Best Time to Drive from Sylmar to Palmdale

Right now (5:33 pm PDT): about 40 minutes via SR-14 North, usually 40 at this time.

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 Sylmar to Palmdale 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	39	39	39	38	40	42	44	47	44	49	44	46	46	45	44	41	40
Tue	38	39	39	39	40	40	40	41	41	42	42	45	47	50	45	44	41
Wed	38	38	38	38	39	40	40	40	42	42	42	44	43	44	43	42	38
Thu	39	39	40	42	41	42	42	44	44	43	47	53	53	48	48	44	40
Fri	39	39	39	39	40	44	46	47	48	48	48	49	50	49	50	46	41
Sat	39	39	38	39	40	41	46	49	44	46	43	41	42	40	40	41	39
Sun	39	38	38	38	39	40	44	48	55	57	57	50	41	39	39	40	40

About this drive

On weekdays the 41-mile drive from Sylmar to Palmdale (via SR-14 North) usually takes as little as 38 minutes and up to 53 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 10 am or after 9 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 44 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3 pm on Sundays (57 minutes).

About 34 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 7 miles surface streets (8 to 13 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Sylmar to central Palmdale 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 Sylmar to Palmdale?

On weekdays, leave before 10 am or after 9 pm. The drive usually takes about 38 minutes then, versus up to 53 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Sylmar to Palmdale?

The 41-mile drive usually takes 38 to 53 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 44 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Sylmar to Palmdale?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 53 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

SR-14 North in Los Angeles (26 miles) · I-210 West in Los Angeles (4 miles) · I-5 North in Los Angeles (3 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Palmdale to Sylmar (return trip) · Sylmar to Los Angeles · Sylmar to Long Beach · Sylmar to Anaheim · Sylmar to Riverside · Sylmar to Santa Ana · Sylmar to Irvine · Sylmar to San Bernardino · Sylmar to Fontana · Sylmar to Oxnard · Sylmar to Huntington Beach · Sylmar to Glendale

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	39	39	39	38	40	42	44	47	44	49	44	46	46	45	44	41	40
Tue	38	39	39	39	40	40	40	41	41	42	42	45	47	50	45	44	41
Wed	38	38	38	38	39	40	40	40	42	42	42	44	43	44	43	42	38
Thu	39	39	40	42	41	42	42	44	44	43	47	53	53	48	48	44	40
Fri	39	39	39	39	40	44	46	47	48	48	48	49	50	49	50	46	41
Sat	39	39	38	39	40	41	46	49	44	46	43	41	42	40	40	41	39
Sun	39	38	38	38	39	40	44	48	55	57	57	50	41	39	39	40	40

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	39	39	39	38	40	42	44	47	44	49	44	46	46	45	44	41	40
Tue	38	39	39	39	40	40	40	41	41	42	42	45	47	50	45	44	41
Wed	38	38	38	38	39	40	40	40	42	42	42	44	43	44	43	42	38
Thu	39	39	40	42	41	42	42	44	44	43	47	53	53	48	48	44	40
Fri	39	39	39	39	40	44	46	47	48	48	48	49	50	49	50	46	41
Sat	39	39	38	39	40	41	46	49	44	46	43	41	42	40	40	41	39
Sun	39	38	38	38	39	40	44	48	55	57	57	50	41	39	39	40	40

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	39	39	39	38	40	42	44	47	44	49	44	46	46	45	44	41	40
Tue	38	39	39	39	40	40	40	41	41	42	42	45	47	50	45	44	41
Wed	38	38	38	38	39	40	40	40	42	42	42	44	43	44	43	42	38
Thu	39	39	40	42	41	42	42	44	44	43	47	53	53	48	48	44	40
Fri	39	39	39	39	40	44	46	47	48	48	48	49	50	49	50	46	41
Sat	39	39	38	39	40	41	46	49	44	46	43	41	42	40	40	41	39
Sun	39	38	38	38	39	40	44	48	55	57	57	50	41	39	39	40	40