Best Time to Drive from Downey to Rancho Santa Margarita

Right now (5:50 pm PDT): about 52 minutes via I-5 South and SR-241 South, usually 41 at this time.

Only 52% 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 Rancho Santa Margarita 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	38	42	54	59	49	41	41	41	42	42	42	42	45	41	40	40	39
Tue	38	44	62	64	53	43	42	43	42	42	42	44	47	42	40	41	40
Wed	38	44	61	65	53	45	43	42	42	42	43	44	47	43	40	41	39
Thu	38	44	60	63	54	46	44	45	44	41	42	43	46	41	40	40	39
Fri	38	43	51	51	45	43	42	42	41	42	45	45	45	43	42	41	40
Sat	39	40	40	41	41	42	42	42	42	43	43	44	42	41	40	41	40
Sun	39	39	39	40	40	41	41	41	41	41	42	42	41	41	41	42	40

About this drive

On weekdays the 44-mile drive from Downey to Rancho Santa Margarita (via I-5 South and SR-241 South) usually takes as little as 38 minutes and up to 68 minutes, when leaving around 7:30 am on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 42 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2:30 pm on Saturdays (44 minutes).

About 41 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 2 miles surface streets (3 to 8 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Downey 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 Downey to Rancho Santa Margarita?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 38 minutes then, versus up to 68 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Downey to Rancho Santa Margarita?

The 44-mile drive usually takes 38 to 68 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 42 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Downey to Rancho Santa Margarita?

Leaving around 7:30 am on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 68 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in Orange County (24 miles) · SR-241 South in Orange County (8 miles) · I-5 South in Los Angeles (5 miles) · SR-133 North in Orange County (3 miles)

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

More drives

Rancho Santa Margarita 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	38	42	54	59	49	41	41	41	42	42	42	42	45	41	40	40	39
Tue	38	44	62	64	53	43	42	43	42	42	42	44	47	42	40	41	40
Wed	38	44	61	65	53	45	43	42	42	42	43	44	47	43	40	41	39
Thu	38	44	60	63	54	46	44	45	44	41	42	43	46	41	40	40	39
Fri	38	43	51	51	45	43	42	42	41	42	45	45	45	43	42	41	40
Sat	39	40	40	41	41	42	42	42	42	43	43	44	42	41	40	41	40
Sun	39	39	39	40	40	41	41	41	41	41	42	42	41	41	41	42	40

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	38	42	54	59	49	41	41	41	42	42	42	42	45	41	40	40	39
Tue	38	44	62	64	53	43	42	43	42	42	42	44	47	42	40	41	40
Wed	38	44	61	65	53	45	43	42	42	42	43	44	47	43	40	41	39
Thu	38	44	60	63	54	46	44	45	44	41	42	43	46	41	40	40	39
Fri	38	43	51	51	45	43	42	42	41	42	45	45	45	43	42	41	40
Sat	39	40	40	41	41	42	42	42	42	43	43	44	42	41	40	41	40
Sun	39	39	39	40	40	41	41	41	41	41	42	42	41	41	41	42	40

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	38	42	54	59	49	41	41	41	42	42	42	42	45	41	40	40	39
Tue	38	44	62	64	53	43	42	43	42	42	42	44	47	42	40	41	40
Wed	38	44	61	65	53	45	43	42	42	42	43	44	47	43	40	41	39
Thu	38	44	60	63	54	46	44	45	44	41	42	43	46	41	40	40	39
Fri	38	43	51	51	45	43	42	42	41	42	45	45	45	43	42	41	40
Sat	39	40	40	41	41	42	42	42	42	43	43	44	42	41	40	41	40
Sun	39	39	39	40	40	41	41	41	41	41	42	42	41	41	41	42	40