Best Time to Drive from El Monte to Mission Viejo

Right now (12:33 pm PDT): about 54 minutes via I-5 South, usually 47 at this time.

Only 41% 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 Monte 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	42	49	60	66	54	47	46	45	46	46	47	49	54	47	44	44	42
Tue	42	53	68	71	59	48	47	48	47	47	50	52	56	48	46	44	43
Wed	41	52	66	71	58	50	48	47	47	47	50	52	57	48	46	44	43
Thu	42	50	67	70	61	51	50	50	49	46	48	52	55	48	45	44	42
Fri	42	50	57	57	51	48	47	46	47	49	52	51	51	48	45	44	43
Sat	43	44	44	45	47	48	50	53	50	50	49	48	47	46	44	44	43
Sun	42	43	42	43	44	45	46	46	47	46	46	45	46	45	45	46	43

About this drive

On weekdays the 45-mile drive from El Monte to Mission Viejo (via I-5 South) usually takes as little as 41 minutes and up to 72 minutes, when leaving around 7:30 am on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 47 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12 pm on Saturdays (53 minutes).

About 41 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 4 miles surface streets (6 to 13 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central El Monte (Valley Boulevard) 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 El Monte to Mission Viejo?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 41 minutes then, versus up to 72 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from El Monte to Mission Viejo?

The 45-mile drive usually takes 41 to 72 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 47 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from El Monte to Mission Viejo?

Leaving around 7:30 am on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 72 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in Orange County (34 miles) · I-605 South in Los Angeles (6 miles)

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

More drives

Mission Viejo to El Monte (return trip) · El Monte to Los Angeles · El Monte to Santa Monica · El Monte to Pasadena · El Monte to Long Beach · El Monte to West Covina · El Monte to Burbank · El Monte to Glendale · El Monte to Santa Clarita · El Monte to Van Nuys · El Monte to Torrance · El Monte to LAX

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	42	49	60	66	54	47	46	45	46	46	47	49	54	47	44	44	42
Tue	42	53	68	71	59	48	47	48	47	47	50	52	56	48	46	44	43
Wed	41	52	66	71	58	50	48	47	47	47	50	52	57	48	46	44	43
Thu	42	50	67	70	61	51	50	50	49	46	48	52	55	48	45	44	42
Fri	42	50	57	57	51	48	47	46	47	49	52	51	51	48	45	44	43
Sat	43	44	44	45	47	48	50	53	50	50	49	48	47	46	44	44	43
Sun	42	43	42	43	44	45	46	46	47	46	46	45	46	45	45	46	43

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	42	49	60	66	54	47	46	45	46	46	47	49	54	47	44	44	42
Tue	42	53	68	71	59	48	47	48	47	47	50	52	56	48	46	44	43
Wed	41	52	66	71	58	50	48	47	47	47	50	52	57	48	46	44	43
Thu	42	50	67	70	61	51	50	50	49	46	48	52	55	48	45	44	42
Fri	42	50	57	57	51	48	47	46	47	49	52	51	51	48	45	44	43
Sat	43	44	44	45	47	48	50	53	50	50	49	48	47	46	44	44	43
Sun	42	43	42	43	44	45	46	46	47	46	46	45	46	45	45	46	43

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	42	49	60	66	54	47	46	45	46	46	47	49	54	47	44	44	42
Tue	42	53	68	71	59	48	47	48	47	47	50	52	56	48	46	44	43
Wed	41	52	66	71	58	50	48	47	47	47	50	52	57	48	46	44	43
Thu	42	50	67	70	61	51	50	50	49	46	48	52	55	48	45	44	42
Fri	42	50	57	57	51	48	47	46	47	49	52	51	51	48	45	44	43
Sat	43	44	44	45	47	48	50	53	50	50	49	48	47	46	44	44	43
Sun	42	43	42	43	44	45	46	46	47	46	46	45	46	45	45	46	43