Best Time to Drive from Torrance to Santa Monica

Right now (11:21 am PST): about 30 minutes via I-405 North and I-10 West, usually 40 at this time.

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.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from Torrance to Santa Monica 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	20	30	44	43	41	39	33	31	30	27	28	24	24	25	21	21	20
Tue	20	37	79	77	61	54	49	36	36	33	34	31	33	34	23	21	20
Wed	20	38	80	83	65	54	46	40	38	35	40	37	38	38	24	22	20
Thu	20	42	77	76	55	53	45	38	32	33	35	35	39	35	26	22	20
Fri	19	42	76	65	46	44	48	44	39	42	39	34	23	21	22	22	20
Sat	21	21	21	23	27	39	44	43	47	47	41	38	40	29	33	26	21
Sun	21	21	21	21	22	26	32	39	48	48	44	35	32	30	29	26	21

About this drive

On weekdays the 20-mile drive from Torrance to Santa Monica (via I-405 North and I-10 West) usually takes as little as 19 minutes and up to 85 minutes, when leaving around 7:30 am on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 8:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 38 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1:30 pm on Sundays (50 minutes).

About 16 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 4 miles surface streets (6 to 22 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Torrance (Opal Street) to downtown Santa Monica 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 Torrance to Santa Monica?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 19 minutes then, versus up to 85 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 20-mile drive usually takes 19 to 85 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 38 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Torrance to Santa Monica?

Leaving around 7:30 am on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 85 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-405 North in Los Angeles (13 miles) · I-10 West in Los Angeles (3 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Santa Monica to Torrance (return trip) · Torrance to Los Angeles · Torrance to Pasadena · Torrance to West Covina · Torrance to Burbank · Torrance to Glendale · Torrance to Santa Clarita · Torrance to Van Nuys · Torrance to Hollywood · Torrance to Culver City · Torrance to El Monte · Torrance to Downey

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	20	30	44	43	41	39	33	31	30	27	28	24	24	25	21	21	20
Tue	20	37	79	77	61	54	49	36	36	33	34	31	33	34	23	21	20
Wed	20	38	80	83	65	54	46	40	38	35	40	37	38	38	24	22	20
Thu	20	42	77	76	55	53	45	38	32	33	35	35	39	35	26	22	20
Fri	19	42	76	65	46	44	48	44	39	42	39	34	23	21	22	22	20
Sat	21	21	21	23	27	39	44	43	47	47	41	38	40	29	33	26	21
Sun	21	21	21	21	22	26	32	39	48	48	44	35	32	30	29	26	21

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	20	30	44	43	41	39	33	31	30	27	28	24	24	25	21	21	20
Tue	20	37	79	77	61	54	49	36	36	33	34	31	33	34	23	21	20
Wed	20	38	80	83	65	54	46	40	38	35	40	37	38	38	24	22	20
Thu	20	42	77	76	55	53	45	38	32	33	35	35	39	35	26	22	20
Fri	19	42	76	65	46	44	48	44	39	42	39	34	23	21	22	22	20
Sat	21	21	21	23	27	39	44	43	47	47	41	38	40	29	33	26	21
Sun	21	21	21	21	22	26	32	39	48	48	44	35	32	30	29	26	21

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	20	30	44	43	41	39	33	31	30	27	28	24	24	25	21	21	20
Tue	20	37	79	77	61	54	49	36	36	33	34	31	33	34	23	21	20
Wed	20	38	80	83	65	54	46	40	38	35	40	37	38	38	24	22	20
Thu	20	42	77	76	55	53	45	38	32	33	35	35	39	35	26	22	20
Fri	19	42	76	65	46	44	48	44	39	42	39	34	23	21	22	22	20
Sat	21	21	21	23	27	39	44	43	47	47	41	38	40	29	33	26	21
Sun	21	21	21	21	22	26	32	39	48	48	44	35	32	30	29	26	21