Best Time to Drive from SNA to Pasadena

Right now (12:48 am PDT): about 45 minutes via I-5 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 Pasadena 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	44	47	50	53	52	49	50	50	50	59	69	71	72	63	48	46	44
Tue	44	47	53	60	53	52	50	51	54	61	71	75	73	68	53	46	45
Wed	44	46	51	55	53	52	50	51	56	62	69	77	80	73	58	49	45
Thu	44	46	50	55	52	51	50	50	52	61	71	79	77	65	61	49	46
Fri	44	47	47	49	50	50	51	54	58	65	75	75	78	65	53	47	44
Sat	44	45	45	46	47	48	49	49	50	56	54	54	54	51	48	48	45
Sun	44	45	45	45	46	47	49	49	49	50	49	50	49	49	49	49	45

About this drive

On weekdays the 44-mile drive from SNA to Pasadena (via I-5 North) usually takes as little as 44 minutes and up to 80 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 7 am or after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 54 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4:30 pm on Saturdays (58 minutes).

About 36 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 7 miles surface streets (12 to 27 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 Old Pasadena (East Holly 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 SNA to Pasadena?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 44 minutes then, versus up to 80 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from SNA to Pasadena?

The 44-mile drive usually takes 44 to 80 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 54 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from SNA to Pasadena?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 80 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 North in Orange County (22 miles) · I-5 North in Los Angeles (6 miles) · SR-55 North in Orange County (5 miles) · I-710 North in Los Angeles (3 miles)

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

More drives

Pasadena to SNA (return trip) · SNA to Los Angeles · SNA to Santa Monica · 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 · 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	44	47	50	53	52	49	50	50	50	59	69	71	72	63	48	46	44
Tue	44	47	53	60	53	52	50	51	54	61	71	75	73	68	53	46	45
Wed	44	46	51	55	53	52	50	51	56	62	69	77	80	73	58	49	45
Thu	44	46	50	55	52	51	50	50	52	61	71	79	77	65	61	49	46
Fri	44	47	47	49	50	50	51	54	58	65	75	75	78	65	53	47	44
Sat	44	45	45	46	47	48	49	49	50	56	54	54	54	51	48	48	45
Sun	44	45	45	45	46	47	49	49	49	50	49	50	49	49	49	49	45

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	44	47	50	53	52	49	50	50	50	59	69	71	72	63	48	46	44
Tue	44	47	53	60	53	52	50	51	54	61	71	75	73	68	53	46	45
Wed	44	46	51	55	53	52	50	51	56	62	69	77	80	73	58	49	45
Thu	44	46	50	55	52	51	50	50	52	61	71	79	77	65	61	49	46
Fri	44	47	47	49	50	50	51	54	58	65	75	75	78	65	53	47	44
Sat	44	45	45	46	47	48	49	49	50	56	54	54	54	51	48	48	45
Sun	44	45	45	45	46	47	49	49	49	50	49	50	49	49	49	49	45

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	44	47	50	53	52	49	50	50	50	59	69	71	72	63	48	46	44
Tue	44	47	53	60	53	52	50	51	54	61	71	75	73	68	53	46	45
Wed	44	46	51	55	53	52	50	51	56	62	69	77	80	73	58	49	45
Thu	44	46	50	55	52	51	50	50	52	61	71	79	77	65	61	49	46
Fri	44	47	47	49	50	50	51	54	58	65	75	75	78	65	53	47	44
Sat	44	45	45	46	47	48	49	49	50	56	54	54	54	51	48	48	45
Sun	44	45	45	45	46	47	49	49	49	50	49	50	49	49	49	49	45