Traffic Predict
Best Time to Drive from Costa Mesa to Rancho Santa Margarita
Right now (5:50 pm PDT): about 28 minutes via SR-241 South and I-405 South, usually 24 at this time.
Only 64% 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
| Leave | 5am | 6am | 7am | 8am | 9am | 10am | 11am | 12pm | 1pm | 2pm | 3pm | 4pm | 5pm | 6pm | 7pm | 8pm | 9pm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon | 22 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 22 |
| Tue | 22 | 23 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 27 | 26 | 23 | 23 | 23 |
| Wed | 22 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 27 | 27 | 24 | 23 | 23 |
| Thu | 22 | 22 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 23 | 23 |
| Fri | 22 | 23 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 24 | 23 |
| Sat | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 22 |
| Sun | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 22 |
About this drive
On weekdays the 25-mile drive from Costa Mesa to Rancho Santa Margarita (via SR-241 South and I-405 South) usually takes as little as 22 minutes and up to 29 minutes, when leaving around 5:30 pm on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 8:30 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 24 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2:30 pm on Sundays (23 minutes).
Drive times are measured from central Costa Mesa 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 Costa Mesa to Rancho Santa Margarita?
On weekdays, leave before 8:30 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 22 minutes then, versus up to 29 minutes at the worst times.
How long does it take to drive from Costa Mesa to Rancho Santa Margarita?
The 25-mile drive usually takes 22 to 29 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 24 minutes midday.
When is traffic worst from Costa Mesa to Rancho Santa Margarita?
Leaving around 5:30 pm on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 29 minutes.
Freeways on this drive
SR-241 South in Orange County (8 miles) · I-405 South in Orange County (8 miles) · SR-133 North in Orange County (4 miles) · SR-55 North in Orange County (4 miles)
Orange County traffic right now · Orange County traffic tomorrow
More drives
Rancho Santa Margarita to Costa Mesa (return trip) · Costa Mesa to Los Angeles · Costa Mesa to Anaheim · Costa Mesa to Riverside · Costa Mesa to Santa Ana · Costa Mesa to Irvine · Costa Mesa to San Bernardino · Costa Mesa to Fontana · Costa Mesa to Moreno Valley · Costa Mesa to Glendale · Costa Mesa to Santa Clarita · Costa Mesa to Oceanside