Best Time to Drive from Buena Park to Carlsbad

Right now (3:20 pm PST): about 106 minutes via I-5 South, usually 77 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 Buena Park 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	57	62	71	78	71	62	61	61	61	61	61	62	65	63	59	59	58
Tue	58	63	77	83	75	66	63	63	62	62	63	64	68	65	59	60	59
Wed	57	62	75	84	75	67	63	62	62	62	64	64	67	65	60	60	58
Thu	58	63	74	81	75	67	64	63	63	63	65	66	68	64	60	59	58
Fri	58	62	70	72	69	66	69	73	75	79	83	83	76	67	63	61	59
Sat	59	59	60	62	70	75	78	77	78	75	73	73	67	63	61	60	59
Sun	58	58	58	59	60	63	68	67	67	67	66	65	63	62	62	62	58

About this drive

On weekdays the 67-mile drive from Buena Park to Carlsbad (via I-5 South) usually takes as little as 57 minutes and up to 86 minutes, when leaving around 3:30 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 1 pm on Saturdays (78 minutes).

About 65 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 1.5 miles surface streets (1 to 4 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Buena Park 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 Buena Park to Carlsbad?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 57 minutes then, versus up to 86 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Buena Park to Carlsbad?

The 67-mile drive usually takes 57 to 86 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 65 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Buena Park to Carlsbad?

Leaving around 3:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 86 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in Orange County (50 miles) · I-5 South in San Diego (15 miles)

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

More drives

Carlsbad to Buena Park (return trip) · Buena Park to Los Angeles · Buena Park to Long Beach · Buena Park to Anaheim · Buena Park to Riverside · Buena Park to Santa Ana · Buena Park to Irvine · Buena Park to San Bernardino · Buena Park to Fontana · Buena Park to Moreno Valley · Buena Park to Glendale · Buena Park to Santa Clarita

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	57	62	71	78	71	62	61	61	61	61	61	62	65	63	59	59	58
Tue	58	63	77	83	75	66	63	63	62	62	63	64	68	65	59	60	59
Wed	57	62	75	84	75	67	63	62	62	62	64	64	67	65	60	60	58
Thu	58	63	74	81	75	67	64	63	63	63	65	66	68	64	60	59	58
Fri	58	62	70	72	69	66	69	73	75	79	83	83	76	67	63	61	59
Sat	59	59	60	62	70	75	78	77	78	75	73	73	67	63	61	60	59
Sun	58	58	58	59	60	63	68	67	67	67	66	65	63	62	62	62	58

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	57	62	71	78	71	62	61	61	61	61	61	62	65	63	59	59	58
Tue	58	63	77	83	75	66	63	63	62	62	63	64	68	65	59	60	59
Wed	57	62	75	84	75	67	63	62	62	62	64	64	67	65	60	60	58
Thu	58	63	74	81	75	67	64	63	63	63	65	66	68	64	60	59	58
Fri	58	62	70	72	69	66	69	73	75	79	83	83	76	67	63	61	59
Sat	59	59	60	62	70	75	78	77	78	75	73	73	67	63	61	60	59
Sun	58	58	58	59	60	63	68	67	67	67	66	65	63	62	62	62	58

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	57	62	71	78	71	62	61	61	61	61	61	62	65	63	59	59	58
Tue	58	63	77	83	75	66	63	63	62	62	63	64	68	65	59	60	59
Wed	57	62	75	84	75	67	63	62	62	62	64	64	67	65	60	60	58
Thu	58	63	74	81	75	67	64	63	63	63	65	66	68	64	60	59	58
Fri	58	62	70	72	69	66	69	73	75	79	83	83	76	67	63	61	59
Sat	59	59	60	62	70	75	78	77	78	75	73	73	67	63	61	60	59
Sun	58	58	58	59	60	63	68	67	67	67	66	65	63	62	62	62	58