Best Time to Drive from Encinitas to Riverside

Right now (5:03 pm PDT): about 110 minutes via I-215 North and I-15 North and I-5 North, usually 105 at this time.

Only 61% 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 Encinitas to Riverside 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	82	91	96	91	90	89	89	89	90	94	99	103	97	90	85	83	83
Tue	83	96	97	94	94	90	89	89	88	96	107	111	103	89	85	83	82
Wed	83	102	98	94	93	90	89	91	91	97	107	109	105	90	86	83	82
Thu	83	97	97	93	92	103	96	94	90	100	107	113	111	95	87	84	82
Fri	82	87	90	87	87	89	90	93	99	113	119	120	113	93	86	84	82
Sat	82	82	82	83	86	87	92	91	97	97	91	90	88	86	86	86	83
Sun	82	82	83	83	84	88	96	95	94	91	88	88	86	86	86	85	81

About this drive

On weekdays the 83-mile drive from Encinitas to Riverside (via I-215 North and I-15 North and I-5 North) usually takes as little as 82 minutes and up to 121 minutes, when leaving around 2:30 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 93 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1:30 pm on Saturdays (98 minutes).

About 63 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 20 miles surface streets (26 to 41 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Encinitas to central Riverside 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 Encinitas to Riverside?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 82 minutes then, versus up to 121 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Encinitas to Riverside?

The 83-mile drive usually takes 82 to 121 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 93 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Encinitas to Riverside?

Leaving around 2:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 121 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-215 North in Inland Empire (29 miles) · I-5 North in San Diego (13 miles) · I-15 North in Inland Empire (8 miles) · I-15 North in San Diego (7 miles) · SR-76 East in San Diego (6 miles)

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

More drives

Riverside to Encinitas (return trip) · Encinitas to San Diego · Encinitas to Anaheim · Encinitas to Santa Ana

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	82	91	96	91	90	89	89	89	90	94	99	103	97	90	85	83	83
Tue	83	96	97	94	94	90	89	89	88	96	107	111	103	89	85	83	82
Wed	83	102	98	94	93	90	89	91	91	97	107	109	105	90	86	83	82
Thu	83	97	97	93	92	103	96	94	90	100	107	113	111	95	87	84	82
Fri	82	87	90	87	87	89	90	93	99	113	119	120	113	93	86	84	82
Sat	82	82	82	83	86	87	92	91	97	97	91	90	88	86	86	86	83
Sun	82	82	83	83	84	88	96	95	94	91	88	88	86	86	86	85	81

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	82	91	96	91	90	89	89	89	90	94	99	103	97	90	85	83	83
Tue	83	96	97	94	94	90	89	89	88	96	107	111	103	89	85	83	82
Wed	83	102	98	94	93	90	89	91	91	97	107	109	105	90	86	83	82
Thu	83	97	97	93	92	103	96	94	90	100	107	113	111	95	87	84	82
Fri	82	87	90	87	87	89	90	93	99	113	119	120	113	93	86	84	82
Sat	82	82	82	83	86	87	92	91	97	97	91	90	88	86	86	86	83
Sun	82	82	83	83	84	88	96	95	94	91	88	88	86	86	86	85	81

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	82	91	96	91	90	89	89	89	90	94	99	103	97	90	85	83	83
Tue	83	96	97	94	94	90	89	89	88	96	107	111	103	89	85	83	82
Wed	83	102	98	94	93	90	89	91	91	97	107	109	105	90	86	83	82
Thu	83	97	97	93	92	103	96	94	90	100	107	113	111	95	87	84	82
Fri	82	87	90	87	87	89	90	93	99	113	119	120	113	93	86	84	82
Sat	82	82	82	83	86	87	92	91	97	97	91	90	88	86	86	86	83
Sun	82	82	83	83	84	88	96	95	94	91	88	88	86	86	86	85	81