Origin
Glendale, CA
Morning in Glendale on Tuesday
Local time
9:58 AM
PDT
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Glendale, CA to Los Angeles, CA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
14m
Distance
9.2 mi
15 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 13m
★
6 AM
0h 15m
8 AM
0h 17m
10 AM
0h 15m
12 PM
0h 15m
3 PM
0h 16m
5 PM
0h 17m
8 PM
0h 14m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Glendale, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Los Angeles, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Trip Overview
Glendale to Los Angeles is 9.2 miles and takes about 14 minutes via Golden State Freeway, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Pacific Coast region of California. It’s a quick hop that's mostly highway, making it a straightforward connection between two points in the greater Los Angeles area. Consider this when you need to get from one side of the urban sprawl to the other with minimal fuss. It's a practical choice for local travel.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Golden State Freeway | 4.5 mi | 5m |
| North Broadway | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Arroyo Seco Parkway | 0.7 mi | <1m |
| West Colorado Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Colorado Street Freeway Extension | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| North Hill Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| West 1st Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| West College Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Golden State Freeway
— 4.5 mi, about 5m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Glendale, CA and Los Angeles, CA.
1
Start on South Brand Boulevard
43 ft
·
3 sec
·
South Brand Boulevard
2
Turn right
211 ft
·
20 sec
3
Turn left onto West Colorado Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
West Colorado Street
4
Turn left onto Colorado Street Freeway Extension
0.6 mi
·
38 sec
·
Colorado Street Freeway Extension
Toward I 5
Use the left lane.
5
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Toward I 5 South: Los Angeles
6
Merge onto I 5
4.5 mi
·
5 min
·
Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
Toward CA 110 South: Arroyo Seco Parkway, Los Angeles
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.9 mi
·
1 min
Exit 137B
Toward CA 110 South: Arroyo Seco Parkway, Los Angeles
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
9
Merge onto CA 110; US 6 Hist; US 66 Hist
0.7 mi
·
55 sec
·
Arroyo Seco Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
18 sec
Exit 24C
Toward Civic Center, Hill Street
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
11
Continue on this road
50 ft
·
1 sec
·
this road
Use the straight lane.
12
Turn slight right onto North Hill Street
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
North Hill Street
13
Turn left onto West College Street
404 ft
·
15 sec
·
West College Street
Use the left lane.
14
Turn right onto North Broadway
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
North Broadway
Use the straight lane.
15
Turn left onto West 1st Street
0.1 mi
·
28 sec
·
West 1st Street
Use the left lane.
16
Arrive at destination
West 1st Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 135 decision points cluster between mile 6.1 and 8.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
6.1 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Take the exit toward CA 110 South: Arroyo Seco Parkway, Los Angeles
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 CA 110 South: Arroyo Seco Parkway, Los A...
9
6.2 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Keep slight right at fork toward CA 110 South: Arroyo Seco Parkway, Los Angeles
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Exit 137B
Toward CA 110 South: Arroyo Seco Parkway, Los A...
8
7.8 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Take the exit toward Civic Center, Hill Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
Exit 24C
Toward Civic Center, Hill Street
7
8.1 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
West College Street
Turn left onto West College Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
8.2 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
North Broadway
Turn right onto North Broadway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.11 one way
$4.23 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
3 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $2.18 | $4.36 |
| premium | $6.18 | $2.24 | $4.47 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.03 | $4.06 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 3.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 2.8 | 0 | $0.97 | $0.44 |
| Efficient EV | 2.3 | 0 | $0.80 | $0.37 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 3.7 | 0 | $1.29 | $0.59 |
Gas CO2
3 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (67% 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
Morning in Los Angeles on Tuesday
Local time
9:58 AM
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
14m 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?
This route is mostly highway, with 62% of the drive on freeways. You'll encounter a stretch of 4.5 miles on the Golden State Freeway before transitioning. The bulk of your travel will be on main roads like the Golden State Freeway, North Broadway, and the Arroyo Seco Parkway. Expect urban merging and a high volume of exits typical for this stretch of Southern California.
62% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 4.5 mi on Golden State Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Golden State Freeway and North Broadway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 6.1 miles in.
Driving Effort
9/10
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 13 decision points packed into just 9.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 14m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 6.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7.8 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.
On the drive from Glendale, CA to Los Angeles, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Civic Center along the way.
Civic Center
7.8 mi in
|
~11m
About the Cities
Starting in Glendale, CA
Full guide →Founded 1884
Glendale is a suburban city of 205,000 people (2019) in the southeastern corner of the San Fernando Valley of Southern California between Burbank and Downtown Los Angeles. Glendale has one of the largest communities of Armenian descent in the United States. In addition to central Glendale, this article covers the Crescenta Valley communities of La Crescenta, Montrose, Verdugo City, and the part of Glendale in the Crescenta Valley.
Top landmarks
- • Forest Lawn Memorial Park — cemetery in Glendale, California
- • Glendale Transportation Center — railway station
- • Grand Central Airport — airport in Glendale, Los Angeles
Arriving in Los Angeles, CA
Full guide →“Tinseltown” · Founded 1781
Frank Lloyd Wright is said to have quipped, "Tip the world over on its side and everything loose will land in Los Angeles," a quote that has since been repeated both by those who love and hate L.A. The "City of Angels" is home to people who hail from all parts of the globe and an important center of culture, business, media, and international trade. However, it's most famous for being a major center of the world's television, motion picture, and music industry, which forms the base of the city's status and lures visitors for its show business history and celebrity culture. Visitors are also drawn to Los Angeles for its Mediterranean climate and numerous beaches, which gave birth to California's famed surf culture.
Top landmarks
- • Hollywood Walk of Fame — more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks...
- • Hollywood Sign — sign reading "HOLLYWOOD" located in Los Angeles, California, United States
- • Getty Center — campus of the Getty Museum and other programs of the Getty Trust in Los Angeles
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 14m. Total distance: 9.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
14m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (62%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 4.5 miles on Golden State 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 Los Angeles, 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 6.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Los Angeles, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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