Origin
Midway City, CA
Evening in Midway City on Thursday
Local time
8:57 PM
PDT
Current temp
55°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Midway City, CA to Los Angeles, CA
Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026
Drive Time
40m
Distance
31.4 mi
51 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 37m
★
6 AM
0h 41m
8 AM
0h 48m
10 AM
0h 43m
12 PM
0h 42m
3 PM
0h 44m
5 PM
0h 47m
8 PM
0h 39m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Midway City, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Los Angeles, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Trip Overview
The drive from Midway City, CA to Los Angeles, CA covers 31.4 miles and takes about 40m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Santa Ana Freeway, San Gabriel River Freeway, I 405 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 11.8 miles on Santa Ana Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $7.22 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 40m. Total distance: 31.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
40m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (88%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 40m highway drive covering 31.4 miles, with most of the trip on Santa Ana Freeway and San Gabriel River Freeway. The longest continuous stretch is about 11.8 miles on Santa Ana Freeway.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Santa Ana Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 11.8 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Santa Ana Freeway and San Gabriel River Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1 miles in near Goldenwest Street.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 15 decision points packed into just 31.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 40m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1 miles (Goldenwest Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 17.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 15 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
1 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
Goldenwest Street
Turn right onto Goldenwest Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
7
7.1 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Take the exit toward I 605 North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 24
Toward I 605 North
7
17.9 mi into trip
|
~22m in
Take the exit toward I 5 North, I 5 South: Los Angeles, Santa Ana
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 5 North, I 5 South: Los Angeles, Santa...
8
18.2 mi into trip
|
~22m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 5 North, I 5 South: Los Angeles, Santa Ana
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 5 North, I 5 South: Los Angeles, Santa...
8
30.7 mi into trip
|
~38m in
Take the exit toward Alameda Street, Union Station
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 2B
Toward Alameda Street, Union Station
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Midway City, CA to Los Angeles, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Santa Ana along the way.
Santa Ana
17.9 mi in
|
~22m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Ana Freeway | 11.8 mi | 14m |
| San Gabriel River Freeway | 10.2 mi | 11m |
| I 405 | 3.5 mi | 4m |
| San Diego Freeway | 2.1 mi | 2m |
| Bolsa Avenue | 1 mi | 1m |
| North Los Angeles Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| East Arcadia Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Goldenwest Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Santa Ana Freeway
— 11.8 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Midway City, CA and Los Angeles, CA.
1
Start on Bolsa Avenue
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Bolsa Avenue
2
Turn right onto Goldenwest Street
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
Goldenwest Street
Use the right lane.
3
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Toward I 405 North
4
Merge onto I 405
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
San Diego Freeway
5
Keep slight left at fork onto I 405
3.5 mi
·
4 min
·
I 405
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 24
Toward I 605 North
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Merge onto I 605
10 mi
·
11 min
·
San Gabriel River Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Toward I 5 North, I 5 South: Los Angeles, Santa Ana
Use the slight right lane.
9
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Toward I 5 North, I 5 South: Los Angeles, Santa Ana
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
Toward I 5 North: Santa Ana Freeway, Los Angeles
11
Merge onto I 5
8.9 mi
·
10 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork onto US 101
2.9 mi
·
4 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
Exit 2B
Toward Alameda Street, Union Station
Use the slight right lane.
14
Continue on I 10 EXPR
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
East Arcadia Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
15
Turn left onto North Los Angeles Street
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
·
North Los Angeles Street
16
Turn right onto East 1st Street
461 ft
·
17 sec
·
East 1st Street
17
Arrive at destination
West 1st Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.22 one way
$14.43 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $7.44 | $14.87 |
| premium | $6.18 | $7.64 | $15.27 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.93 | $13.87 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 11 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.4 | 0 | $3.30 | $1.51 |
| Efficient EV | 7.9 | 0 | $2.75 | $1.26 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.6 | 0 | $4.40 | $2.01 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Los Angeles, CA
Evening in Los Angeles on Thursday
Local time
8:57 PM
PDT
Current temp
54°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 cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
40m 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 Midway City, CA to Los Angeles, CA covers 31.4 miles and takes about 40m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Santa Ana Freeway, San Gabriel River Freeway, I 405. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 15.7 miles from Midway City, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $7.22 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 is a short but busy drive. With 15 decision points packed into just 31.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 40m.
The main spots that need attention: at 1 miles (Goldenwest Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 17.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Midway City, CA to Los Angeles, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Santa Ana along the way.
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