Best Time to Drive from El Cajon to Temecula

Right now (6:48 pm PDT): about 55 minutes via I-15 North, usually 55 at this time.

Only 60% 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 El Cajon to Temecula 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	54	55	56	58	58	57	57	57	57	59	65	76	70	57	55	54	53
Tue	54	55	57	59	58	57	56	57	57	59	72	79	76	60	55	54	53
Wed	54	55	57	58	58	57	57	57	58	59	75	86	79	64	55	54	53
Thu	53	55	57	59	58	57	57	58	58	62	83	90	81	66	57	54	53
Fri	53	55	56	57	57	57	57	57	62	83	98	90	78	64	60	57	55
Sat	54	54	54	54	55	55	56	56	59	59	57	57	55	55	55	55	55
Sun	54	54	55	55	55	55	55	55	54	55	55	55	54	54	55	55	54

About this drive

On weekdays the 61-mile drive from El Cajon to Temecula (via I-15 North) usually takes as little as 53 minutes and up to 98 minutes, when leaving around 3 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 1:30 pm or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 59 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1:30 pm on Saturdays (61 minutes).

About 59 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 1.8 miles surface streets (2 to 3 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central El Cajon to central Temecula 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 El Cajon to Temecula?

On weekdays, leave before 1:30 pm or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 53 minutes then, versus up to 98 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from El Cajon to Temecula?

The 61-mile drive usually takes 53 to 98 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 59 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from El Cajon to Temecula?

Leaving around 3 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 98 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-15 North in San Diego (43 miles) · SR-52 West in San Diego (7 miles) · I-15 North in Inland Empire (2 miles)

San Diego traffic right now · San Diego traffic tomorrow · Inland Empire traffic right now · Inland Empire traffic tomorrow

More drives

Temecula to El Cajon (return trip) · El Cajon to San Diego · El Cajon to Escondido · El Cajon to Oceanside · El Cajon to Chula Vista · El Cajon to Carlsbad · El Cajon to SAN · El Cajon to La Jolla · El Cajon to Murrieta

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	54	55	56	58	58	57	57	57	57	59	65	76	70	57	55	54	53
Tue	54	55	57	59	58	57	56	57	57	59	72	79	76	60	55	54	53
Wed	54	55	57	58	58	57	57	57	58	59	75	86	79	64	55	54	53
Thu	53	55	57	59	58	57	57	58	58	62	83	90	81	66	57	54	53
Fri	53	55	56	57	57	57	57	57	62	83	98	90	78	64	60	57	55
Sat	54	54	54	54	55	55	56	56	59	59	57	57	55	55	55	55	55
Sun	54	54	55	55	55	55	55	55	54	55	55	55	54	54	55	55	54

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	54	55	56	58	58	57	57	57	57	59	65	76	70	57	55	54	53
Tue	54	55	57	59	58	57	56	57	57	59	72	79	76	60	55	54	53
Wed	54	55	57	58	58	57	57	57	58	59	75	86	79	64	55	54	53
Thu	53	55	57	59	58	57	57	58	58	62	83	90	81	66	57	54	53
Fri	53	55	56	57	57	57	57	57	62	83	98	90	78	64	60	57	55
Sat	54	54	54	54	55	55	56	56	59	59	57	57	55	55	55	55	55
Sun	54	54	55	55	55	55	55	55	54	55	55	55	54	54	55	55	54

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	54	55	56	58	58	57	57	57	57	59	65	76	70	57	55	54	53
Tue	54	55	57	59	58	57	56	57	57	59	72	79	76	60	55	54	53
Wed	54	55	57	58	58	57	57	57	58	59	75	86	79	64	55	54	53
Thu	53	55	57	59	58	57	57	58	58	62	83	90	81	66	57	54	53
Fri	53	55	56	57	57	57	57	57	62	83	98	90	78	64	60	57	55
Sat	54	54	54	54	55	55	56	56	59	59	57	57	55	55	55	55	55
Sun	54	54	55	55	55	55	55	55	54	55	55	55	54	54	55	55	54