Best Time to Drive from Van Nuys to Whittier

Right now (6:34 am PDT): about 64 minutes via US-101 South and I-5 South, usually 68 at this time.

Only 6% 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 Whittier 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	40	52	73	76	68	60	57	57	60	69	84	91	86	65	47	42	40
Tue	39	56	78	81	74	66	59	59	62	74	88	97	93	73	52	44	40
Wed	39	54	77	80	74	66	60	60	63	77	91	98	95	75	55	45	40
Thu	39	54	78	79	74	67	62	62	66	79	94	103	97	76	56	46	41
Fri	39	49	67	71	65	63	64	68	75	88	100	99	93	77	60	49	42
Sat	40	40	41	44	49	54	59	64	68	69	70	69	66	59	51	47	41
Sun	40	40	40	40	42	47	51	54	57	59	58	55	52	50	48	48	42

About this drive

On weekdays the 33-mile drive from Van Nuys to Whittier (via US-101 South and I-5 South) usually takes as little as 39 minutes and up to 103 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 8:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 65 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3 pm on Saturdays (70 minutes).

About 22 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 10 miles surface streets (20 to 44 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 central Whittier (Painter Avenue) 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 Whittier?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 39 minutes then, versus up to 103 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 33-mile drive usually takes 39 to 103 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 65 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Van Nuys to Whittier?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 103 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

US-101 South in Los Angeles (13 miles) · I-5 South in Los Angeles (7 miles) · SR-170 South in Los Angeles (3 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Whittier 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	40	52	73	76	68	60	57	57	60	69	84	91	86	65	47	42	40
Tue	39	56	78	81	74	66	59	59	62	74	88	97	93	73	52	44	40
Wed	39	54	77	80	74	66	60	60	63	77	91	98	95	75	55	45	40
Thu	39	54	78	79	74	67	62	62	66	79	94	103	97	76	56	46	41
Fri	39	49	67	71	65	63	64	68	75	88	100	99	93	77	60	49	42
Sat	40	40	41	44	49	54	59	64	68	69	70	69	66	59	51	47	41
Sun	40	40	40	40	42	47	51	54	57	59	58	55	52	50	48	48	42

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	40	52	73	76	68	60	57	57	60	69	84	91	86	65	47	42	40
Tue	39	56	78	81	74	66	59	59	62	74	88	97	93	73	52	44	40
Wed	39	54	77	80	74	66	60	60	63	77	91	98	95	75	55	45	40
Thu	39	54	78	79	74	67	62	62	66	79	94	103	97	76	56	46	41
Fri	39	49	67	71	65	63	64	68	75	88	100	99	93	77	60	49	42
Sat	40	40	41	44	49	54	59	64	68	69	70	69	66	59	51	47	41
Sun	40	40	40	40	42	47	51	54	57	59	58	55	52	50	48	48	42

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	40	52	73	76	68	60	57	57	60	69	84	91	86	65	47	42	40
Tue	39	56	78	81	74	66	59	59	62	74	88	97	93	73	52	44	40
Wed	39	54	77	80	74	66	60	60	63	77	91	98	95	75	55	45	40
Thu	39	54	78	79	74	67	62	62	66	79	94	103	97	76	56	46	41
Fri	39	49	67	71	65	63	64	68	75	88	100	99	93	77	60	49	42
Sat	40	40	41	44	49	54	59	64	68	69	70	69	66	59	51	47	41
Sun	40	40	40	40	42	47	51	54	57	59	58	55	52	50	48	48	42