Best Time to Drive from Van Nuys to Carson

Right now (5:48 pm PDT): about 56 minutes via I-405 South, usually 51 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 Van Nuys to Carson 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	29	34	47	51	46	38	36	37	39	43	50	54	53	46	36	32	30
Tue	29	34	47	53	49	41	38	38	41	47	57	65	65	54	40	33	30
Wed	29	34	47	53	49	43	39	39	42	49	59	66	64	55	42	35	30
Thu	29	34	48	52	49	43	40	41	44	51	62	68	65	56	44	37	31
Fri	29	33	43	47	42	40	40	44	49	57	63	63	58	51	43	37	31
Sat	29	30	30	31	32	35	39	42	44	46	47	46	44	41	37	33	30
Sun	29	29	30	30	30	32	34	36	38	40	40	38	37	36	34	33	31

About this drive

On weekdays the 32-mile drive from Van Nuys to Carson (via I-405 South) usually takes as little as 29 minutes and up to 68 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 9 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 42 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2:30 pm on Saturdays (47 minutes).

About 30 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 2 miles surface streets (3 to 7 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Van Nuys to central Carson 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 Van Nuys to Carson?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 9 pm. The drive usually takes about 29 minutes then, versus up to 68 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Van Nuys to Carson?

The 32-mile drive usually takes 29 to 68 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 42 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Van Nuys to Carson?

Leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 68 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-405 South in Los Angeles (30 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

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

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	29	34	47	51	46	38	36	37	39	43	50	54	53	46	36	32	30
Tue	29	34	47	53	49	41	38	38	41	47	57	65	65	54	40	33	30
Wed	29	34	47	53	49	43	39	39	42	49	59	66	64	55	42	35	30
Thu	29	34	48	52	49	43	40	41	44	51	62	68	65	56	44	37	31
Fri	29	33	43	47	42	40	40	44	49	57	63	63	58	51	43	37	31
Sat	29	30	30	31	32	35	39	42	44	46	47	46	44	41	37	33	30
Sun	29	29	30	30	30	32	34	36	38	40	40	38	37	36	34	33	31

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	29	34	47	51	46	38	36	37	39	43	50	54	53	46	36	32	30
Tue	29	34	47	53	49	41	38	38	41	47	57	65	65	54	40	33	30
Wed	29	34	47	53	49	43	39	39	42	49	59	66	64	55	42	35	30
Thu	29	34	48	52	49	43	40	41	44	51	62	68	65	56	44	37	31
Fri	29	33	43	47	42	40	40	44	49	57	63	63	58	51	43	37	31
Sat	29	30	30	31	32	35	39	42	44	46	47	46	44	41	37	33	30
Sun	29	29	30	30	30	32	34	36	38	40	40	38	37	36	34	33	31

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	29	34	47	51	46	38	36	37	39	43	50	54	53	46	36	32	30
Tue	29	34	47	53	49	41	38	38	41	47	57	65	65	54	40	33	30
Wed	29	34	47	53	49	43	39	39	42	49	59	66	64	55	42	35	30
Thu	29	34	48	52	49	43	40	41	44	51	62	68	65	56	44	37	31
Fri	29	33	43	47	42	40	40	44	49	57	63	63	58	51	43	37	31
Sat	29	30	30	31	32	35	39	42	44	46	47	46	44	41	37	33	30
Sun	29	29	30	30	30	32	34	36	38	40	40	38	37	36	34	33	31