Best Time to Drive from El Cajon to Vista

Right now (3:20 pm PST): about 41 minutes via I-15 North and SR-78 West, usually 42 at this time.

Only 50% 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 Vista 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	39	40	72	63	45	43	43	43	42	43	48	54	52	42	41	40	40
Tue	40	41	72	72	46	43	42	42	42	43	52	57	57	46	40	40	40
Wed	39	41	81	66	46	43	43	42	43	44	53	63	59	48	41	40	40
Thu	39	41	79	74	45	43	42	43	43	44	52	59	56	45	41	40	40
Fri	39	41	63	53	43	43	43	43	44	49	54	54	47	42	41	40	40
Sat	40	40	40	41	41	41	41	41	43	41	42	41	41	40	40	41	40
Sun	40	40	40	40	40	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	40	40	41	40	40

About this drive

On weekdays the 45-mile drive from El Cajon to Vista (via I-15 North and SR-78 West) usually takes as little as 39 minutes and up to 87 minutes, when leaving around 7:30 am on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 43 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1 pm on Saturdays (43 minutes).

About 43 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 1.7 miles surface streets (2 to 5 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 Vista 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 Vista?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 39 minutes then, versus up to 87 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 45-mile drive usually takes 39 to 87 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 43 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from El Cajon to Vista?

Leaving around 7:30 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 87 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-15 North in San Diego (19 miles) · SR-78 West in San Diego (10 miles) · SR-52 West in San Diego (7 miles)

San Diego traffic right now · San Diego traffic tomorrow

More drives

Vista 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 Temecula · El Cajon to Murrieta · El Cajon to Mission Viejo · El Cajon to San Marcos

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	39	40	72	63	45	43	43	43	42	43	48	54	52	42	41	40	40
Tue	40	41	72	72	46	43	42	42	42	43	52	57	57	46	40	40	40
Wed	39	41	81	66	46	43	43	42	43	44	53	63	59	48	41	40	40
Thu	39	41	79	74	45	43	42	43	43	44	52	59	56	45	41	40	40
Fri	39	41	63	53	43	43	43	43	44	49	54	54	47	42	41	40	40
Sat	40	40	40	41	41	41	41	41	43	41	42	41	41	40	40	41	40
Sun	40	40	40	40	40	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	40	40	41	40	40

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	39	40	72	63	45	43	43	43	42	43	48	54	52	42	41	40	40
Tue	40	41	72	72	46	43	42	42	42	43	52	57	57	46	40	40	40
Wed	39	41	81	66	46	43	43	42	43	44	53	63	59	48	41	40	40
Thu	39	41	79	74	45	43	42	43	43	44	52	59	56	45	41	40	40
Fri	39	41	63	53	43	43	43	43	44	49	54	54	47	42	41	40	40
Sat	40	40	40	41	41	41	41	41	43	41	42	41	41	40	40	41	40
Sun	40	40	40	40	40	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	40	40	41	40	40

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	39	40	72	63	45	43	43	43	42	43	48	54	52	42	41	40	40
Tue	40	41	72	72	46	43	42	42	42	43	52	57	57	46	40	40	40
Wed	39	41	81	66	46	43	43	42	43	44	53	63	59	48	41	40	40
Thu	39	41	79	74	45	43	42	43	43	44	52	59	56	45	41	40	40
Fri	39	41	63	53	43	43	43	43	44	49	54	54	47	42	41	40	40
Sat	40	40	40	41	41	41	41	41	43	41	42	41	41	40	40	41	40
Sun	40	40	40	40	40	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	40	40	41	40	40