Best Time to Drive from Anaheim to Carlsbad

Right now (6:17 pm PDT): about 64 minutes via I-5 South, usually 59 at this time.

Only 14% of this drive is measured by working traffic sensors right now. The rest is estimated from nearby sensors, typical speeds and street traffic, so times can be off. Why so few sensors work.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from Anaheim to Carlsbad by day and time you leave (local time)
Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	56	60	66	70	69	61	60	61	61	60	61	63	65	62	58	57	57
Tue	57	61	70	73	69	64	61	62	61	60	63	64	68	63	58	58	57
Wed	56	60	69	74	70	65	63	62	61	62	65	65	68	64	59	58	57
Thu	56	61	67	70	70	66	63	62	62	62	66	67	68	64	59	59	57
Fri	57	60	67	69	68	66	71	76	82	90	95	92	80	65	61	58	57
Sat	57	57	58	62	77	85	90	90	90	86	85	83	71	67	59	58	57
Sun	57	57	57	57	59	67	74	73	71	71	68	66	62	59	60	60	57

About this drive

On weekdays the 64-mile drive from Anaheim to Carlsbad (via I-5 South) usually takes as little as 56 minutes and up to 95 minutes, when leaving around 3 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 65 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12:30 pm on Saturdays (92 minutes).

About 60 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 4 miles surface streets (5 to 10 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from Disneyland to central Carlsbad along the route on the map. Starting or ending elsewhere in a big city can add or save several minutes.

Simulated from typical freeway speeds at each point of the drive for the time you would reach it, from every 5-minute reading we have recorded. We don't have sensors on surface streets yet, so the time on them is estimated from how congested the freeways around each end of the drive are at that time, in both directions: streets jam when the freeways do.

Questions

What is the best time to drive from Anaheim to Carlsbad?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 56 minutes then, versus up to 95 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Anaheim to Carlsbad?

The 64-mile drive usually takes 56 to 95 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 65 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Anaheim to Carlsbad?

Leaving around 3 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 95 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in Orange County (41 miles) · I-5 South in San Diego (15 miles) · SR-57 South in Orange County (4 miles)

Orange County traffic right now · Orange County traffic tomorrow · San Diego traffic right now · San Diego traffic tomorrow

More drives

Carlsbad to Anaheim (return trip) · Anaheim to Los Angeles · Anaheim to Santa Monica · Anaheim to Pasadena · Anaheim to Long Beach · Anaheim to West Covina · Anaheim to Burbank · Anaheim to Glendale · Anaheim to Santa Clarita · Anaheim to Van Nuys · Anaheim to Torrance · Anaheim to LAX

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	56	60	66	70	69	61	60	61	61	60	61	63	65	62	58	57	57
Tue	57	61	70	73	69	64	61	62	61	60	63	64	68	63	58	58	57
Wed	56	60	69	74	70	65	63	62	61	62	65	65	68	64	59	58	57
Thu	56	61	67	70	70	66	63	62	62	62	66	67	68	64	59	59	57
Fri	57	60	67	69	68	66	71	76	82	90	95	92	80	65	61	58	57
Sat	57	57	58	62	77	85	90	90	90	86	85	83	71	67	59	58	57
Sun	57	57	57	57	59	67	74	73	71	71	68	66	62	59	60	60	57

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	56	60	66	70	69	61	60	61	61	60	61	63	65	62	58	57	57
Tue	57	61	70	73	69	64	61	62	61	60	63	64	68	63	58	58	57
Wed	56	60	69	74	70	65	63	62	61	62	65	65	68	64	59	58	57
Thu	56	61	67	70	70	66	63	62	62	62	66	67	68	64	59	59	57
Fri	57	60	67	69	68	66	71	76	82	90	95	92	80	65	61	58	57
Sat	57	57	58	62	77	85	90	90	90	86	85	83	71	67	59	58	57
Sun	57	57	57	57	59	67	74	73	71	71	68	66	62	59	60	60	57

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	56	60	66	70	69	61	60	61	61	60	61	63	65	62	58	57	57
Tue	57	61	70	73	69	64	61	62	61	60	63	64	68	63	58	58	57
Wed	56	60	69	74	70	65	63	62	61	62	65	65	68	64	59	58	57
Thu	56	61	67	70	70	66	63	62	62	62	66	67	68	64	59	59	57
Fri	57	60	67	69	68	66	71	76	82	90	95	92	80	65	61	58	57
Sat	57	57	58	62	77	85	90	90	90	86	85	83	71	67	59	58	57
Sun	57	57	57	57	59	67	74	73	71	71	68	66	62	59	60	60	57