Best Time to Drive from Carlsbad to Chula Vista

Right now (2:36 am PST): about 39 minutes via I-5 South and I-805 South.

Only 45% 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 Carlsbad to Chula Vista 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	38	40	42	48	44	42	41	41	41	43	54	60	55	42	40	40	39
Tue	38	40	44	54	50	43	42	42	42	44	59	66	66	50	41	40	38
Wed	38	40	43	54	49	42	41	41	42	44	59	66	66	49	40	39	39
Thu	38	40	43	54	47	42	42	41	41	43	60	67	66	50	40	39	39
Fri	38	40	41	42	40	41	41	41	42	47	61	65	57	47	41	39	38
Sat	38	39	39	40	39	40	43	43	44	43	43	43	42	40	40	40	39
Sun	38	38	38	39	39	39	42	44	45	47	44	42	41	43	41	40	38

About this drive

On weekdays the 41-mile drive from Carlsbad to Chula Vista (via I-5 South and I-805 South) usually takes as little as 38 minutes and up to 69 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7 am or after 7 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 42 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2 pm on Sundays (47 minutes).

About 38 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 3 miles surface streets (5 to 9 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Carlsbad to central Chula Vista (F Street) 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 Carlsbad to Chula Vista?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 38 minutes then, versus up to 69 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Carlsbad to Chula Vista?

The 41-mile drive usually takes 38 to 69 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 42 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Carlsbad to Chula Vista?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 69 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in San Diego (20 miles) · I-805 South in San Diego (18 miles)

San Diego traffic right now · San Diego traffic tomorrow

Carlsbad to Chula Vista over Thanksgiving: when to leave →

More drives

Chula Vista to Carlsbad (return trip) · Carlsbad to San Diego · Carlsbad to Escondido · Carlsbad to La Jolla · Carlsbad to El Cajon · Carlsbad to SAN · Carlsbad to Long Beach · Carlsbad to Anaheim · Carlsbad to Riverside · Carlsbad to Santa Ana · Carlsbad to Irvine · Carlsbad to San Bernardino

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	38	40	42	48	44	42	41	41	41	43	54	60	55	42	40	40	39
Tue	38	40	44	54	50	43	42	42	42	44	59	66	66	50	41	40	38
Wed	38	40	43	54	49	42	41	41	42	44	59	66	66	49	40	39	39
Thu	38	40	43	54	47	42	42	41	41	43	60	67	66	50	40	39	39
Fri	38	40	41	42	40	41	41	41	42	47	61	65	57	47	41	39	38
Sat	38	39	39	40	39	40	43	43	44	43	43	43	42	40	40	40	39
Sun	38	38	38	39	39	39	42	44	45	47	44	42	41	43	41	40	38

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	38	40	42	48	44	42	41	41	41	43	54	60	55	42	40	40	39
Tue	38	40	44	54	50	43	42	42	42	44	59	66	66	50	41	40	38
Wed	38	40	43	54	49	42	41	41	42	44	59	66	66	49	40	39	39
Thu	38	40	43	54	47	42	42	41	41	43	60	67	66	50	40	39	39
Fri	38	40	41	42	40	41	41	41	42	47	61	65	57	47	41	39	38
Sat	38	39	39	40	39	40	43	43	44	43	43	43	42	40	40	40	39
Sun	38	38	38	39	39	39	42	44	45	47	44	42	41	43	41	40	38

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	38	40	42	48	44	42	41	41	41	43	54	60	55	42	40	40	39
Tue	38	40	44	54	50	43	42	42	42	44	59	66	66	50	41	40	38
Wed	38	40	43	54	49	42	41	41	42	44	59	66	66	49	40	39	39
Thu	38	40	43	54	47	42	42	41	41	43	60	67	66	50	40	39	39
Fri	38	40	41	42	40	41	41	41	42	47	61	65	57	47	41	39	38
Sat	38	39	39	40	39	40	43	43	44	43	43	43	42	40	40	40	39
Sun	38	38	38	39	39	39	42	44	45	47	44	42	41	43	41	40	38