Best Time to Drive from Downey to Oceanside

Right now (5:03 pm PDT): about 81 minutes via I-5 South, usually 77 at this time.

Only 53% 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.

About this drive

On weekdays the 75-mile drive from Downey to Oceanside (via I-5 South) usually takes as little as 65 minutes and up to 98 minutes, when leaving around 7:30 am on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 6 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 74 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 10 am on Saturdays (93 minutes).

About 72 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 Oceanside 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 Oceanside?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 6 pm. The drive usually takes about 65 minutes then, versus up to 98 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Downey to Oceanside?

The 75-mile drive usually takes 65 to 98 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 74 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Downey to Oceanside?

Leaving around 7:30 am on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 98 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in Orange County (54 miles) · I-5 South in San Diego (12 miles) · I-5 South in Los Angeles (5 miles)

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

More drives

Oceanside 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

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