Best Time to Drive from Van Nuys to Costa Mesa

Right now (7:36 pm PST): about 69 minutes via I-405 South, usually 84 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 Van Nuys to Costa Mesa 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	55	55	57	62	64	62	63	66	81	88	106	108	106	90	65	58	54
Tue	55	55	57	74	83	68	66	94	138	187	217	209	168	126	86	67	55
Wed	55	56	57	75	77	65	66	84	148	222	224	208	177	135	96	73	56
Thu	54	56	57	69	76	65	69	94	135	192	180	169	154	135	110	80	57
Fri	55	56	57	66	63	63	72	132	158	152	129	127	133	118	99	78	57
Sat	55	56	56	57	59	62	69	79	83	96	92	90	81	72	69	67	56
Sun	55	56	56	56	58	60	62	66	70	72	71	72	72	67	65	63	56

About this drive

On weekdays the 61-mile drive from Van Nuys to Costa Mesa (via I-405 South) usually takes as little as 54 minutes and up to 224 minutes, when leaving around 3 pm on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7:30 am or after 9 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 114 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2:30 pm on Saturdays (97 minutes).

About 59 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 2 miles surface streets (3 to 5 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 Costa Mesa 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 Costa Mesa?

On weekdays, leave before 7:30 am or after 9 pm. The drive usually takes about 54 minutes then, versus up to 224 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Van Nuys to Costa Mesa?

The 61-mile drive usually takes 54 to 224 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 114 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Van Nuys to Costa Mesa?

Leaving around 3 pm on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 224 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-405 South in Los Angeles (39 miles) · I-405 South in Orange County (16 miles) · SR-55 South in Orange County (2 miles)

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

More drives

Costa Mesa 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	55	55	57	62	64	62	63	66	81	88	106	108	106	90	65	58	54
Tue	55	55	57	74	83	68	66	94	138	187	217	209	168	126	86	67	55
Wed	55	56	57	75	77	65	66	84	148	222	224	208	177	135	96	73	56
Thu	54	56	57	69	76	65	69	94	135	192	180	169	154	135	110	80	57
Fri	55	56	57	66	63	63	72	132	158	152	129	127	133	118	99	78	57
Sat	55	56	56	57	59	62	69	79	83	96	92	90	81	72	69	67	56
Sun	55	56	56	56	58	60	62	66	70	72	71	72	72	67	65	63	56

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	55	55	57	62	64	62	63	66	81	88	106	108	106	90	65	58	54
Tue	55	55	57	74	83	68	66	94	138	187	217	209	168	126	86	67	55
Wed	55	56	57	75	77	65	66	84	148	222	224	208	177	135	96	73	56
Thu	54	56	57	69	76	65	69	94	135	192	180	169	154	135	110	80	57
Fri	55	56	57	66	63	63	72	132	158	152	129	127	133	118	99	78	57
Sat	55	56	56	57	59	62	69	79	83	96	92	90	81	72	69	67	56
Sun	55	56	56	56	58	60	62	66	70	72	71	72	72	67	65	63	56

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	55	55	57	62	64	62	63	66	81	88	106	108	106	90	65	58	54
Tue	55	55	57	74	83	68	66	94	138	187	217	209	168	126	86	67	55
Wed	55	56	57	75	77	65	66	84	148	222	224	208	177	135	96	73	56
Thu	54	56	57	69	76	65	69	94	135	192	180	169	154	135	110	80	57
Fri	55	56	57	66	63	63	72	132	158	152	129	127	133	118	99	78	57
Sat	55	56	56	57	59	62	69	79	83	96	92	90	81	72	69	67	56
Sun	55	56	56	56	58	60	62	66	70	72	71	72	72	67	65	63	56