Traffic Predict
Best Time to Drive from Van Nuys to Santa Monica
Right now (10:18 am PDT): about 25 minutes via I-405 South and I-10 West, usually 25 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
| Leave | 5am | 6am | 7am | 8am | 9am | 10am | 11am | 12pm | 1pm | 2pm | 3pm | 4pm | 5pm | 6pm | 7pm | 8pm | 9pm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon | 17 | 20 | 28 | 31 | 29 | 24 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 24 | 27 | 27 | 24 | 20 | 18 | 17 |
| Tue | 17 | 20 | 28 | 32 | 31 | 27 | 24 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 26 | 28 | 28 | 25 | 20 | 18 | 17 |
| Wed | 17 | 20 | 28 | 32 | 31 | 28 | 25 | 23 | 22 | 23 | 27 | 29 | 28 | 26 | 21 | 18 | 17 |
| Thu | 17 | 20 | 28 | 32 | 30 | 27 | 25 | 24 | 23 | 24 | 28 | 31 | 30 | 26 | 21 | 18 | 17 |
| Fri | 17 | 20 | 27 | 30 | 27 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 32 | 33 | 31 | 27 | 22 | 19 | 17 |
| Sat | 17 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 21 | 24 | 26 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 24 | 22 | 20 | 19 | 18 |
| Sun | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 21 | 23 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 24 | 23 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 18 |
About this drive
On weekdays the 16-mile drive from Van Nuys to Santa Monica (via I-405 South and I-10 West) usually takes as little as 17 minutes and up to 33 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 23 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1:30 pm on Saturdays (28 minutes).
About 14 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 3 miles surface streets (5 to 12 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Van Nuys (Haynes 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 Van Nuys to Santa Monica?
On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 17 minutes then, versus up to 33 minutes at the worst times.
How long does it take to drive from Van Nuys to Santa Monica?
The 16-mile drive usually takes 17 to 33 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 23 minutes midday.
When is traffic worst from Van Nuys to Santa Monica?
Leaving around 4 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 33 minutes.
Freeways on this drive
I-405 South in Los Angeles (11 miles) · I-10 West in Los Angeles (3 miles)
Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow
More drives
Santa Monica to Van Nuys (return trip) · Van Nuys to Los Angeles · 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 · Van Nuys to Downey