Origin
Los Angeles, CA
Night in Los Angeles on Thursday
Local time
9:13 PM
PDT
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Los Angeles, CA to Universal City, CA
Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026
Drive Time
18m
Distance
10.6 mi
17 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 17m
★
6 AM
0h 19m
8 AM
0h 22m
10 AM
0h 20m
12 PM
0h 20m
3 PM
0h 20m
5 PM
0h 22m
8 PM
0h 18m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Los Angeles, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Universal City, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Trip Overview
The drive from Los Angeles, CA to Universal City, CA covers 10.6 miles and takes about 18m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Hollywood Freeway, Santa Ana Freeway, North Broadway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 8.3 miles on Hollywood Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $2.44 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 18m. Total distance: 10.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
18m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (84%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 18m highway drive covering 10.6 miles, with most of the trip on Hollywood Freeway and Santa Ana Freeway. The longest continuous stretch is about 8.3 miles on Hollywood Freeway.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 12 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Hollywood Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 8.3 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Hollywood Freeway and Santa Ana Freeway. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 10.6 miles you will encounter 9 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9.9 miles (Lankershim Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 9 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the ramp toward US 101 North, CA 110
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 101 North, CA 110
8
9.7 mi into trip
|
~14m in
Take the exit toward Lankershim Boulevard, Universal City
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 12A
Toward Lankershim Boulevard, Universal City
6
9.9 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
Lankershim Boulevard
Turn right onto Lankershim Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
10.2 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
Kirk Douglas Drive
Turn right onto Kirk Douglas Drive
Navigation decision point
5
10.6 mi into trip
|
~18m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Hollywood Freeway | 8.3 mi | 11m |
| Santa Ana Freeway | 0.7 mi | <1m |
| North Broadway | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Kirk Douglas Drive | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| Lankershim Boulevard | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Main Street | 0.2 mi | 1m |
| West 1st Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Cylon Drive | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Hollywood Freeway
— 8.3 mi, about 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Los Angeles, CA and Universal City, CA.
1
Start on West 1st Street
0.1 mi
·
32 sec
·
West 1st Street
2
Turn right onto North Broadway
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
·
North Broadway
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Toward US 101 North, CA 110
4
Merge onto US 101
0.7 mi
·
55 sec
·
Santa Ana Freeway
5
Continue on US 101
8.3 mi
·
11 min
·
Hollywood Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Exit 12A
Toward Lankershim Boulevard, Universal City
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Turn right onto Lankershim Boulevard
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
Lankershim Boulevard
Use the right lane.
8
Turn right onto Main Street
0.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street
9
Turn right onto Kirk Douglas Drive
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Kirk Douglas Drive
10
Turn left onto Cylon Drive
525 ft
·
47 sec
·
Cylon Drive
11
Turn left
83 ft
·
9 sec
12
Arrive at destination
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.44 one way
$4.87 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $2.51 | $5.02 |
| premium | $6.18 | $2.58 | $5.16 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.34 | $4.68 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 3.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.2 | 0 | $1.11 | $0.51 |
| Efficient EV | 2.7 | 0 | $0.93 | $0.42 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4.2 | 0 | $1.48 | $0.68 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Universal City, CA
Night in Universal City on Thursday
Local time
9:13 PM
PDT
Current temp
55°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
1 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
18m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Los Angeles, CA to Universal City, CA covers 10.6 miles and takes about 18m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Hollywood Freeway, Santa Ana Freeway, North Broadway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 5.3 miles from Los Angeles, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $2.44 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 10.6 miles you will encounter 9 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9.9 miles (Lankershim Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Los Angeles, CA to Universal City, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Universal City, CA
More trips to Universal City, CA
Explore more options from Los Angeles, CA or browse trips ending in Universal City, CA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse CA road trips.