Best Time to Drive from Buena Park to San Marcos

Right now (7:49 pm PDT): about 74 minutes via I-5 South, usually 70 at this time.

Only 55% 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 San Marcos 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	67	73	81	86	81	72	72	71	72	73	74	73	75	72	69	69	68
Tue	68	73	89	92	86	78	73	73	73	72	76	76	78	75	70	71	69
Wed	67	73	89	93	85	78	76	74	73	76	81	79	78	75	71	70	69
Thu	68	75	86	90	86	81	78	75	76	81	85	82	79	76	71	70	68
Fri	69	73	80	82	83	89	90	98	101	104	111	103	100	85	78	71	69
Sat	69	69	69	78	90	109	99	97	110	87	86	101	77	73	71	70	69
Sun	68	68	68	69	71	74	85	78	76	77	78	83	73	72	72	72	68

About this drive

On weekdays the 78-mile drive from Buena Park to San Marcos (via I-5 South) usually takes as little as 67 minutes and up to 111 minutes, when leaving around 3 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 7 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 79 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1 pm on Saturdays (110 minutes).

About 77 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 1.6 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 San Marcos 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 San Marcos?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 67 minutes then, versus up to 111 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Buena Park to San Marcos?

The 78-mile drive usually takes 67 to 111 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 79 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Buena Park to San Marcos?

Leaving around 3 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 111 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in Orange County (50 miles) · I-5 South in San Diego (17 miles) · SR-78 East in San Diego (10 miles)

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

More drives

San Marcos 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	67	73	81	86	81	72	72	71	72	73	74	73	75	72	69	69	68
Tue	68	73	89	92	86	78	73	73	73	72	76	76	78	75	70	71	69
Wed	67	73	89	93	85	78	76	74	73	76	81	79	78	75	71	70	69
Thu	68	75	86	90	86	81	78	75	76	81	85	82	79	76	71	70	68
Fri	69	73	80	82	83	89	90	98	101	104	111	103	100	85	78	71	69
Sat	69	69	69	78	90	109	99	97	110	87	86	101	77	73	71	70	69
Sun	68	68	68	69	71	74	85	78	76	77	78	83	73	72	72	72	68

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	67	73	81	86	81	72	72	71	72	73	74	73	75	72	69	69	68
Tue	68	73	89	92	86	78	73	73	73	72	76	76	78	75	70	71	69
Wed	67	73	89	93	85	78	76	74	73	76	81	79	78	75	71	70	69
Thu	68	75	86	90	86	81	78	75	76	81	85	82	79	76	71	70	68
Fri	69	73	80	82	83	89	90	98	101	104	111	103	100	85	78	71	69
Sat	69	69	69	78	90	109	99	97	110	87	86	101	77	73	71	70	69
Sun	68	68	68	69	71	74	85	78	76	77	78	83	73	72	72	72	68

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	67	73	81	86	81	72	72	71	72	73	74	73	75	72	69	69	68
Tue	68	73	89	92	86	78	73	73	73	72	76	76	78	75	70	71	69
Wed	67	73	89	93	85	78	76	74	73	76	81	79	78	75	71	70	69
Thu	68	75	86	90	86	81	78	75	76	81	85	82	79	76	71	70	68
Fri	69	73	80	82	83	89	90	98	101	104	111	103	100	85	78	71	69
Sat	69	69	69	78	90	109	99	97	110	87	86	101	77	73	71	70	69
Sun	68	68	68	69	71	74	85	78	76	77	78	83	73	72	72	72	68