Best Time to Drive from Downey to Lake Elsinore

Right now (3:20 pm PST): about 68 minutes via SR-91 East and I-15 South, usually 72 at this time.

Only 21% 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 Downey to Lake Elsinore 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	55	59	64	68	63	60	60	61	63	67	75	78	75	65	60	58	55
Tue	55	59	70	72	69	62	62	62	65	69	80	81	80	69	61	59	55
Wed	55	60	68	72	69	64	62	64	63	69	78	83	78	69	62	61	56
Thu	55	60	69	72	68	64	64	64	67	70	81	85	81	71	62	59	55
Fri	54	58	64	63	62	63	64	69	76	87	94	91	83	71	65	61	56
Sat	55	57	58	58	60	62	67	66	67	69	72	71	67	64	62	61	55
Sun	54	55	56	56	57	58	58	58	58	58	59	58	57	58	58	60	55

About this drive

On weekdays the 61-mile drive from Downey to Lake Elsinore (via SR-91 East and I-15 South) usually takes as little as 54 minutes and up to 94 minutes, when leaving around 3 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 66 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3:30 pm on Saturdays (72 minutes).

About 58 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 3 miles surface streets (4 to 9 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Downey to central Lake Elsinore 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 Downey to Lake Elsinore?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 54 minutes then, versus up to 94 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Downey to Lake Elsinore?

The 61-mile drive usually takes 54 to 94 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 66 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Downey to Lake Elsinore?

Leaving around 3 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 94 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

SR-91 East in Orange County (27 miles) · I-15 South in Orange County (14 miles) · I-5 South in Orange County (6 miles) · I-15 South in Inland Empire (6 miles) · I-5 South in Los Angeles (5 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow · Inland Empire traffic right now · Inland Empire traffic tomorrow

More drives

Lake Elsinore to Downey (return trip) · Downey to Los Angeles · Downey to Santa Monica · Downey to Long Beach · Downey to West Covina · Downey to Burbank · Downey to Glendale · Downey to Santa Clarita · Downey to Van Nuys · Downey to LAX · Downey to Hollywood · Downey to Culver City

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	55	59	64	68	63	60	60	61	63	67	75	78	75	65	60	58	55
Tue	55	59	70	72	69	62	62	62	65	69	80	81	80	69	61	59	55
Wed	55	60	68	72	69	64	62	64	63	69	78	83	78	69	62	61	56
Thu	55	60	69	72	68	64	64	64	67	70	81	85	81	71	62	59	55
Fri	54	58	64	63	62	63	64	69	76	87	94	91	83	71	65	61	56
Sat	55	57	58	58	60	62	67	66	67	69	72	71	67	64	62	61	55
Sun	54	55	56	56	57	58	58	58	58	58	59	58	57	58	58	60	55

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	55	59	64	68	63	60	60	61	63	67	75	78	75	65	60	58	55
Tue	55	59	70	72	69	62	62	62	65	69	80	81	80	69	61	59	55
Wed	55	60	68	72	69	64	62	64	63	69	78	83	78	69	62	61	56
Thu	55	60	69	72	68	64	64	64	67	70	81	85	81	71	62	59	55
Fri	54	58	64	63	62	63	64	69	76	87	94	91	83	71	65	61	56
Sat	55	57	58	58	60	62	67	66	67	69	72	71	67	64	62	61	55
Sun	54	55	56	56	57	58	58	58	58	58	59	58	57	58	58	60	55

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	55	59	64	68	63	60	60	61	63	67	75	78	75	65	60	58	55
Tue	55	59	70	72	69	62	62	62	65	69	80	81	80	69	61	59	55
Wed	55	60	68	72	69	64	62	64	63	69	78	83	78	69	62	61	56
Thu	55	60	69	72	68	64	64	64	67	70	81	85	81	71	62	59	55
Fri	54	58	64	63	62	63	64	69	76	87	94	91	83	71	65	61	56
Sat	55	57	58	58	60	62	67	66	67	69	72	71	67	64	62	61	55
Sun	54	55	56	56	57	58	58	58	58	58	59	58	57	58	58	60	55