Best Time to Drive from Downey to Mission Viejo

Right now (10:18 am PDT): about 40 minutes via I-5 South, usually 43 at this time.

None 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 Mission Viejo 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	34	39	53	58	49	40	39	39	40	41	44	46	50	41	38	36	35
Tue	34	42	63	69	54	46	42	40	41	43	46	52	56	48	42	37	35
Wed	34	41	60	65	54	45	42	40	40	41	45	49	56	46	40	37	35
Thu	34	41	61	63	54	46	42	43	43	43	50	55	57	47	41	38	35
Fri	34	39	49	49	44	42	43	44	44	47	54	53	55	50	43	38	35
Sat	35	36	36	37	38	38	40	40	42	45	45	45	46	41	37	36	36
Sun	35	35	35	35	36	36	37	37	37	37	38	37	37	37	37	37	35

About this drive

On weekdays the 37-mile drive from Downey to Mission Viejo (via I-5 South) usually takes as little as 34 minutes and up to 69 minutes, when leaving around 8 am on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 8:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 42 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 5 pm on Saturdays (46 minutes).

About 32 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 4 miles surface streets (7 to 21 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Downey (Downey Avenue) to central Mission Viejo (Chrisanta Drive) 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 Mission Viejo?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 34 minutes then, versus up to 69 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Downey to Mission Viejo?

The 37-mile drive usually takes 34 to 69 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 42 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Downey to Mission Viejo?

Leaving around 8 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 69 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in Orange County (32 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow · Orange County traffic right now · Orange County traffic tomorrow

More drives

Mission Viejo 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	34	39	53	58	49	40	39	39	40	41	44	46	50	41	38	36	35
Tue	34	42	63	69	54	46	42	40	41	43	46	52	56	48	42	37	35
Wed	34	41	60	65	54	45	42	40	40	41	45	49	56	46	40	37	35
Thu	34	41	61	63	54	46	42	43	43	43	50	55	57	47	41	38	35
Fri	34	39	49	49	44	42	43	44	44	47	54	53	55	50	43	38	35
Sat	35	36	36	37	38	38	40	40	42	45	45	45	46	41	37	36	36
Sun	35	35	35	35	36	36	37	37	37	37	38	37	37	37	37	37	35

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	34	39	53	58	49	40	39	39	40	41	44	46	50	41	38	36	35
Tue	34	42	63	69	54	46	42	40	41	43	46	52	56	48	42	37	35
Wed	34	41	60	65	54	45	42	40	40	41	45	49	56	46	40	37	35
Thu	34	41	61	63	54	46	42	43	43	43	50	55	57	47	41	38	35
Fri	34	39	49	49	44	42	43	44	44	47	54	53	55	50	43	38	35
Sat	35	36	36	37	38	38	40	40	42	45	45	45	46	41	37	36	36
Sun	35	35	35	35	36	36	37	37	37	37	38	37	37	37	37	37	35

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	34	39	53	58	49	40	39	39	40	41	44	46	50	41	38	36	35
Tue	34	42	63	69	54	46	42	40	41	43	46	52	56	48	42	37	35
Wed	34	41	60	65	54	45	42	40	40	41	45	49	56	46	40	37	35
Thu	34	41	61	63	54	46	42	43	43	43	50	55	57	47	41	38	35
Fri	34	39	49	49	44	42	43	44	44	47	54	53	55	50	43	38	35
Sat	35	36	36	37	38	38	40	40	42	45	45	45	46	41	37	36	36
Sun	35	35	35	35	36	36	37	37	37	37	38	37	37	37	37	37	35