What You Need To Know Before You Go During Coachella

Festival season is about to descend upon the valley for the next three weeks. So what do you need to know before you go anywhere during this chaotic travel time? Our Know Before You Go Traffic Expert Kris Gunterson breaks down all the heavy roadway congestion that's expected during the Coachella and Stagecoach Music Festivals in the video above, but here's a summary for you as well:

When is traffic expected to start?
As the highly anticipated festival kicks off Thursday morning, heavy traffic is expected throughout the Coachella Valley, particularly around the venue. Campers begin arriving early Thursday to secure prime camping spots, affecting major routes including Monroe Street, Jefferson Street, Washington Street, and Avenue 52.

Evening traffic

Evening traffic surges each night around midnight when festivalgoers exit the venue. The main outbound routes—Washington Street, Jefferson Street, and Monroe Street—become heavily congested from approximately 12:15 a.m. to 2:00 a.m., making late-night travel through those areas challenging.

The most significant travel congestion
The most significant traffic impact will occur Monday morning, when attendees depart. Expect severe congestion on Avenue 52, Monroe Street, Jefferson Street, and Washington Street, especially near the intersections of Avenue 42 and Washington Street, and Monterey and Highway 74. Navigation apps like Waze and Google Maps often route vehicles through Avenue 42, creating major backups. Morning departure traffic typically peaks between 7:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Additionally, westbound I-10 becomes heavily congested by late morning on Monday.

What you can do

Locals and visitors alike are encouraged to plan ahead, avoid key intersections during peak hours, and adjust travel plans accordingly for what promises to be a busy—but beautiful—festival weekend.