Origin
Chatsworth, CA
Morning in Chatsworth on Sunday
Local time
11:40 AM
PDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Chatsworth, CA to Irvine, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 26m
Distance
71.3 mi
115 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$16
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 20m
★
6 AM
1h 26m
8 AM
1h 40m
10 AM
1h 31m
12 PM
1h 30m
3 PM
1h 32m
5 PM
1h 39m
8 PM
1h 22m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Chatsworth, CA
Dominik Gryzbon
Irvine, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 71.3-mile drive from Chatsworth, CA, to Irvine, CA, is a straightforward trip that can easily be completed in about 1 hour and 26 minutes. Primarily utilizing the Santa Ana Freeway, Golden State Freeway, and Ronald Reagan Freeway, this route is almost entirely highway, making it a convenient option for a single-day journey. With an estimated fuel cost of $16, it's an economical choice for covering ground within the Pacific Coast region. You won't need to break up this drive with an overnight stay; it's designed to get you to your destination efficiently, with a highway-focused profile that prioritizes speed.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Ana Freeway | 28.6 mi | 33m |
| Golden State Freeway | 23 mi | 27m |
| Ronald Reagan Freeway | 8.2 mi | 9m |
| Costa Mesa Freeway | 3.7 mi | 4m |
| San Diego Freeway | 2.7 mi | 3m |
| De Soto Avenue | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Devonshire Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Santa Ana Freeway
— 28.6 mi, about 33m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Chatsworth, CA and Irvine, CA.
1
Start on Devonshire Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Devonshire Street
2
Turn left onto De Soto Avenue
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
De Soto Avenue
Use the left lane.
3
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Toward CA 118 East
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Merge onto CA 118
0.5 mi
·
32 sec
·
Ronald Reagan Freeway
5
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 118
2.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Ronald Reagan Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 118
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Ronald Reagan Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 118
2.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Ronald Reagan Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 118
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Ronald Reagan Freeway
9
Take the exit
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 5 South: Los Angeles
Use the slight right lane.
10
Merge onto I 5
22 mi
·
25 min
·
Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Golden State Freeway
Toward CA 60 East, I 5 South: Pomona, Soto Street, Santa Ana
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
12
Merge onto I 5
26 mi
·
30 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.8 mi
·
57 sec
Toward Broadway, Main Street, Santa Ana
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi
·
10 sec
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
12 sec
Toward I 5 South
17
Merge onto I 5
0.8 mi
·
54 sec
·
Santa Ana Freeway
18
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
0.8 mi
·
52 sec
·
Santa Ana Freeway
19
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
27 sec
Exit 103
Toward CA 55 South: Newport Beach
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21
Merge onto CA 55
3.7 mi
·
4 min
·
Costa Mesa Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
39 sec
Exit 6B
Toward I 405 South: John Wayne Airport
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
23
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi
·
10 sec
Toward I 405 South
24
Merge onto I 405
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
25
Arrive at destination
I 405
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
36 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 16 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 35.7 miles from Chatsworth, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 235 decision points cluster between mile 1.8 and 67.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
1.8 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Take the ramp toward CA 118 East
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward CA 118 East
8
32.8 mi into trip
|
~41m in
|
I 5 / Golden State Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5 / Golden State Freeway toward CA 60 East, I 5 South: Pomona, Soto Street, Santa Ana
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
Toward CA 60 East, I 5 South: Pomona, Soto Stre...
7
60 mi into trip
|
~1h 13m in
Take the exit toward Broadway, Main Street, Santa Ana
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.
Toward Broadway, Main Street, Santa Ana
7
63.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 17m in
Take the exit toward CA 55 South: Newport Beach
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 103
Toward CA 55 South: Newport Beach
7
67.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 22m in
Take the exit toward I 405 South: John Wayne Airport
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 6B
Toward I 405 South: John Wayne Airport
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$16.39 one way
$32.78 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
25 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $16.89 | $33.77 |
| premium | $6.18 | $17.34 | $34.68 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $15.74 | $31.48 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$16
Estimated CO2 emission: 24.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 21.4 | 0 | $7.49 | $3.42 |
| Efficient EV | 17.8 | 0 | $6.24 | $2.85 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 28.5 | 0 | $9.98 | $4.56 |
Gas CO2
25 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (68% 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
Irvine, CA
Morning in Irvine on Sunday
Local time
11:40 AM
PDT
Current temp
71°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
4 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
1h 26m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a predominantly highway-focused experience on this route, with 93% of the journey taking place on major freeways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 28.6 miles, primarily on the Santa Ana Freeway. This means you'll be navigating consistent, higher-speed driving for the majority of your trip. While the roads are well-maintained and designed for steady travel, the character remains consistently that of a freeway commute, with minimal deviations onto slower, local roads.
93% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
25 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 28.6 mi on Santa Ana Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Santa Ana Freeway and Golden State Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.8 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 71.3 miles you will encounter 23 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 1.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 32.8 miles (I 5 / Golden State Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 60 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Chatsworth, CA and Irvine, CA, road signs point toward Santa Ana and Broadway.
Santa Ana
32.8 mi in
|
~41m
|
via I 5
Broadway
60 mi in
|
~1h 13m
About the Cities
Starting in Chatsworth, CA
Full guide →Chatsworth is in the San Fernando Valley in the Los Angeles metropolitan area in Southern California.
Arriving in Irvine, CA
Full guide →Founded 1971
Irvine is a city of 308,000 people (2020) in Orange County, California. Irvine is one of the newest and largest cities in Orange County, and it is still growing. The city is a perfectly planned suburbia. The Irvine Company started developing the area in the 1960s and the city was formally incorporated on December 28, 1971.
Top landmarks
- • Pretend City Children's Museum — children's Museum in California, U.S.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 26m. Total distance: 71.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 26m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (93%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 28.6 miles on Santa Ana Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Irvine, CA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 32.8 miles (I 5 / Golden State Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 60 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Irvine, CA before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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