Best Time to Drive from Van Nuys to Placentia

Right now (3:20 pm PST): about 62 minutes via I-5 South and US-101 South, usually 61 at this time.

Only 4% 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 Placentia 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	43	48	55	56	51	50	52	53	57	58	73	82	78	68	53	46	43
Tue	42	47	61	62	52	51	52	52	55	63	79	87	85	73	60	49	42
Wed	41	46	60	61	53	50	52	52	53	59	66	73	70	63	56	48	43
Thu	41	46	60	61	53	53	55	56	60	64	81	90	86	73	56	49	44
Fri	42	45	54	56	53	52	52	56	62	73	88	83	85	72	58	51	44
Sat	43	43	45	46	49	50	53	54	57	59	63	61	62	54	51	50	45
Sun	42	42	42	43	45	48	50	54	55	56	55	55	54	52	53	52	45

About this drive

On weekdays the 46-mile drive from Van Nuys to Placentia (via I-5 South and US-101 South) usually takes as little as 41 minutes and up to 90 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 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 56 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3 pm on Saturdays (63 minutes).

About 43 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 3 miles surface streets (5 to 9 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 Placentia 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 Placentia?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 9 pm. The drive usually takes about 41 minutes then, versus up to 90 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 46-mile drive usually takes 41 to 90 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 56 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Van Nuys to Placentia?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 90 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

US-101 South in Los Angeles (13 miles) · I-5 South in Los Angeles (13 miles) · SR-91 East in Orange County (6 miles) · I-5 South in Orange County (6 miles) · SR-170 South in Los Angeles (3 miles) · SR-57 North in Orange County (1.5 miles)

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

More drives

Placentia 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	43	48	55	56	51	50	52	53	57	58	73	82	78	68	53	46	43
Tue	42	47	61	62	52	51	52	52	55	63	79	87	85	73	60	49	42
Wed	41	46	60	61	53	50	52	52	53	59	66	73	70	63	56	48	43
Thu	41	46	60	61	53	53	55	56	60	64	81	90	86	73	56	49	44
Fri	42	45	54	56	53	52	52	56	62	73	88	83	85	72	58	51	44
Sat	43	43	45	46	49	50	53	54	57	59	63	61	62	54	51	50	45
Sun	42	42	42	43	45	48	50	54	55	56	55	55	54	52	53	52	45

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	43	48	55	56	51	50	52	53	57	58	73	82	78	68	53	46	43
Tue	42	47	61	62	52	51	52	52	55	63	79	87	85	73	60	49	42
Wed	41	46	60	61	53	50	52	52	53	59	66	73	70	63	56	48	43
Thu	41	46	60	61	53	53	55	56	60	64	81	90	86	73	56	49	44
Fri	42	45	54	56	53	52	52	56	62	73	88	83	85	72	58	51	44
Sat	43	43	45	46	49	50	53	54	57	59	63	61	62	54	51	50	45
Sun	42	42	42	43	45	48	50	54	55	56	55	55	54	52	53	52	45

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	43	48	55	56	51	50	52	53	57	58	73	82	78	68	53	46	43
Tue	42	47	61	62	52	51	52	52	55	63	79	87	85	73	60	49	42
Wed	41	46	60	61	53	50	52	52	53	59	66	73	70	63	56	48	43
Thu	41	46	60	61	53	53	55	56	60	64	81	90	86	73	56	49	44
Fri	42	45	54	56	53	52	52	56	62	73	88	83	85	72	58	51	44
Sat	43	43	45	46	49	50	53	54	57	59	63	61	62	54	51	50	45
Sun	42	42	42	43	45	48	50	54	55	56	55	55	54	52	53	52	45