Best Time to Drive from Carlsbad to La Mesa

Right now (3:20 pm PST): about 36 minutes via I-5 South and I-805 South, usually 37 at this time.

Only 76% 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 La Mesa 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	34	35	36	44	40	37	37	37	36	37	50	56	50	37	36	36	34
Tue	34	35	38	49	46	38	37	37	37	39	55	61	59	45	37	36	34
Wed	34	35	37	49	44	37	37	36	37	39	55	59	58	44	36	35	34
Thu	34	35	37	49	43	37	37	37	37	40	56	61	59	44	36	35	34
Fri	34	35	36	38	36	36	37	37	37	41	56	58	49	41	36	35	34
Sat	34	34	34	35	35	36	38	38	38	38	37	37	37	37	36	36	34
Sun	34	34	34	34	35	35	37	38	39	42	38	37	37	38	37	36	34

About this drive

On weekdays the 38-mile drive from Carlsbad to La Mesa (via I-5 South and I-805 South) usually takes as little as 34 minutes and up to 63 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7:30 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 37 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2 pm on Sundays (42 minutes).

About 34 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 3 miles surface streets (4 to 7 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Carlsbad to central La Mesa 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 La Mesa?

On weekdays, leave before 7:30 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 34 minutes then, versus up to 63 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Carlsbad to La Mesa?

The 38-mile drive usually takes 34 to 63 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 37 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Carlsbad to La Mesa?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 63 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in San Diego (18 miles) · I-805 South in San Diego (10 miles) · I-8 East in San Diego (6 miles)

San Diego traffic right now · San Diego traffic tomorrow

More drives

La Mesa to Carlsbad (return trip) · Carlsbad to San Diego · Carlsbad to Escondido · Carlsbad to Chula Vista · 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

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	34	35	36	44	40	37	37	37	36	37	50	56	50	37	36	36	34
Tue	34	35	38	49	46	38	37	37	37	39	55	61	59	45	37	36	34
Wed	34	35	37	49	44	37	37	36	37	39	55	59	58	44	36	35	34
Thu	34	35	37	49	43	37	37	37	37	40	56	61	59	44	36	35	34
Fri	34	35	36	38	36	36	37	37	37	41	56	58	49	41	36	35	34
Sat	34	34	34	35	35	36	38	38	38	38	37	37	37	37	36	36	34
Sun	34	34	34	34	35	35	37	38	39	42	38	37	37	38	37	36	34

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	34	35	36	44	40	37	37	37	36	37	50	56	50	37	36	36	34
Tue	34	35	38	49	46	38	37	37	37	39	55	61	59	45	37	36	34
Wed	34	35	37	49	44	37	37	36	37	39	55	59	58	44	36	35	34
Thu	34	35	37	49	43	37	37	37	37	40	56	61	59	44	36	35	34
Fri	34	35	36	38	36	36	37	37	37	41	56	58	49	41	36	35	34
Sat	34	34	34	35	35	36	38	38	38	38	37	37	37	37	36	36	34
Sun	34	34	34	34	35	35	37	38	39	42	38	37	37	38	37	36	34

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	34	35	36	44	40	37	37	37	36	37	50	56	50	37	36	36	34
Tue	34	35	38	49	46	38	37	37	37	39	55	61	59	45	37	36	34
Wed	34	35	37	49	44	37	37	36	37	39	55	59	58	44	36	35	34
Thu	34	35	37	49	43	37	37	37	37	40	56	61	59	44	36	35	34
Fri	34	35	36	38	36	36	37	37	37	41	56	58	49	41	36	35	34
Sat	34	34	34	35	35	36	38	38	38	38	37	37	37	37	36	36	34
Sun	34	34	34	34	35	35	37	38	39	42	38	37	37	38	37	36	34