Best Time to Drive from SNA to Long Beach

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.

On weekdays the 22-mile drive from SNA to Long Beach (via I-405 North) usually takes as little as 28 minutes and up to 50 minutes, when leaving around 5 pm on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7 am or after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 32 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4 pm on Saturdays (40 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: Long Beach to SNA

Freeway, about 14 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 8 miles: 16 to 24 minutes on weekdays, estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time (we don't have street sensors yet). Drive times are measured from John Wayne Airport, Orange County (SNA) (Paularino Avenue) to downtown Long Beach (Pacific Avenue) along the route shown. Starting or ending elsewhere in a big city can add or save several minutes.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from SNA to Long Beach 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	28	29	31	32	31	30	30	30	31	32	35	38	39	37	32	30	29
Tue	28	30	33	34	33	31	31	31	31	32	36	42	46	42	34	30	29
Wed	28	29	33	34	33	31	31	31	32	33	38	44	50	46	37	32	29
Thu	28	29	32	33	33	31	31	31	31	34	38	44	47	43	35	31	29
Fri	28	29	30	31	31	31	31	32	34	38	42	47	49	45	36	31	29
Sat	28	28	28	29	29	31	33	35	36	37	38	40	40	38	33	31	29
Sun	28	28	28	28	29	29	30	31	32	32	32	32	32	32	31	30	29

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 Long Beach?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 28 minutes then, versus up to 50 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from SNA to Long Beach?

The 22-mile drive usually takes 28 to 50 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 32 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from SNA to Long Beach?

Leaving around 5 pm on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 50 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

Freeways on this drive

I-405 North in Orange County (13 miles)

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

More drives

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

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	28	29	31	32	31	30	30	30	31	32	35	38	39	37	32	30	29
Tue	28	30	33	34	33	31	31	31	31	32	36	42	46	42	34	30	29
Wed	28	29	33	34	33	31	31	31	32	33	38	44	50	46	37	32	29
Thu	28	29	32	33	33	31	31	31	31	34	38	44	47	43	35	31	29
Fri	28	29	30	31	31	31	31	32	34	38	42	47	49	45	36	31	29
Sat	28	28	28	29	29	31	33	35	36	37	38	40	40	38	33	31	29
Sun	28	28	28	28	29	29	30	31	32	32	32	32	32	32	31	30	29

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	28	29	31	32	31	30	30	30	31	32	35	38	39	37	32	30	29
Tue	28	30	33	34	33	31	31	31	31	32	36	42	46	42	34	30	29
Wed	28	29	33	34	33	31	31	31	32	33	38	44	50	46	37	32	29
Thu	28	29	32	33	33	31	31	31	31	34	38	44	47	43	35	31	29
Fri	28	29	30	31	31	31	31	32	34	38	42	47	49	45	36	31	29
Sat	28	28	28	29	29	31	33	35	36	37	38	40	40	38	33	31	29
Sun	28	28	28	28	29	29	30	31	32	32	32	32	32	32	31	30	29

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	28	29	31	32	31	30	30	30	31	32	35	38	39	37	32	30	29
Tue	28	30	33	34	33	31	31	31	31	32	36	42	46	42	34	30	29
Wed	28	29	33	34	33	31	31	31	32	33	38	44	50	46	37	32	29
Thu	28	29	32	33	33	31	31	31	31	34	38	44	47	43	35	31	29
Fri	28	29	30	31	31	31	31	32	34	38	42	47	49	45	36	31	29
Sat	28	28	28	29	29	31	33	35	36	37	38	40	40	38	33	31	29
Sun	28	28	28	28	29	29	30	31	32	32	32	32	32	32	31	30	29