Best Time to Drive from Chula Vista to SAN

Right now (1:03 pm PDT): about 13 minutes via I-5 North, usually 13 at this time.

Only 17% 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 Chula Vista to SAN 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	12	13	14	17	14	13	13	13	13	13	14	14	14	13	13	13	13
Tue	12	13	14	23	18	13	13	13	13	13	14	14	14	14	13	13	13
Wed	12	13	15	26	18	13	13	13	13	13	14	14	14	14	13	13	13
Thu	12	13	15	25	19	13	13	13	13	13	14	14	14	14	13	13	13
Fri	12	13	13	15	13	13	13	13	13	13	14	14	14	13	13	13	13
Sat	12	12	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13
Sun	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13

About this drive

On weekdays the 12-mile drive from Chula Vista to SAN (via I-5 North) usually takes as little as 12 minutes and up to 26 minutes, when leaving around 8 am on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 13 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12:30 pm on Saturdays (13 minutes).

About 10 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 2 miles surface streets (4 to 6 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 San Diego International Airport (SAN) (Vera Cruz 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 SAN?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 12 minutes then, versus up to 26 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Chula Vista to SAN?

The 12-mile drive usually takes 12 to 26 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 13 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Chula Vista to SAN?

Leaving around 8 am on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 26 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 North in San Diego (10 miles)

San Diego traffic right now · San Diego traffic tomorrow

More drives

SAN 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 El Cajon · Chula Vista to Carlsbad · Chula Vista to Temecula · Chula Vista to Murrieta · Chula Vista to Universal City · Chula Vista to Vista · Chula Vista to San Marcos

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	12	13	14	17	14	13	13	13	13	13	14	14	14	13	13	13	13
Tue	12	13	14	23	18	13	13	13	13	13	14	14	14	14	13	13	13
Wed	12	13	15	26	18	13	13	13	13	13	14	14	14	14	13	13	13
Thu	12	13	15	25	19	13	13	13	13	13	14	14	14	14	13	13	13
Fri	12	13	13	15	13	13	13	13	13	13	14	14	14	13	13	13	13
Sat	12	12	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13
Sun	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	12	13	14	17	14	13	13	13	13	13	14	14	14	13	13	13	13
Tue	12	13	14	23	18	13	13	13	13	13	14	14	14	14	13	13	13
Wed	12	13	15	26	18	13	13	13	13	13	14	14	14	14	13	13	13
Thu	12	13	15	25	19	13	13	13	13	13	14	14	14	14	13	13	13
Fri	12	13	13	15	13	13	13	13	13	13	14	14	14	13	13	13	13
Sat	12	12	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13
Sun	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	12	13	14	17	14	13	13	13	13	13	14	14	14	13	13	13	13
Tue	12	13	14	23	18	13	13	13	13	13	14	14	14	14	13	13	13
Wed	12	13	15	26	18	13	13	13	13	13	14	14	14	14	13	13	13
Thu	12	13	15	25	19	13	13	13	13	13	14	14	14	14	13	13	13
Fri	12	13	13	15	13	13	13	13	13	13	14	14	14	13	13	13	13
Sat	12	12	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13
Sun	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13