Best Time to Drive from Chula Vista to El Cajon

Only 5% 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.

About this drive

On weekdays the 16-mile drive from Chula Vista to El Cajon (via SR-125 North and SR-54 East) usually takes as little as 18 minutes and up to 26 minutes, when leaving around 7:30 am on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7 am or after 6 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 19 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12:30 pm on Saturdays (19 minutes).

About 10 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 5 miles surface streets (9 to 16 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Chula Vista (F Street) to central El Cajon (South Magnolia Avenue) 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 Chula Vista to El Cajon?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 6 pm. The drive usually takes about 18 minutes then, versus up to 26 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Chula Vista to El Cajon?

The 16-mile drive usually takes 18 to 26 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 19 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Chula Vista to El Cajon?

Leaving around 7:30 am on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 26 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

SR-125 North in San Diego (6 miles) · I-8 East in San Diego (1.1 miles)

San Diego traffic right now · San Diego traffic tomorrow

More drives

El Cajon to Chula Vista (return trip) · Chula Vista to San Diego · Chula Vista to Escondido · Chula Vista to Oceanside · Chula Vista to La Jolla · Chula Vista to Carlsbad · Chula Vista to SAN · Chula Vista to Temecula · Chula Vista to Murrieta · Chula Vista to Universal City · Chula Vista to Vista · Chula Vista to San Marcos

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