Best Time to Drive to LA?
By an edhat reader
Hello! I'm new to southern California and I'm curious what the traffic would be like for me to drive to Los Angeles tomorrow morning when I need to arrive by 10:00 a.m.? Is it better to leave earlier or wait until some of the morning commutes dies down? Thanks for all your help!
16 Comments
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Feb 21, 2018 02:17 PMIf you're going to LAX, use the SB Airbus. I don't know how they do it, but their trips vary btw 2 and 3 hours depending on time of day. Otherwise, take your chances at 0300 with the semis. At most of them have passed fairly rigorous testing, so they know what they're doing--assuming they're awake.
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Feb 21, 2018 09:42 AMMaybe leave the night before and get a motel room.
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Feb 21, 2018 07:47 PMMaybe someone with a vendetta downvotes a simple, valid suggestion? sheesh... smh.
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Feb 21, 2018 02:20 PMI’m not sure who would down vote you down twice that’s a great suggestion flicka. I do that a lot and it totally saves time and hassle!
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Feb 21, 2018 07:59 AMLeave by 630 or 645. Almost everyone in LA is using Waze, not much of an aid if all are taking the same “shortcuts “.
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Feb 21, 2018 07:04 AMUse the Waze App
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Feb 20, 2018 10:17 PMLeave at 6am
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Feb 20, 2018 10:02 PMYesterday.
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Feb 20, 2018 09:08 PMCheck the traffic when you are in Oxnard and head over to the PCH if it is a mess over near the 405. I would leave by 7AM.
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Feb 20, 2018 08:23 PMThe key is that the worst of rush hour is between 7:30am and 9:15am. After that it's just the usual thick mess but at least the worker bees are in their hives. If you leave tonight though it would only take you 1 & 1/2 hours to get to the airport from here.
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Feb 20, 2018 07:54 PMOP here - Near LAX, right off the 405. Thanks for all the suggestions!
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Feb 20, 2018 08:07 PMgosh thats an ugly link
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Feb 20, 2018 08:07 PMhttps://www.google.com/maps/dir/Santa+Barbara,+CA/Los+Angeles+International+Airport+(LAX),+1+World+Way,+Los+Angeles,+CA+90045/@34.1810222,-119.6043459,9z/am=t/data=!4m17!4m16!1m5!1m1!1s0x80e914c76f2d83d5:0xc8d13a64d7ba7648!2m2!1d-119.6981901!2d34.4208305!1m5!1m1!1s0x80c2b0d213b24fb5:0x77a87b57698badf1!2m2!1d-118.40853!2d33.9415889!2m3!6e1!7e2!8j1519207200?hl=en
I did the arrive by 10am and it says to leave by 6:40. I'd say 6 is a *safe* bet
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Feb 20, 2018 08:01 PMLeave before 5 and cutting over to Hwy 1 at Rice Ave in Oxnard or Lost Hills to Las Virgenes farther south can often get you there faster and more relaxing. You can also use google maps directions in a browser (not the app as far as I can tell) and change it from "Leave now" to "Arrive by" to give you an average duration and suggested start time.
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Feb 20, 2018 07:49 PML.A. traffic lasts all day long.
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Feb 20, 2018 07:44 PMWhere in LA is pretty important. I would leave by or before 5 and get there early. If you leave later, you just spend more time in traffic wishing you left sooner.