Best Time to Drive from Carlsbad to Murrieta

Right now (5:33 pm PDT): about 46 minutes via I-15 North and SR-76 East, usually 50 at this time.

Only 39% 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 Murrieta 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	44	44	43	45	46	46	46	46	46	46	56	60	67	52	45	44	43
Tue	43	44	43	46	46	46	46	46	46	46	61	72	70	54	46	44	43
Wed	43	43	43	45	46	46	46	47	46	46	64	75	73	54	46	45	43
Thu	44	44	43	45	47	47	46	46	47	49	64	74	78	65	50	45	43
Fri	43	44	44	46	47	48	47	51	56	75	93	94	85	69	52	47	45
Sat	43	43	43	43	44	47	62	64	65	67	60	54	52	47	44	44	43
Sun	43	43	43	44	44	47	63	68	67	63	60	55	53	48	45	45	43

About this drive

On weekdays the 41-mile drive from Carlsbad to Murrieta (via I-15 North and SR-76 East) usually takes as little as 43 minutes and up to 100 minutes, when leaving around 3:30 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 12:30 pm or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 48 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 11:30 am on Sundays (68 minutes).

About 25 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 15 miles surface streets (20 to 56 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Carlsbad to central Murrieta 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 Murrieta?

On weekdays, leave before 12:30 pm or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 43 minutes then, versus up to 100 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 41-mile drive usually takes 43 to 100 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 48 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Carlsbad to Murrieta?

Leaving around 3:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 100 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-15 North in Inland Empire (8 miles) · I-15 North in San Diego (7 miles) · SR-76 East in San Diego (6 miles) · I-5 North in San Diego (5 miles)

San Diego traffic right now · San Diego traffic tomorrow · Inland Empire traffic right now · Inland Empire traffic tomorrow

More drives

Murrieta 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	44	44	43	45	46	46	46	46	46	46	56	60	67	52	45	44	43
Tue	43	44	43	46	46	46	46	46	46	46	61	72	70	54	46	44	43
Wed	43	43	43	45	46	46	46	47	46	46	64	75	73	54	46	45	43
Thu	44	44	43	45	47	47	46	46	47	49	64	74	78	65	50	45	43
Fri	43	44	44	46	47	48	47	51	56	75	93	94	85	69	52	47	45
Sat	43	43	43	43	44	47	62	64	65	67	60	54	52	47	44	44	43
Sun	43	43	43	44	44	47	63	68	67	63	60	55	53	48	45	45	43

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	44	44	43	45	46	46	46	46	46	46	56	60	67	52	45	44	43
Tue	43	44	43	46	46	46	46	46	46	46	61	72	70	54	46	44	43
Wed	43	43	43	45	46	46	46	47	46	46	64	75	73	54	46	45	43
Thu	44	44	43	45	47	47	46	46	47	49	64	74	78	65	50	45	43
Fri	43	44	44	46	47	48	47	51	56	75	93	94	85	69	52	47	45
Sat	43	43	43	43	44	47	62	64	65	67	60	54	52	47	44	44	43
Sun	43	43	43	44	44	47	63	68	67	63	60	55	53	48	45	45	43

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	44	44	43	45	46	46	46	46	46	46	56	60	67	52	45	44	43
Tue	43	44	43	46	46	46	46	46	46	46	61	72	70	54	46	44	43
Wed	43	43	43	45	46	46	46	47	46	46	64	75	73	54	46	45	43
Thu	44	44	43	45	47	47	46	46	47	49	64	74	78	65	50	45	43
Fri	43	44	44	46	47	48	47	51	56	75	93	94	85	69	52	47	45
Sat	43	43	43	43	44	47	62	64	65	67	60	54	52	47	44	44	43
Sun	43	43	43	44	44	47	63	68	67	63	60	55	53	48	45	45	43