	44	40	39	36
Sun	35	36	35	36	36	37	38	39	39	40	39	39	40	40	40	39	36