Best Time to Drive from Chula Vista to Universal City

Right now (8:20 pm PST): about 125 minutes via I-5 North, usually 123 at this time.

Only 58% 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 Universal City 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	132	137	151	156	144	138	137	139	140	141	146	150	143	131	126	124	123
Tue	131	144	156	177	153	140	138	138	139	145	159	165	157	137	126	124	123
Wed	130	139	158	173	153	142	138	138	142	151	162	167	158	138	128	124	122
Thu	131	140	154	166	154	141	140	140	146	167	171	167	161	143	130	125	123
Fri	130	132	139	144	140	140	143	147	173	172	177	172	151	138	131	124	122
Sat	123	125	126	129	135	141	147	148	149	148	152	142	137	134	131	125	122
Sun	122	122	123	126	128	135	142	145	147	146	143	142	141	136	133	125	121

About this drive

On weekdays the 138-mile drive from Chula Vista to Universal City (via I-5 North) usually takes as little as 122 minutes and up to 178 minutes, when leaving around 2:30 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 145 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3 pm on Saturdays (152 minutes).

About 135 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 4 miles surface streets (4 to 7 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Chula Vista to central Universal City 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 Universal City?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 122 minutes then, versus up to 178 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Chula Vista to Universal City?

The 138-mile drive usually takes 122 to 178 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 145 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Chula Vista to Universal City?

Leaving around 2:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 178 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 North in Orange County (53 miles) · I-5 North in San Diego (40 miles) · I-805 North in San Diego (21 miles) · I-5 North in Los Angeles (11 miles) · US-101 North in Los Angeles (10 miles)

San Diego traffic right now · San Diego traffic tomorrow · Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

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 SAN · Chula Vista to Temecula · Chula Vista to Murrieta · Chula Vista to Vista · Chula Vista to San Marcos · Chula Vista to Mira Mesa

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	132	137	151	156	144	138	137	139	140	141	146	150	143	131	126	124	123
Tue	131	144	156	177	153	140	138	138	139	145	159	165	157	137	126	124	123
Wed	130	139	158	173	153	142	138	138	142	151	162	167	158	138	128	124	122
Thu	131	140	154	166	154	141	140	140	146	167	171	167	161	143	130	125	123
Fri	130	132	139	144	140	140	143	147	173	172	177	172	151	138	131	124	122
Sat	123	125	126	129	135	141	147	148	149	148	152	142	137	134	131	125	122
Sun	122	122	123	126	128	135	142	145	147	146	143	142	141	136	133	125	121

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	132	137	151	156	144	138	137	139	140	141	146	150	143	131	126	124	123
Tue	131	144	156	177	153	140	138	138	139	145	159	165	157	137	126	124	123
Wed	130	139	158	173	153	142	138	138	142	151	162	167	158	138	128	124	122
Thu	131	140	154	166	154	141	140	140	146	167	171	167	161	143	130	125	123
Fri	130	132	139	144	140	140	143	147	173	172	177	172	151	138	131	124	122
Sat	123	125	126	129	135	141	147	148	149	148	152	142	137	134	131	125	122
Sun	122	122	123	126	128	135	142	145	147	146	143	142	141	136	133	125	121

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	132	137	151	156	144	138	137	139	140	141	146	150	143	131	126	124	123
Tue	131	144	156	177	153	140	138	138	139	145	159	165	157	137	126	124	123
Wed	130	139	158	173	153	142	138	138	142	151	162	167	158	138	128	124	122
Thu	131	140	154	166	154	141	140	140	146	167	171	167	161	143	130	125	123
Fri	130	132	139	144	140	140	143	147	173	172	177	172	151	138	131	124	122
Sat	123	125	126	129	135	141	147	148	149	148	152	142	137	134	131	125	122
Sun	122	122	123	126	128	135	142	145	147	146	143	142	141	136	133	125	121