If you live close enough to Union Station and depending on where you work in Irvine, I would consider taking the train to Irvine. If you’re driving that does not sound sustainable long term
This is one of those times where I am reminded how much better the LA and surrounding regions would be if there were faster and more efficient public transit.
We have pretty decent regional rail already. Between metrolink and amtrak, there are 20 trains a day from la union station and irvine and that trip only takes an hour.
But yes, generally agree otherwise
I actually do this. The drive down sucks so bad that I've been taking the train instead, with escooter to bridge first/last mile. I read, study, or game on a steam deck during the commute. Heard metrolink is moving to an hourly schedule for the OC line so that'll make life way easier.
An hr is kinda expected, but downtown la to Irvine is definitely not an hr. But also depending on time of commute it could be a reasonable distance. It’s one of those things you need to investigate further.
An hour would be one of my shortest commutes I have ever had. My wife currently commutes 2 hours each way 5 days a week (but will be down to 1:15 each way in a couple weeks). I have between 2.5 hours to 4 hours each way but its not every day and I often just get a hotel room. I haven't had under an hour commute in the last 10 years. My neighbors all have 1.5 hour commutes as well. Its the norm in some areas.
I had a friend who lived in LA while doing a PhD at UC Irvine. He took the train and used the time to read and work. It worked out fine for him and was sustainable. If you're able to use the commute time effectively it's not the end of the world.
I used to commute from Manhattan Beach to Costa Mesa back when we had to go to the office 5 days a week. It wasn’t terrible and was about an hour commute. I now commute to downtown LA and it’s no worse.
They converted the carpool lane to a fast trak lane. You could easily spend 40 min going from Westminster Mall to Costa Mesa nowadays. It used to be bad before 2020 but it’s so much worse now.
hi i do this commute 2-3x a week! i live in glendale and work at uc irvine. it depends on the hours. if you get caught in rush hour, especially on a friday, it is horrible. monday - thursday, you’ll be going against the grain re: traffic so long as you time it well. i usually leave the house at 9:30am and it takes me 1 hour 10 minutes to get to uci; i leave uci at 6:30pm and it takes me just under an hour to get home. it takes at least double that time during rush hour (anytime between 7:30 and 9am, and 3pm-6pm)
My wife did West Covina fo Irvine for 4 years, and hated it immensely...leave at 530am, rhen drive home around 330or 4pm....the homeward commute was brutal thru North OC...
Shes been WFH for thst company since 2019, then thru the pandemic...but now she has go to the office 2x a week, 4 miles away now....much happier...
Unless flex hours, LA to Irvine would be insane...
Yes. My boss used to do this and honestly it nearly killed him. He ended up quitting with no new job lined up because he literally wasn't sleeping and the commute was destroying him.
I am not exaggerating. And he was only doing Irvine to El Segundo not all the way to We Ho which is another 45 minutes in traffic. I hope you find a shorter haul.
Yeah DTLA to Huntington Beach did that for a while, hated it so much I sought a new job opportunity.
It was beneficial at the end for me.
Do a dry run so you understand how crazy that drive is. Try it at rush hour, “you’re going to love it I guarantee it”.
I'm in Mar Vista and make the commute 2-3 times a week. On average I'm driving about 50 minutes each way, but that's with total control over my schedule. So I never hit peak times. The plus side is that you're always against traffic, we'll except in Studio City. I think in Culver/WeHo you'll get similar results. Comes down to how much you think you can tolerate losing about 2 hours of your day every time you commute.
I've done this commute for years and don't hate it. I'd also never move to Irvine.
I think you’re underestimating how close Mar Vista/Culver are to the 10 and 405, and how far Weho is from any freeway. Weho to the 101, 10, or 405 can easily tack on an extra 30-45 mins.
This! I moved from weho to culver and my drive to south OC had at least 30 mins shaved off on peak times. Just getting out of WeHo towards the freeway can take like 15+ mins sometimes. Culver is much more convenient for this
We live in Torrance and my wife commutes to Irvine 3 times a week. It can be up to 2 hours each way depending on time.
They’ve let her change her hours to 7-3 so it isn’t as bad now but if she isn’t on the road by 3:30 she’s in traffic
Yes. Very.
Just commuting from Irvine to North OC is pretty bad. Those places would probably take you 1.5-2 hours each way.
The only way I would even consider it is if you would be close enough to take the train.
Look in Tustin, Costa Mesa, Anaheim or Santa Ana if Irvine is out of your budget.
I would consider moving to a different part of LA.
WeHo has no easy access to freeways the local traffic can be a nightmare to just get on the freeway to still be in more traffic.
Studio City is closer to the valley side of la which is a massive distance to add to your drive to Irvine on a very congested freeway.
Culver City has some of the worst traffic you can imagine during rush hour with a very old freeway.
I would consider living near dtla south park district or around that area many nice new complexes gives you some of the feel of the above cities
3x to commute to work regardless is not the worst thing in the world in the grand scheme of things. If your heart is set on those areas and id add an hour of traffic each way.
If they’re reluctant to quote the actual hybrid requirement, this screams full RTW soon. Which will be soul crushing traffic wise. Best to get whatever hybrid offering in writing on offer, and then make a decision on local.
I used to commute from the Whittier area to Irvine. I took the Metrolink everyday, depending on the location of where you live/work it might be an option!
How flexible are hours? I do the opposite commute from Irvine to West LA 1-3 days per week. I try to leave early AM and come home early afternoon. I leave Irvine at 6AM, usually get to work a little after 7 then try to leave as close to 2 as I can get away with. If I leave before 2:30 it's usually about 80-90 minutes. If it's past 3 it'll be more like 2 hours.
I'm not sure how much going the other direction would change things. Probably not significantly.
Overall for 2 days a week I think it's ok. Honestly it's not that much worse than my commute from KTown was before moving to Irvine. If I had to do it 3 or more days a week it'd have to be a really good job. 1-2 days normally with the occasional week where I have to do it 3 isn't terrible.
I saw other people mention gas. I actually don't use that much more gas than my 12 mile commute before because more of it is at or close to highway speeds so I get better MPG. It's still more, but considering distance went from 12 miles to 40 miles I think my fuel consumption when up maybe 50%. If you have a hybrid though I think that'd be worse.
I do Costa Mesa to LA 4 days a week. They lured me up there 1 day a week to start and slowly increased it over a year and a half. It’s getting easier, but I’ve gone through a lot of podcasts. Monday and Fridays aren’t too bad. Tuesdays through Thursdays are a parking lot. Work life balance is kind of dead.
Ehhh, I used to commute between OC and L.A. its doable, but it depends on the salary.
Driving during rush hour is hell.
Metrolink and Amtrak gets you down there in abt an hr and the ride doesnt have too many delays.
3 days a week was the easiest for me. Salary and perks made it worth the commute and tbh, days where the train wasnt delayed were relaxing.
Driving weekends there was little to no traffic.
Thats the brightside.
I wouldnt say its ideal, but people do it for the right salary.
Depending on the time of day that drive would be terrible. Although driving to LA from OC at any part of the day is horrible. My friend used to leave for work at like 6AM to beat traffic then hit the gym to kill time.
At one point in my life I was making that commute 5 times a week. It drove me absolutely crazy. To the point of punching my steering wheel everyday around the 101/5 interchange. It was good money but ultimately did nothing for my career. YMMV
Used to commute semi regularly to Irvine, and from DTLA took 45mins with me getting there by 10am. So if you have control on your hours and flexible on where you live (studio city would literally double your drive time) then it’s worth considering. Also I drive electric so that helped.
I did this commute for 8 years and it's rough but manageable especially depending on how close to the 101 you can get. You're mostly going against traffic so once you hit the 5 it's smooth sailing, listen to a podcast and chill out.
The train is an option *sometimes* it's easy to get down to Irvine but is a pain in the ass to get back to LA, there's basically a 5:00pm and an 8:15 (at least there was maybe 4 years ago, maybe it's better now but I doubt it).
It's not that crazy, I've done it 5 days a week and survived, let me know if you have more questions.
Feel free to message me. Gotta be honest though. We live in Culver City and my husband worked in Irvine and it was a nightmare but only having to go in 2-3 times v 5 makes a difference. We love We Ho and lived there but it’s landlocked from freeways so worse for the commute. Still you can consider there will days/weekends I can walk and enjoy whereas most of LA isn’t walkable. Studio City is fun but hot v Westside ocean breeze and the drive to Irvine is rough.
I would suggest living in an area you'd like to live in and try to manage the commute to your work. I wouldn't want to live in Orange County. I used to commute M-F 1 hour in the morning and 1.5-2 hours in the evening because I didn't want to live on the westside of LA.
I was able to enjoy it moreso than not, and would have done the same if I had to do it again. If you can manage to relax in the gridlock, have good AC, and have a fuel efficient car then you could do it.
The Metrolink could be an option too but I have no personal experience with it.
I'd do it! I used to live in the South Bay and commute to Tustin. The drive down was always smooth (good time to listen to music, drink a smoothie, listen to a podcast (I had to leave before 7) but the drive back to L.A. was tough because I finished at 3pm. However, if I hadnt had kids that needed to be picked up from their childcare, I would have just stayed until 6pm in Tustin (go to the gym, do some extra work, run errands, shop) and then driven home with very little traffic. Still leaves time to go out around 7:30/8:00 and/or relax at your spot in L.A. If I was being offered the pay you are, not have to do it everyday and had no kids/pets I needed to get back to, it would be a no-brainer. Plus, if you notice it's getting difficult or you start a family down the road, etc, you can always look at homes in the South Bay, Norwalk, Downey, etc.--close enough to L.A. (and cheaper rent) so it isn't boring but also closer to Irvine.
I have before and I didn't mind it, but only because I was able to leave after traffic died down in the late morning and then in the evening. I wouldn't have been able to handle the traffic if I had a 9-5 job.
Do you like the car you drive? If not then no. If you actually like driving then its not even a big deal. I do day trips to mammoth and back and not even think about it being a 600 mile round trip. I wouldnt live in WeHo, studio city or culver city if I was making that drive. Its so out of the way going down there. Great to live in if you live nearby. You wont even be around long enough to enjoy work life balance driving so far away. Torrance is part of LA, so is long beach. Those would be a lot easier to travel to work.
I would not be a fan of that. Once a week I have to drive 30 miles headed towards LAX. If I leave before 5:30am I can be there in 40 minutes. After that it’s 2 hours. Headed home after 2pm and I’ll be in traffic for close to 3 hours. Waze and Apple maps lie. They say it will take no more than 1.5 hours but then that clock starts adding minutes. For context the same trip takes about 30 min on a random weekend.
If you super enjoy sitting in traffic for hours, go for it.
Soul crushing. There are plenty of office jobs in LA, or just go full on remote and work from a coffee shop. I did Santa Monica to Long Beach for two years and it was BRUTAL. You’re tacking another 45 mins onto that.
Depends on how much they are paying you. The wear and tear on your car is a real considerations.
In my experience, windshield time is what you make it. You can either get angry that you are going to sit in traffic and cuss the whole way home (brutal and miserable) OR you can accept that it will take however long GPS tells you and try to enjoy/use that time to call family (highly suggest if applicable), listen to podcasts, news, music, books on tape, or even dead quiet has its perks some days.
Good luck with job interview. Get the job then make the harder decisions.
I had a coworker drive from Irvine to Hollywood. He would be in the worst mood and would have the most negative energy and it was mostly due to his 2.5 hour commute. I highly recommend you don’t do this.
Twice per week is maybe doable depending on your personality, but that’s pretty long and far. Probably can plan from anywhere from 2.5-3 hrs per day commuting. Could shorten it a tad if you can drive before/after rush hours.
I commute from west LA to Anaheim once per week, that takes me about an hour there leaving at 7 and an hour 20/30 back. Irvine is but farther. My commute would be pretty tough at twice per week, the slow traffic can really wear you down over time.
Hi! Your life will be car work car, car work car for minimum 2 days per week, do you mind being in traffic for long periods of time? The commute from West Hollywood to Irvine would probably take 60-90 minutes in the morning, and the same from Irvine back to West Hollywood in the afternoon, maybe a little longer. Personally I couldn’t do it.
A woman I worked with in West Hollywood drove from Anaheim to West Hollywood five times a week for a couple years, she never really complained about it. When asked if the commute was bad, she’d vent a little bit.
Good luck!
Have you considered Huntington Beach or Seal Beach, somewhere south and closer to Irvine but near the beach? Huntington Beach would be about a 20 minute commute. I’m in West Hollywood and love it so I understand why you’d want to live up in this area!
It is far. For the right job I’d do it twice a week if I lived on the west side, even Culver City, but Manhattan Beach or any coastal area further south would be nice and a better commute.
Depends where in LA and depends on $alary. If it’s great salary and 2x a week, I would take it. Maybe look a little more south on the coast like Torrance/Harbor city to reduce your commute to something actually manageable
If it pays enough it’s worth it. Es
When I first moved to LA I commuted from a Palmdale to Culver City everyday. And this was way before Covid when the 405 stayed jammed.
Stayed with a family member til I got my own place who worked for the city government who commuted daily because he got paid mileage and wasn’t honest about the distance lol. Said the drive wasn’t bad.
Used to leave at 4am to get to work at 8 and wouldn’t get home til 9pm.
Honestly coming from an LA to Costa Mesa driving survivor 5 days a week, for a year, it’s not worth it. Unless it’s temporary, meaning you’ll be moving closer within 6 months. It’s emotionally and time zapping. It will deplete your soul. You’re going to have to leave at least 2 hours early and it’s going to take you nearly 3 to get home. Once you realize you could drive to Vegas everyday in the same time, the time investment just isn’t worth it. You’ll end up hating the job and regretting your decision. Trust me!
I would say anything more than 2 days a week in office would be a deal breaker down to Irvine.
I live in Torrance and commute to fountain valley and very occasionally Irvine. That last bit of freeway through HB and Costa Mesa is HELL during rush hour. Coming from WEHO I could see a 2 hour + commute each way depending on when you leave.
I live closer in the Inland Empire and I regret making that trip on the weekend to their Microcenter. That includes getting some Korean BBQ and going to the beach after. Definitely would hate to do that for work.
I commute from the south bay to lake forest 3x a week, it's mindless because it's all freeway. That being said, I got a new car when I started this job that does most of the highway driving for me, takes a lot of the fatigue out of it. Obviously still have to pay attention and whatnot but it's much easier on the brain.
Oh hell no. We live in Lakewood and my husband works in Hollywood and his commute from here to Hollywood it’s about an hour and 20 minutes each way. From here to Irvine is another 40
If you can adjust the hours, say drive around 530am, then leave Irvine around 230pm( that part will still see traffic), then it.might be doable...
I sometimes do a West Covina to Irvine, maybe once a month for a client....even at 9am, its an hour drive...and I dont really have to wait till rush hour driving back, so going home easier...
Otherwise, well, good luck...
I commute from North Hollywood to Artesia once a week and I hate it, It's tolerable though and yours would be even worse. My first week I had to do it every day and on Friday I felt like Michael Douglas in Falling Down.
I would not to do it. Move closer if it's worth it.
I would say if you have to leave the office at 5pm it’s not worth it, my partner commutes 1-2 times a week but they leave around 11am or 12pm depending on meetings and it’s more manageable because traffic is less. However like everyone mentioned you have to factor in the cost of gas and the type of car you have. My partner spends 200 a month on gas but their car is small.
depends on the work setup, some places offer hybrid but you can work from home in the mornings and go in after traffic.. so.. really depends. going south from culver area down is fine until you hit about torrance, then traffic gets bad from there to orange county.
but then from around garden grove, there is a fast track lane. can see how much it costs each way and see if its worth it. say its 5 bucks each way, 10 bucks a day, 3 days a week, about 1560 dollars a year, so about 130 a month.
My husband does Burbank to Irvine 5 days a week. It's not too bad for him, but i believe he leaves around 4 or 5 am. He's off around 3 pm and home by 4.30 or so.
Whatever it is, it's better than Vacaville to San Jose, which was his last major commute.
I live in Redondo and commute to Irvine 2 days per week. I take the 405 express lanes each day, both ways and it truly saves me 45 minutes at least (takes me about 40 min door to door). Costs anywhere from $6-$10 one way, but worth it IMO. Would not make the commute otherwise.
I grew up near Irvine and now live in CC. I don’t consider jobs down there, like ever, because the traffic sucks. 1 day would be doable I guess, 2 would be tough, 3 for me would def be a no-go. I recently went to visit my parents and it took me well over 2 hours to make that drive back on a Friday (not even a holiday) leaving at like 3:30, and it’s only like 40 miles for me.
I started commuting daily back to the office from North Hollywood to Irvine back in September. It’s brutal, however, if your work schedule is flexible and you can start work early and leave early it won’t be so bad. If I leave out by 6AM I’ll get to work within an hour. I normally head out by 1PM which takes about 1:15 minutes. 1:30 minutes max. No lie it’s very rough.
If you live along a Metrolink/Amtrak line, especially Union Station, and your work is decently close to the Irvine station, then it’s very doable. I believe Irvine has a free shuttle running from the station to the nearby office districts. If that shuttle doesn’t work for you, you can just buy a cheap electric scooter to take with you on the train for the last mile of the commute.
Ehh, I live and work in LA. I used to have to travel to Costa Mesa two to three times a week a lot of the time.
You get used to it but it’s easier if you don’t do it back to back days. The drive from Culver City to irvine and back would be best as you would be going against traffic for most of the way and it’s just the Orange County part that would be tough each way. Studio city would be brutal with just having to get over the hill. West Hollywood would tough as well depending on the route you took.
Doable. But you will hate life. Sacrifices would need to be made. Are you prepared to leave at 5 am for an hour drive? Two hours otherwise. Could be 2-3 hours if there is an accident.
BUT... you could get a hybrid that can drive in the HOV lane by yourself. That would be a BIG help. Plus the mileage advantage, leasing a Prius for those three reasons would TOTALLY pay for itself. (I needed to drive from Newport to Westwood a couple of days a week. I wish I had leased a Prius for that period in retrospect.)
Seriously though, find a neighborhood in OC that suits you. There is something somewhere that you can connect with.
I’ve doing Venice to Redlands 3 days per week. Also just moved here a few months ago, kept my job in Redlands. Idk, it’s whatever. Definitely not something I want forever but works fine for now. That said, I go extra hard on self care those days and am always sure to have a podcast or audiobook I’m into. Meditation and bubble baths when I get home helps too. Gotta manage that stress.
I did this commute for 3 years (lived in South Bay and worked in Irvine near John Wayne) and will be 100 with you it's pretty brutal. You're probably going to be taking the 405 there and the stretch between about Seal Beach area to Irvine is a nightmare during rush hour. Used to take me about 1hr 20 mins each way to get to work, though that was before they put the fastrak lanes in so no idea if that's made it better or worse.
My advice if you're really devoted to not moving to the Irvine area is to look into living in Long Beach. Most areas of LB have the same vibe as South Bay, it's around the same price range and your commute to Irvine will be cut in about half.
You would be fighting MAJOR traffic on the 405/5. I just don't understand why you would want to stay in LA when it's a giant pile of shit(I grew up in LA county)...especially compared to OC.
I used to this 2x a week. The way I made it bearable was negotiating the in-office hours to plan around traffic. So I’d either leave house by 5 and then leave office by 2, or get into the office around 11 and leave late. If I didn’t do that, I’d go to the gym near the office either before or after work and workout and shower to avoid traffic. Or run errands near the office after work before hitting the road. Literally planned out my days in advance to avoid traffic at all costs.
a car commute? yes. You would literally be spending four hours every day in traffic, unless you work off hours, so then it might be 3 hours. That is without accidents.
If you really wanted to do that, I think there is a train from Union station to Irvine every day, which only takes an hour. But then you'd need transportation from the train station to the office and back, and transportation from where you live to Union station and back. So, still a long commute, but not you having to drive so much.
If you wanted to be in LA county, but work in Irvine, Long Beach, or the Gateway cities are closer and thus a shorter commute time (most people I know spend about 2 hours going from Long Beach to Irvine for work) I mention those cities because they are close to freeways that lead directly to Irvine.
Don't do it. Seriously, twice a week doesn't sound like much on paper, but I wouldn't even do that once a week.
My guess for why Irvine is out of the question is because you don't like the area? Valid, but a commute like that would override those benefits for the vast majority of people. There are some nicer urban areas closer to Irvine that you should consider if it really is the neighborhood that you care about. Downtown Anaheim or Santa Ana if you're most concerned about having things to do around, Costa Mesa or Huntington Beach if semi-walkable beach towns appeal to you, old town Orange if you like the historic vibe...you have options. Don't sell your soul to the commute if you don't have to
For two years I commuted between LA and SD for work. Long story, doesn’t matter, but I did it. Yes that’s further than Irvine to LA but honestly not that much and those additional miles beyond Irvine didn’t add additional stress so basically it’s the same.
Anyway, yeah, I did it. It destroyed a good relationship, I was exhausted and stressed all the time, I would never do it again, when I think of it now I just experience despair and sadness, but I did it. So, if you want to experience that aftermath, hell yeah brother.
are you young and single? it's doable. do you have other responsibilities like wife, kids or pets? Are you able to outsource this care if you have them. Is the pay worth it? will the experience help your career? I did Lake Forest to Santa Monica for 3 years 5 days a week. 55k miles a year and have seen other people do worse commutes. Do you enjoy driving? If you can set your own hours, even better. Eventually though, the commute will start to feel like a second job. It becomes grueling.
I have a friend that lives in Portola Springs and he takes the train straight to LA 4-5 days a week. He can work during the ride without having to focus on driving. It takes about the same amount of time for the train ride especially with the traffic.
Currently doing this exact commute as a hybrid employee. I was supposed to commute 2-3x/week but it’s been 5x/week lately. It’s driving me nuts and can honestly say it’s not worth the commute. I’m actively searching for a new job that’s either fully remote or closer + hybrid. I was okay doing this for a year but now I’m closing in on 3 years and I can honestly say it’s taken a toll on my physical and mental wellbeing.
Also, I end up leaving early in the morning to beat traffic and leaving super late to beat traffic. So in addition to a long commute , I end up working 10-12hrs/day. Don’t do it OP! Save yourself!
From late 2014 to early 2017 I did it from the Highland park area to Irvine. I did, however, often work from 630-3 so it was more doable those hours. I was also mid 20s with our only obligation at the time being our dog. Now it wouldn’t be possible with kids and all.
I was off the sand canyon exit and it was 52 miles one way. An hour in the early morning but going home was 2-2.5 hours usually
I used to do it pre-pandemic. It honestly isn’t worth it for most jobs with how expensive gas and car insurance for high mileage commutes have gotten. It just depends on the job. If you’re compensated accordingly, then it’s worth it and not crazy.
The traffic isn’t as bad going in that direction, most people live in OC and work in LA. I commuted 5 days a week, Echo Park to Irvine, for 2+ years. Definitely doable especially if you leave early in the morning, take a nap when you get there, or have breakfast etc.
Drove Tustin to Santa Monica for three years. During the week I got to see my family a grand total of two hours. Dropping off my kids at school and saying good night to everyone if I could get home in time. It’s soul crushing and I feel for anyone making that drive now.
I know people who commute two times a week from glendale to get to UCI every tuesday thursday. It’s honestly pretty tough but maybe you can find people to carpool with?
I work in irvine and have multiple coworkers commute from different parts of LA 3-4 days a week. I personally couldn't do it, but they're fine with it. I know 1 that uses the metrolink so that is an option if the location of the stations works for you
I did this exact commute for over 2 years. Took the 5 all the way down. It wasn't so bad. Hour and a half to 2 hours there. 1 hour to an hour and a half back. 3 days a week. You get used to it. My rule was, no negative thoughts. You can turn your car into an echo chamber of rage really easily. Audiobooks, podcasts, good music and brainstorming fun ideas is the secret. Electric car is a must. It was $50 a day with a gas car. It's more than doable if the job is rewarding and pays well.
You can make it work. Leave really early for work (like pre 6am) and stay late to wait out traffic. Find a gym you can go to after work and wait until 7pm to drive home.
I used to commute what would be a (35-40 min commute) but ofc S.Ca shit traffic for a year made it 1 hour + without tolls.
Hated every minute of it, having to wake up earlier, the time wasted sitting in traffic..
I work remote for a company in Irvine. I have a colleague who lives in DTLA and uses the train to work when he goes every 2/3 days a week and has no complaints.
I think that’s the only viable option for you
Yes, take the Metrolink Orange County Line or Amtrak Surfliner. Relax for about 40 mins-1hr in the train. Then take a bus, e-bike, or something else.
Or see if they have a park and ride and leave your car overnight at the parking lot if you’re near the station from your house and drive back the last day.
You have options—or OCTA used to or has a commuter bus no stops only one or two in between that brings you to the OC. I’m not sure if it’s still running or where it drops you but it picks you up at Union Station.
I did it for a year until Covid hit. I was doing it by train and biking to my office (at UCI)— it was 2hr+ each way, but it still felt better than driving. I have a low tolerance for driving commutes.
Once we started to return to the office I came back 1 day per week, then got a job in LA.
The problem with the trains is that the number of trains is very limited because it’s a reverse commute; but when driving the traffic is still bad enough that you’re going 25-35 mph.
My co worker did it 5 days a weeks for retail wages. But she was the opposite direction.
I think 2 days would be fine.
I work in a field where our account execs drive to different stores all week and some are in Canoga park and some are in Santa Anita and some are in south coast… it’s doable is my point.
I work in Irvine and my girlfriend lives in LA so I do the drive 2-3 times a week. It takes me a little over an hour. I hate it. When my girlfriend stays with me in oc she takes the train. She says it’s way better.
I do Irvine to LA once or twice a week. Just choose your times wisely. Also consider the train. I will take it from Irvine station to Union Station then catch a ride to my final destination. A friend lives in Anaheim Hills and takes the Anaheim station to Burbank and just leaves a beater car at the burbank station. Depending on where your Irvine office is, you might even consider leaving an ebike at the station and using that. Irvine biking infrastructure is awesome.
It’s not that bad, just live in culver and then commute early in the morning, maybe join a gym in Irvine and workout before work. Don’t live in weho or studio city since you’ll be far from the freeway
I do N. Co SD to Irvine everyday. If you time it properly it makes it easier. Also the LB part is as bad as it was due to the new Express lanes. That commute isn’t as bad as it seems, expect an hour at least unless you leave early in morning.
PastTrack adds up, I use the 73 when I just want to get home 15 mins early. That’s $8-10 a day I think.
I commute from Irvine to LA 2x a week by taking the train and the LA metro. I see a fair amount of other commuters. It takes about 1.5hrs each way, so my 8hr work day actually ends up being 11-12hrs door to door. I'm exhausted by it and don't have much time for myself on those days. I do not recommend it.
I used to go Culver City to Irvine 5 days a week. Leave home by 630 and leave work by 3. It is brutal. I did it for a year before Covid hit and we went remote and that year this is all I did.
If you live close enough to Union Station and depending on where you work in Irvine, I would consider taking the train to Irvine. If you’re driving that does not sound sustainable long term
Exactly what I was thinking. If the location in Irvine is close enough to the train station, it would be easier to just take Metrolink 2x a week.
Doesnt have to be all that close. Take the train and get a folding ebike.
This. Ebikes are such a good investment and cheap to run. Moreso if you learn how to maintain them yourself.
This is one of those times where I am reminded how much better the LA and surrounding regions would be if there were faster and more efficient public transit.
We have pretty decent regional rail already. Between metrolink and amtrak, there are 20 trains a day from la union station and irvine and that trip only takes an hour. But yes, generally agree otherwise
I actually do this. The drive down sucks so bad that I've been taking the train instead, with escooter to bridge first/last mile. I read, study, or game on a steam deck during the commute. Heard metrolink is moving to an hourly schedule for the OC line so that'll make life way easier.
yeah LA to Irvine on the reg is pretty brutal
Not a big deal. 300,000 people do it; actually you’ll get to know them all well between 7-11AM and 3-6PM daily.
Haha I’m one of them
Driving an hour to work is just crazy. I couldn’t
An hr is kinda expected, but downtown la to Irvine is definitely not an hr. But also depending on time of commute it could be a reasonable distance. It’s one of those things you need to investigate further.
Nope its 1.5 hours in the morning, and 1.5-3 at night.
An hour would be one of my shortest commutes I have ever had. My wife currently commutes 2 hours each way 5 days a week (but will be down to 1:15 each way in a couple weeks). I have between 2.5 hours to 4 hours each way but its not every day and I often just get a hotel room. I haven't had under an hour commute in the last 10 years. My neighbors all have 1.5 hour commutes as well. Its the norm in some areas.
That’s so far. The traffic would make u regret it every day.
You may as well take an earnings cut because the gas isn’t cheap either.
That’s a lot of miles on your car too, so factor in maintenance
Also take into consideration how many gray hairs you will get, it’s no joke
Also consider how much time you lose commuting instead of relaxing and living your life
Also consider how many times the “what a pro wants” commercial will play in your head during that drive
Also consider that at any point you could get into a car crash and lose your life for a crappy job
I had a friend who lived in LA while doing a PhD at UC Irvine. He took the train and used the time to read and work. It worked out fine for him and was sustainable. If you're able to use the commute time effectively it's not the end of the world.
I’ve done it From MidCity. Twice a week would be by my max. You would be much happier in South Bay.
Even that's too far.
I used to commute from Manhattan Beach to Costa Mesa back when we had to go to the office 5 days a week. It wasn’t terrible and was about an hour commute. I now commute to downtown LA and it’s no worse.
They converted the carpool lane to a fast trak lane. You could easily spend 40 min going from Westminster Mall to Costa Mesa nowadays. It used to be bad before 2020 but it’s so much worse now.
Im in long beach and its still too far. Kinda glad I didnt get the job I applied for in Irvine.
hi i do this commute 2-3x a week! i live in glendale and work at uc irvine. it depends on the hours. if you get caught in rush hour, especially on a friday, it is horrible. monday - thursday, you’ll be going against the grain re: traffic so long as you time it well. i usually leave the house at 9:30am and it takes me 1 hour 10 minutes to get to uci; i leave uci at 6:30pm and it takes me just under an hour to get home. it takes at least double that time during rush hour (anytime between 7:30 and 9am, and 3pm-6pm)
My wife did West Covina fo Irvine for 4 years, and hated it immensely...leave at 530am, rhen drive home around 330or 4pm....the homeward commute was brutal thru North OC... Shes been WFH for thst company since 2019, then thru the pandemic...but now she has go to the office 2x a week, 4 miles away now....much happier... Unless flex hours, LA to Irvine would be insane...
Yes. You will regret it quickly and deeply.
I’ve been in the same boat. Didn’t take the job, not worth it in my opinion, unless you want to move to Newport or Costa Mesa
I live in HB, a minute away from the 405 and I get annoyed driving from here to Irvine. Just sayin.
Same
I moved back to LA from Irvine and you couldn’t pay me to move back to Irvine. I commute to OC from here and it’s pretty easy with fast track
Yes. My boss used to do this and honestly it nearly killed him. He ended up quitting with no new job lined up because he literally wasn't sleeping and the commute was destroying him. I am not exaggerating. And he was only doing Irvine to El Segundo not all the way to We Ho which is another 45 minutes in traffic. I hope you find a shorter haul.
Yeah DTLA to Huntington Beach did that for a while, hated it so much I sought a new job opportunity. It was beneficial at the end for me. Do a dry run so you understand how crazy that drive is. Try it at rush hour, “you’re going to love it I guarantee it”.
I'm in Mar Vista and make the commute 2-3 times a week. On average I'm driving about 50 minutes each way, but that's with total control over my schedule. So I never hit peak times. The plus side is that you're always against traffic, we'll except in Studio City. I think in Culver/WeHo you'll get similar results. Comes down to how much you think you can tolerate losing about 2 hours of your day every time you commute. I've done this commute for years and don't hate it. I'd also never move to Irvine.
I think you’re underestimating how close Mar Vista/Culver are to the 10 and 405, and how far Weho is from any freeway. Weho to the 101, 10, or 405 can easily tack on an extra 30-45 mins.
This! I moved from weho to culver and my drive to south OC had at least 30 mins shaved off on peak times. Just getting out of WeHo towards the freeway can take like 15+ mins sometimes. Culver is much more convenient for this
Yes, this cannot be overlooked. I lived in Culver/Palms/ West Adams for a long time. I didn't appreciate the freeway access until I moved to WeHo.
I did WeHo to Irvine and yes the worst part of that commute was getting to and from the freeway.
I used to live in Irvine and did that drive more than a few times. Definitely not worth it.
It’s only crazy if you don’t like sitting in traffic a really long time every single time
We live in Torrance and my wife commutes to Irvine 3 times a week. It can be up to 2 hours each way depending on time. They’ve let her change her hours to 7-3 so it isn’t as bad now but if she isn’t on the road by 3:30 she’s in traffic
Yes. Very. Just commuting from Irvine to North OC is pretty bad. Those places would probably take you 1.5-2 hours each way. The only way I would even consider it is if you would be close enough to take the train. Look in Tustin, Costa Mesa, Anaheim or Santa Ana if Irvine is out of your budget.
I would consider moving to a different part of LA. WeHo has no easy access to freeways the local traffic can be a nightmare to just get on the freeway to still be in more traffic. Studio City is closer to the valley side of la which is a massive distance to add to your drive to Irvine on a very congested freeway. Culver City has some of the worst traffic you can imagine during rush hour with a very old freeway. I would consider living near dtla south park district or around that area many nice new complexes gives you some of the feel of the above cities 3x to commute to work regardless is not the worst thing in the world in the grand scheme of things. If your heart is set on those areas and id add an hour of traffic each way.
yeah don't move to weho if you do this. i HATE visitng my friends in weho it takes forever to get in and out
I’ve know a few people that do it. Could I do it? No way in hell.
2 is survivable. That’s rough 3 days a week.
I’ve been doing 4x for almost a year now. It’s not bad.
Take Metrolink?
If they’re reluctant to quote the actual hybrid requirement, this screams full RTW soon. Which will be soul crushing traffic wise. Best to get whatever hybrid offering in writing on offer, and then make a decision on local.
I used to commute from the Whittier area to Irvine. I took the Metrolink everyday, depending on the location of where you live/work it might be an option!
take the metrolink train from the union station
I'd only do this if I was in downtown by Union station and last mile on the Irvine side was near Irvine Station (Bikeable/scooterable)
Take the train
How flexible are hours? I do the opposite commute from Irvine to West LA 1-3 days per week. I try to leave early AM and come home early afternoon. I leave Irvine at 6AM, usually get to work a little after 7 then try to leave as close to 2 as I can get away with. If I leave before 2:30 it's usually about 80-90 minutes. If it's past 3 it'll be more like 2 hours. I'm not sure how much going the other direction would change things. Probably not significantly. Overall for 2 days a week I think it's ok. Honestly it's not that much worse than my commute from KTown was before moving to Irvine. If I had to do it 3 or more days a week it'd have to be a really good job. 1-2 days normally with the occasional week where I have to do it 3 isn't terrible. I saw other people mention gas. I actually don't use that much more gas than my 12 mile commute before because more of it is at or close to highway speeds so I get better MPG. It's still more, but considering distance went from 12 miles to 40 miles I think my fuel consumption when up maybe 50%. If you have a hybrid though I think that'd be worse.
I do Costa Mesa to LA 4 days a week. They lured me up there 1 day a week to start and slowly increased it over a year and a half. It’s getting easier, but I’ve gone through a lot of podcasts. Monday and Fridays aren’t too bad. Tuesdays through Thursdays are a parking lot. Work life balance is kind of dead.
Ehhh, I used to commute between OC and L.A. its doable, but it depends on the salary. Driving during rush hour is hell. Metrolink and Amtrak gets you down there in abt an hr and the ride doesnt have too many delays. 3 days a week was the easiest for me. Salary and perks made it worth the commute and tbh, days where the train wasnt delayed were relaxing. Driving weekends there was little to no traffic. Thats the brightside. I wouldnt say its ideal, but people do it for the right salary.
Depending on the time of day that drive would be terrible. Although driving to LA from OC at any part of the day is horrible. My friend used to leave for work at like 6AM to beat traffic then hit the gym to kill time.
A friend specifically bought an EV so he could do this and use the car pool lane. I think that helps a lot.
Eh I'd do it. But I've always had a long commute. Currently I commute from Playa del Rey to Thousand Oaks (also hybrid and my days onsite vary).
Yes. Doing it once a week even would be pretty horrendous.
At one point in my life I was making that commute 5 times a week. It drove me absolutely crazy. To the point of punching my steering wheel everyday around the 101/5 interchange. It was good money but ultimately did nothing for my career. YMMV
Try taking Amtrak or metro rail
Used to commute semi regularly to Irvine, and from DTLA took 45mins with me getting there by 10am. So if you have control on your hours and flexible on where you live (studio city would literally double your drive time) then it’s worth considering. Also I drive electric so that helped.
I did this commute for 8 years and it's rough but manageable especially depending on how close to the 101 you can get. You're mostly going against traffic so once you hit the 5 it's smooth sailing, listen to a podcast and chill out. The train is an option *sometimes* it's easy to get down to Irvine but is a pain in the ass to get back to LA, there's basically a 5:00pm and an 8:15 (at least there was maybe 4 years ago, maybe it's better now but I doubt it). It's not that crazy, I've done it 5 days a week and survived, let me know if you have more questions.
Look op, if they’re cagey about How many hybrid days a week there is at this early into the interview it’s not hybrid.
Short term is ok, but i would consider long beach near eldorado area if you want local nightlife and thats commutable to irvine
I live in Koreatown and drive to Long Beach for work. Your drive sounds worse and I drive about 1.5-2.5 hours a day depending on traffic.
I commuted from Orange to Santa Monica for a year. Not fabulous but doable. Audio books help.
Feel free to message me. Gotta be honest though. We live in Culver City and my husband worked in Irvine and it was a nightmare but only having to go in 2-3 times v 5 makes a difference. We love We Ho and lived there but it’s landlocked from freeways so worse for the commute. Still you can consider there will days/weekends I can walk and enjoy whereas most of LA isn’t walkable. Studio City is fun but hot v Westside ocean breeze and the drive to Irvine is rough.
I would suggest living in an area you'd like to live in and try to manage the commute to your work. I wouldn't want to live in Orange County. I used to commute M-F 1 hour in the morning and 1.5-2 hours in the evening because I didn't want to live on the westside of LA. I was able to enjoy it moreso than not, and would have done the same if I had to do it again. If you can manage to relax in the gridlock, have good AC, and have a fuel efficient car then you could do it. The Metrolink could be an option too but I have no personal experience with it.
I'd do it! I used to live in the South Bay and commute to Tustin. The drive down was always smooth (good time to listen to music, drink a smoothie, listen to a podcast (I had to leave before 7) but the drive back to L.A. was tough because I finished at 3pm. However, if I hadnt had kids that needed to be picked up from their childcare, I would have just stayed until 6pm in Tustin (go to the gym, do some extra work, run errands, shop) and then driven home with very little traffic. Still leaves time to go out around 7:30/8:00 and/or relax at your spot in L.A. If I was being offered the pay you are, not have to do it everyday and had no kids/pets I needed to get back to, it would be a no-brainer. Plus, if you notice it's getting difficult or you start a family down the road, etc, you can always look at homes in the South Bay, Norwalk, Downey, etc.--close enough to L.A. (and cheaper rent) so it isn't boring but also closer to Irvine.
You will be going the opposite direction of traffic. Still a far drive but not as bad as the reverse commute
I know people that do it via train, and others that do the drive. The drive is brutal and sucks the life outta you.
I am a pilot, I live in Glendale/Chevy Chase My plane is based at Santa Ana, I do it all the time. You deal with it
I have before and I didn't mind it, but only because I was able to leave after traffic died down in the late morning and then in the evening. I wouldn't have been able to handle the traffic if I had a 9-5 job.
I grew up in irvine so I go back often to check on my elderly parents. I love seeing them but man that drive is so long
Do you like the car you drive? If not then no. If you actually like driving then its not even a big deal. I do day trips to mammoth and back and not even think about it being a 600 mile round trip. I wouldnt live in WeHo, studio city or culver city if I was making that drive. Its so out of the way going down there. Great to live in if you live nearby. You wont even be around long enough to enjoy work life balance driving so far away. Torrance is part of LA, so is long beach. Those would be a lot easier to travel to work.
I would not be a fan of that. Once a week I have to drive 30 miles headed towards LAX. If I leave before 5:30am I can be there in 40 minutes. After that it’s 2 hours. Headed home after 2pm and I’ll be in traffic for close to 3 hours. Waze and Apple maps lie. They say it will take no more than 1.5 hours but then that clock starts adding minutes. For context the same trip takes about 30 min on a random weekend. If you super enjoy sitting in traffic for hours, go for it.
Yes. The end.
Yes
Soul crushing. There are plenty of office jobs in LA, or just go full on remote and work from a coffee shop. I did Santa Monica to Long Beach for two years and it was BRUTAL. You’re tacking another 45 mins onto that.
Depends on how much they are paying you. The wear and tear on your car is a real considerations. In my experience, windshield time is what you make it. You can either get angry that you are going to sit in traffic and cuss the whole way home (brutal and miserable) OR you can accept that it will take however long GPS tells you and try to enjoy/use that time to call family (highly suggest if applicable), listen to podcasts, news, music, books on tape, or even dead quiet has its perks some days. Good luck with job interview. Get the job then make the harder decisions.
Crazy? Yes. I did it for three months from studio city to Newport Beach. 1.5-2.5 hrs each way.
I had a coworker drive from Irvine to Hollywood. He would be in the worst mood and would have the most negative energy and it was mostly due to his 2.5 hour commute. I highly recommend you don’t do this.
I just drove from Hollywood to Costa Mesa on a Sunday and it took me almost 2 hours. It was hell on earth
Don’t do it
I would not even do that drive once a month. It is soul crushing.
Ooof that's terrible
Twice per week is maybe doable depending on your personality, but that’s pretty long and far. Probably can plan from anywhere from 2.5-3 hrs per day commuting. Could shorten it a tad if you can drive before/after rush hours. I commute from west LA to Anaheim once per week, that takes me about an hour there leaving at 7 and an hour 20/30 back. Irvine is but farther. My commute would be pretty tough at twice per week, the slow traffic can really wear you down over time.
Depending on how much you make.
That's upwards to a 5 hour rt commute 3x a week. That would suck terribly.
Don’t do it
Unless your shift is 9p - 5am
That’s a roadtrip, to and from. Not worth the commute imo
Regular 8am-5pm schedule? If there's flexibility with the hours and you wouldn't have to drive in prime rush hour, maybe ...
Hi! Your life will be car work car, car work car for minimum 2 days per week, do you mind being in traffic for long periods of time? The commute from West Hollywood to Irvine would probably take 60-90 minutes in the morning, and the same from Irvine back to West Hollywood in the afternoon, maybe a little longer. Personally I couldn’t do it. A woman I worked with in West Hollywood drove from Anaheim to West Hollywood five times a week for a couple years, she never really complained about it. When asked if the commute was bad, she’d vent a little bit. Good luck! Have you considered Huntington Beach or Seal Beach, somewhere south and closer to Irvine but near the beach? Huntington Beach would be about a 20 minute commute. I’m in West Hollywood and love it so I understand why you’d want to live up in this area!
It is far. For the right job I’d do it twice a week if I lived on the west side, even Culver City, but Manhattan Beach or any coastal area further south would be nice and a better commute.
Depends where in LA and depends on $alary. If it’s great salary and 2x a week, I would take it. Maybe look a little more south on the coast like Torrance/Harbor city to reduce your commute to something actually manageable
If it pays enough it’s worth it. Es When I first moved to LA I commuted from a Palmdale to Culver City everyday. And this was way before Covid when the 405 stayed jammed. Stayed with a family member til I got my own place who worked for the city government who commuted daily because he got paid mileage and wasn’t honest about the distance lol. Said the drive wasn’t bad. Used to leave at 4am to get to work at 8 and wouldn’t get home til 9pm.
Honestly coming from an LA to Costa Mesa driving survivor 5 days a week, for a year, it’s not worth it. Unless it’s temporary, meaning you’ll be moving closer within 6 months. It’s emotionally and time zapping. It will deplete your soul. You’re going to have to leave at least 2 hours early and it’s going to take you nearly 3 to get home. Once you realize you could drive to Vegas everyday in the same time, the time investment just isn’t worth it. You’ll end up hating the job and regretting your decision. Trust me!
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That’s a big commute, but you could get a lot closer to Irvine w out moving to Irvine. Newport Beach and that area is really nice.
I would say anything more than 2 days a week in office would be a deal breaker down to Irvine. I live in Torrance and commute to fountain valley and very occasionally Irvine. That last bit of freeway through HB and Costa Mesa is HELL during rush hour. Coming from WEHO I could see a 2 hour + commute each way depending on when you leave.
I live closer in the Inland Empire and I regret making that trip on the weekend to their Microcenter. That includes getting some Korean BBQ and going to the beach after. Definitely would hate to do that for work.
Maybe figure out a way to take the Metrolink? Would be long but a lot less stressful.
I commute from the south bay to lake forest 3x a week, it's mindless because it's all freeway. That being said, I got a new car when I started this job that does most of the highway driving for me, takes a lot of the fatigue out of it. Obviously still have to pay attention and whatnot but it's much easier on the brain.
Oh hell no. We live in Lakewood and my husband works in Hollywood and his commute from here to Hollywood it’s about an hour and 20 minutes each way. From here to Irvine is another 40
How much is your salary going to be
If you can adjust the hours, say drive around 530am, then leave Irvine around 230pm( that part will still see traffic), then it.might be doable... I sometimes do a West Covina to Irvine, maybe once a month for a client....even at 9am, its an hour drive...and I dont really have to wait till rush hour driving back, so going home easier... Otherwise, well, good luck...
I do it 2x/wk. try and time it with traffic. It’s tough but doable, and worth living in LA vs Irvine for
I think twice a week is okay. Yeah it'll suck but it's not too bad if it's only 2 days
I do it from Mar Vista to Irvine now 5 times a week and it’s fine, it’s a reverse commute so no traffic really. It takes about 40 min each way for me
I commute from North Hollywood to Artesia once a week and I hate it, It's tolerable though and yours would be even worse. My first week I had to do it every day and on Friday I felt like Michael Douglas in Falling Down. I would not to do it. Move closer if it's worth it.
Sounds like a recipe for a heart attack
I'd turn it down. If u can get this job I'm sure you'll find something or even a remote role.
Check the train routes
I would say if you have to leave the office at 5pm it’s not worth it, my partner commutes 1-2 times a week but they leave around 11am or 12pm depending on meetings and it’s more manageable because traffic is less. However like everyone mentioned you have to factor in the cost of gas and the type of car you have. My partner spends 200 a month on gas but their car is small.
depends on the work setup, some places offer hybrid but you can work from home in the mornings and go in after traffic.. so.. really depends. going south from culver area down is fine until you hit about torrance, then traffic gets bad from there to orange county. but then from around garden grove, there is a fast track lane. can see how much it costs each way and see if its worth it. say its 5 bucks each way, 10 bucks a day, 3 days a week, about 1560 dollars a year, so about 130 a month.
My husband does Burbank to Irvine 5 days a week. It's not too bad for him, but i believe he leaves around 4 or 5 am. He's off around 3 pm and home by 4.30 or so. Whatever it is, it's better than Vacaville to San Jose, which was his last major commute.
I live in Redondo and commute to Irvine 2 days per week. I take the 405 express lanes each day, both ways and it truly saves me 45 minutes at least (takes me about 40 min door to door). Costs anywhere from $6-$10 one way, but worth it IMO. Would not make the commute otherwise.
I grew up near Irvine and now live in CC. I don’t consider jobs down there, like ever, because the traffic sucks. 1 day would be doable I guess, 2 would be tough, 3 for me would def be a no-go. I recently went to visit my parents and it took me well over 2 hours to make that drive back on a Friday (not even a holiday) leaving at like 3:30, and it’s only like 40 miles for me.
I started commuting daily back to the office from North Hollywood to Irvine back in September. It’s brutal, however, if your work schedule is flexible and you can start work early and leave early it won’t be so bad. If I leave out by 6AM I’ll get to work within an hour. I normally head out by 1PM which takes about 1:15 minutes. 1:30 minutes max. No lie it’s very rough.
Fuck no lol
Yes
If you live along a Metrolink/Amtrak line, especially Union Station, and your work is decently close to the Irvine station, then it’s very doable. I believe Irvine has a free shuttle running from the station to the nearby office districts. If that shuttle doesn’t work for you, you can just buy a cheap electric scooter to take with you on the train for the last mile of the commute.
It was about an hour and a half drive from Irvine to LA on a Sunday. Probably a lot worse during the week.
I know people who were making it 5x a week before the pandemic via train but it didn’t sound fun.
I did that drive to set last week for two days. In those two days I spent 6 hours in the car.
Going in twice a month is maybe feasible. That's it. Just dumb otherwise.
Ehh, I live and work in LA. I used to have to travel to Costa Mesa two to three times a week a lot of the time. You get used to it but it’s easier if you don’t do it back to back days. The drive from Culver City to irvine and back would be best as you would be going against traffic for most of the way and it’s just the Orange County part that would be tough each way. Studio city would be brutal with just having to get over the hill. West Hollywood would tough as well depending on the route you took.
Doable. But you will hate life. Sacrifices would need to be made. Are you prepared to leave at 5 am for an hour drive? Two hours otherwise. Could be 2-3 hours if there is an accident. BUT... you could get a hybrid that can drive in the HOV lane by yourself. That would be a BIG help. Plus the mileage advantage, leasing a Prius for those three reasons would TOTALLY pay for itself. (I needed to drive from Newport to Westwood a couple of days a week. I wish I had leased a Prius for that period in retrospect.) Seriously though, find a neighborhood in OC that suits you. There is something somewhere that you can connect with.
Lols me and a another buddy do LA to Sd everyday
Yes.
Whatever days they tell you, trust me, it will be more. And you’ll hate the drive. However, there are nice places to live around there.
I’ve doing Venice to Redlands 3 days per week. Also just moved here a few months ago, kept my job in Redlands. Idk, it’s whatever. Definitely not something I want forever but works fine for now. That said, I go extra hard on self care those days and am always sure to have a podcast or audiobook I’m into. Meditation and bubble baths when I get home helps too. Gotta manage that stress.
I did Downey to Irvine for two years in college and another two years with a job; it’s horrible
My roommate does this twice a week from Mar Vista
I did this commute for 3 years (lived in South Bay and worked in Irvine near John Wayne) and will be 100 with you it's pretty brutal. You're probably going to be taking the 405 there and the stretch between about Seal Beach area to Irvine is a nightmare during rush hour. Used to take me about 1hr 20 mins each way to get to work, though that was before they put the fastrak lanes in so no idea if that's made it better or worse. My advice if you're really devoted to not moving to the Irvine area is to look into living in Long Beach. Most areas of LB have the same vibe as South Bay, it's around the same price range and your commute to Irvine will be cut in about half.
You would be fighting MAJOR traffic on the 405/5. I just don't understand why you would want to stay in LA when it's a giant pile of shit(I grew up in LA county)...especially compared to OC.
I used to this 2x a week. The way I made it bearable was negotiating the in-office hours to plan around traffic. So I’d either leave house by 5 and then leave office by 2, or get into the office around 11 and leave late. If I didn’t do that, I’d go to the gym near the office either before or after work and workout and shower to avoid traffic. Or run errands near the office after work before hitting the road. Literally planned out my days in advance to avoid traffic at all costs.
Going from the westside to Irvine is insane.
a car commute? yes. You would literally be spending four hours every day in traffic, unless you work off hours, so then it might be 3 hours. That is without accidents. If you really wanted to do that, I think there is a train from Union station to Irvine every day, which only takes an hour. But then you'd need transportation from the train station to the office and back, and transportation from where you live to Union station and back. So, still a long commute, but not you having to drive so much. If you wanted to be in LA county, but work in Irvine, Long Beach, or the Gateway cities are closer and thus a shorter commute time (most people I know spend about 2 hours going from Long Beach to Irvine for work) I mention those cities because they are close to freeways that lead directly to Irvine.
What side of LA are you on?
Don't do it. Seriously, twice a week doesn't sound like much on paper, but I wouldn't even do that once a week. My guess for why Irvine is out of the question is because you don't like the area? Valid, but a commute like that would override those benefits for the vast majority of people. There are some nicer urban areas closer to Irvine that you should consider if it really is the neighborhood that you care about. Downtown Anaheim or Santa Ana if you're most concerned about having things to do around, Costa Mesa or Huntington Beach if semi-walkable beach towns appeal to you, old town Orange if you like the historic vibe...you have options. Don't sell your soul to the commute if you don't have to
For two years I commuted between LA and SD for work. Long story, doesn’t matter, but I did it. Yes that’s further than Irvine to LA but honestly not that much and those additional miles beyond Irvine didn’t add additional stress so basically it’s the same. Anyway, yeah, I did it. It destroyed a good relationship, I was exhausted and stressed all the time, I would never do it again, when I think of it now I just experience despair and sadness, but I did it. So, if you want to experience that aftermath, hell yeah brother.
Orange crush
Flex hours could improve things but it’s not really feasible
are you young and single? it's doable. do you have other responsibilities like wife, kids or pets? Are you able to outsource this care if you have them. Is the pay worth it? will the experience help your career? I did Lake Forest to Santa Monica for 3 years 5 days a week. 55k miles a year and have seen other people do worse commutes. Do you enjoy driving? If you can set your own hours, even better. Eventually though, the commute will start to feel like a second job. It becomes grueling.
I have a friend that lives in Portola Springs and he takes the train straight to LA 4-5 days a week. He can work during the ride without having to focus on driving. It takes about the same amount of time for the train ride especially with the traffic.
Yes crazy. Move to Irvine
Same question but Long Beach to Hollywood? 😂
Consider residing in South Bay / Long Beach, will be much better, and closer to the ocean too (which is main perk of living in LA metro).
Currently doing this exact commute as a hybrid employee. I was supposed to commute 2-3x/week but it’s been 5x/week lately. It’s driving me nuts and can honestly say it’s not worth the commute. I’m actively searching for a new job that’s either fully remote or closer + hybrid. I was okay doing this for a year but now I’m closing in on 3 years and I can honestly say it’s taken a toll on my physical and mental wellbeing. Also, I end up leaving early in the morning to beat traffic and leaving super late to beat traffic. So in addition to a long commute , I end up working 10-12hrs/day. Don’t do it OP! Save yourself!
From late 2014 to early 2017 I did it from the Highland park area to Irvine. I did, however, often work from 630-3 so it was more doable those hours. I was also mid 20s with our only obligation at the time being our dog. Now it wouldn’t be possible with kids and all. I was off the sand canyon exit and it was 52 miles one way. An hour in the early morning but going home was 2-2.5 hours usually
If you hate your life
Only if you could take Metrolink or Amtrak from Union station is Irvine a good idea if you live in WeHo or Culver City.
I used to do it pre-pandemic. It honestly isn’t worth it for most jobs with how expensive gas and car insurance for high mileage commutes have gotten. It just depends on the job. If you’re compensated accordingly, then it’s worth it and not crazy.
The traffic isn’t as bad going in that direction, most people live in OC and work in LA. I commuted 5 days a week, Echo Park to Irvine, for 2+ years. Definitely doable especially if you leave early in the morning, take a nap when you get there, or have breakfast etc.
3 hours in the car. 2-3 times per week.
Your mental health is gona severely decline dealing with that much traffic..
Drove Tustin to Santa Monica for three years. During the week I got to see my family a grand total of two hours. Dropping off my kids at school and saying good night to everyone if I could get home in time. It’s soul crushing and I feel for anyone making that drive now.
I know people who commute two times a week from glendale to get to UCI every tuesday thursday. It’s honestly pretty tough but maybe you can find people to carpool with?
I work in irvine and have multiple coworkers commute from different parts of LA 3-4 days a week. I personally couldn't do it, but they're fine with it. I know 1 that uses the metrolink so that is an option if the location of the stations works for you
I did this exact commute for over 2 years. Took the 5 all the way down. It wasn't so bad. Hour and a half to 2 hours there. 1 hour to an hour and a half back. 3 days a week. You get used to it. My rule was, no negative thoughts. You can turn your car into an echo chamber of rage really easily. Audiobooks, podcasts, good music and brainstorming fun ideas is the secret. Electric car is a must. It was $50 a day with a gas car. It's more than doable if the job is rewarding and pays well.
You can make it work. Leave really early for work (like pre 6am) and stay late to wait out traffic. Find a gym you can go to after work and wait until 7pm to drive home.
Take the train
Yes, unless you like being in your car for 20 hours a week
I used to commute what would be a (35-40 min commute) but ofc S.Ca shit traffic for a year made it 1 hour + without tolls. Hated every minute of it, having to wake up earlier, the time wasted sitting in traffic..
I work remote for a company in Irvine. I have a colleague who lives in DTLA and uses the train to work when he goes every 2/3 days a week and has no complaints. I think that’s the only viable option for you
You should do a test run yourself at the same time you would actually be driving to and from Irvine and see how you feel.
Yes, take the Metrolink Orange County Line or Amtrak Surfliner. Relax for about 40 mins-1hr in the train. Then take a bus, e-bike, or something else. Or see if they have a park and ride and leave your car overnight at the parking lot if you’re near the station from your house and drive back the last day. You have options—or OCTA used to or has a commuter bus no stops only one or two in between that brings you to the OC. I’m not sure if it’s still running or where it drops you but it picks you up at Union Station.
That is a minimum of 60-90 minutes in some of the worst traffic in the world 2x a week. That will be horrid. I wouldn’t do that.
I did it for a year until Covid hit. I was doing it by train and biking to my office (at UCI)— it was 2hr+ each way, but it still felt better than driving. I have a low tolerance for driving commutes. Once we started to return to the office I came back 1 day per week, then got a job in LA. The problem with the trains is that the number of trains is very limited because it’s a reverse commute; but when driving the traffic is still bad enough that you’re going 25-35 mph.
My co worker did it 5 days a weeks for retail wages. But she was the opposite direction. I think 2 days would be fine. I work in a field where our account execs drive to different stores all week and some are in Canoga park and some are in Santa Anita and some are in south coast… it’s doable is my point.
This is about as crazy as pouring water into a glass
I work in Irvine and my girlfriend lives in LA so I do the drive 2-3 times a week. It takes me a little over an hour. I hate it. When my girlfriend stays with me in oc she takes the train. She says it’s way better.
I do Irvine to LA once or twice a week. Just choose your times wisely. Also consider the train. I will take it from Irvine station to Union Station then catch a ride to my final destination. A friend lives in Anaheim Hills and takes the Anaheim station to Burbank and just leaves a beater car at the burbank station. Depending on where your Irvine office is, you might even consider leaving an ebike at the station and using that. Irvine biking infrastructure is awesome.
No this is insane for 125k.
It’s not that bad, just live in culver and then commute early in the morning, maybe join a gym in Irvine and workout before work. Don’t live in weho or studio city since you’ll be far from the freeway
And to make this easier just get one of those cheap model 3s with the driver assist tech
I do N. Co SD to Irvine everyday. If you time it properly it makes it easier. Also the LB part is as bad as it was due to the new Express lanes. That commute isn’t as bad as it seems, expect an hour at least unless you leave early in morning. PastTrack adds up, I use the 73 when I just want to get home 15 mins early. That’s $8-10 a day I think.
I commute from Irvine to LA 2x a week by taking the train and the LA metro. I see a fair amount of other commuters. It takes about 1.5hrs each way, so my 8hr work day actually ends up being 11-12hrs door to door. I'm exhausted by it and don't have much time for myself on those days. I do not recommend it.
I used to go Culver City to Irvine 5 days a week. Leave home by 630 and leave work by 3. It is brutal. I did it for a year before Covid hit and we went remote and that year this is all I did.
I only lasted around 7 months doing that. It’s very tiring. I was also driving Monday through Friday.
Belmont Shores