Best Time to Drive from Carlsbad to Ontario

Right now (5:17 pm PDT): about 101 minutes via I-5 North, usually 84 at this time.

Only 48% 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 Ontario 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	74	82	85	82	79	80	81	82	83	92	96	94	91	80	77	75	74
Tue	74	86	88	85	82	82	82	82	85	92	95	93	90	79	80	76	74
Wed	74	85	91	86	82	82	81	82	84	94	94	95	93	79	79	77	74
Thu	74	83	88	80	80	82	81	83	87	93	97	96	92	82	81	78	74
Fri	73	76	80	78	81	83	83	92	100	106	108	104	94	86	79	77	74
Sat	73	74	75	75	79	83	91	95	95	96	98	93	88	81	78	78	74
Sun	73	74	74	74	76	78	86	96	95	94	92	86	85	79	78	78	73

About this drive

On weekdays the 79-mile drive from Carlsbad to Ontario (via I-5 North) usually takes as little as 73 minutes and up to 108 minutes, when leaving around 3 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 87 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3 pm on Saturdays (98 minutes).

About 69 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 11 miles surface streets (13 to 32 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Carlsbad to central Ontario 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 Ontario?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 73 minutes then, versus up to 108 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 79-mile drive usually takes 73 to 108 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 87 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Carlsbad to Ontario?

Leaving around 3 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 108 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 North in Orange County (24 miles) · I-5 North in San Diego (21 miles) · SR-241 North in Orange County (12 miles) · SR-91 East in Orange County (7 miles) · SR-133 North in Orange County (4 miles)

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

More drives

Ontario 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	74	82	85	82	79	80	81	82	83	92	96	94	91	80	77	75	74
Tue	74	86	88	85	82	82	82	82	85	92	95	93	90	79	80	76	74
Wed	74	85	91	86	82	82	81	82	84	94	94	95	93	79	79	77	74
Thu	74	83	88	80	80	82	81	83	87	93	97	96	92	82	81	78	74
Fri	73	76	80	78	81	83	83	92	100	106	108	104	94	86	79	77	74
Sat	73	74	75	75	79	83	91	95	95	96	98	93	88	81	78	78	74
Sun	73	74	74	74	76	78	86	96	95	94	92	86	85	79	78	78	73

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	74	82	85	82	79	80	81	82	83	92	96	94	91	80	77	75	74
Tue	74	86	88	85	82	82	82	82	85	92	95	93	90	79	80	76	74
Wed	74	85	91	86	82	82	81	82	84	94	94	95	93	79	79	77	74
Thu	74	83	88	80	80	82	81	83	87	93	97	96	92	82	81	78	74
Fri	73	76	80	78	81	83	83	92	100	106	108	104	94	86	79	77	74
Sat	73	74	75	75	79	83	91	95	95	96	98	93	88	81	78	78	74
Sun	73	74	74	74	76	78	86	96	95	94	92	86	85	79	78	78	73

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	74	82	85	82	79	80	81	82	83	92	96	94	91	80	77	75	74
Tue	74	86	88	85	82	82	82	82	85	92	95	93	90	79	80	76	74
Wed	74	85	91	86	82	82	81	82	84	94	94	95	93	79	79	77	74
Thu	74	83	88	80	80	82	81	83	87	93	97	96	92	82	81	78	74
Fri	73	76	80	78	81	83	83	92	100	106	108	104	94	86	79	77	74
Sat	73	74	75	75	79	83	91	95	95	96	98	93	88	81	78	78	74
Sun	73	74	74	74	76	78	86	96	95	94	92	86	85	79	78	78	73