Best Time to Drive from Carson to Rancho Santa Margarita

Right now (4:50 pm PST): about 45 minutes via I-405 South and I-5 South and SR-22 East, usually 45 at this time.

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 Carson to Rancho Santa Margarita 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	42	45	50	55	51	45	46	45	46	47	48	49	51	46	44	44	43
Tue	42	46	54	61	54	47	45	47	47	49	49	50	54	47	45	44	43
Wed	42	46	53	59	53	47	47	46	46	48	49	50	53	48	44	44	43
Thu	42	46	52	57	53	47	46	46	46	46	48	48	50	46	44	44	43
Fri	42	45	50	51	49	47	46	46	47	48	49	47	48	45	45	44	43
Sat	43	43	43	44	45	45	46	45	46	46	46	46	45	45	44	44	43
Sun	43	43	43	43	44	44	44	44	45	44	45	44	45	44	44	44	43

About this drive

On weekdays the 47-mile drive from Carson to Rancho Santa Margarita (via I-405 South and I-5 South and SR-22 East) usually takes as little as 42 minutes and up to 63 minutes, when leaving around 7:30 am on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 46 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2 pm on Saturdays (46 minutes).

About 45 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 1.7 miles surface streets (2 to 4 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Carson to central Rancho Santa Margarita 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 Carson to Rancho Santa Margarita?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 42 minutes then, versus up to 63 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Carson to Rancho Santa Margarita?

The 47-mile drive usually takes 42 to 63 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 46 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Carson to Rancho Santa Margarita?

Leaving around 7:30 am on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 63 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in Orange County (10 miles) · SR-22 East in Orange County (9 miles) · I-405 South in Los Angeles (8 miles) · SR-241 South in Orange County (8 miles) · I-405 South in Orange County (6 miles) · SR-133 North in Orange County (3 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow · Orange County traffic right now · Orange County traffic tomorrow

More drives

Rancho Santa Margarita to Carson (return trip) · Carson to Los Angeles · Carson to Long Beach · Carson to Anaheim · Carson to Riverside · Carson to Santa Ana · Carson to Irvine · Carson to Buena Park · Carson to San Bernardino · Carson to Fontana · Carson to Oxnard · Carson to Moreno Valley

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	42	45	50	55	51	45	46	45	46	47	48	49	51	46	44	44	43
Tue	42	46	54	61	54	47	45	47	47	49	49	50	54	47	45	44	43
Wed	42	46	53	59	53	47	47	46	46	48	49	50	53	48	44	44	43
Thu	42	46	52	57	53	47	46	46	46	46	48	48	50	46	44	44	43
Fri	42	45	50	51	49	47	46	46	47	48	49	47	48	45	45	44	43
Sat	43	43	43	44	45	45	46	45	46	46	46	46	45	45	44	44	43
Sun	43	43	43	43	44	44	44	44	45	44	45	44	45	44	44	44	43

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	42	45	50	55	51	45	46	45	46	47	48	49	51	46	44	44	43
Tue	42	46	54	61	54	47	45	47	47	49	49	50	54	47	45	44	43
Wed	42	46	53	59	53	47	47	46	46	48	49	50	53	48	44	44	43
Thu	42	46	52	57	53	47	46	46	46	46	48	48	50	46	44	44	43
Fri	42	45	50	51	49	47	46	46	47	48	49	47	48	45	45	44	43
Sat	43	43	43	44	45	45	46	45	46	46	46	46	45	45	44	44	43
Sun	43	43	43	43	44	44	44	44	45	44	45	44	45	44	44	44	43

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	42	45	50	55	51	45	46	45	46	47	48	49	51	46	44	44	43
Tue	42	46	54	61	54	47	45	47	47	49	49	50	54	47	45	44	43
Wed	42	46	53	59	53	47	47	46	46	48	49	50	53	48	44	44	43
Thu	42	46	52	57	53	47	46	46	46	46	48	48	50	46	44	44	43
Fri	42	45	50	51	49	47	46	46	47	48	49	47	48	45	45	44	43
Sat	43	43	43	44	45	45	46	45	46	46	46	46	45	45	44	44	43
Sun	43	43	43	43	44	44	44	44	45	44	45	44	45	44	44	44	43