Best Time to Drive from Escondido to San Clemente

Right now (6:48 pm PDT): about 39 minutes via I-5 North and SR-78 West, usually 39 at this time.

Only 32% 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 Escondido to San Clemente 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	37	38	45	74	46	40	40	40	39	39	39	40	42	39	38	38	38
Tue	37	38	58	85	66	40	40	40	39	39	40	40	40	39	38	38	38
Wed	37	38	62	71	54	40	41	40	39	39	40	40	40	39	39	38	38
Thu	37	38	55	86	52	40	40	39	40	39	40	40	43	41	39	39	38
Fri	37	38	46	61	44	40	40	43	43	46	46	44	46	43	40	39	37
Sat	38	37	37	38	39	41	45	46	45	49	45	43	41	39	38	39	37
Sun	38	38	37	38	38	41	50	48	52	51	47	44	42	39	39	40	37

About this drive

On weekdays the 42-mile drive from Escondido to San Clemente (via I-5 North and SR-78 West) usually takes as little as 37 minutes and up to 97 minutes, when leaving around 7:30 am on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7 am or after 6 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 40 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1 pm on Sundays (52 minutes).

About 40 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 2 miles surface streets (2 to 4 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Escondido to central San Clemente 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 Escondido to San Clemente?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 6 pm. The drive usually takes about 37 minutes then, versus up to 97 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Escondido to San Clemente?

The 42-mile drive usually takes 37 to 97 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 40 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Escondido to San Clemente?

Leaving around 7:30 am on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 97 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 North in San Diego (20 miles) · SR-78 West in San Diego (17 miles) · I-5 North in Orange County (3 miles)

San Diego traffic right now · San Diego traffic tomorrow · Orange County traffic right now · Orange County traffic tomorrow

More drives

San Clemente to Escondido (return trip) · Escondido to San Diego · Escondido to Oceanside · Escondido to Chula Vista · Escondido to La Jolla · Escondido to El Cajon · Escondido to Carlsbad · Escondido to SAN · Escondido to Anaheim · Escondido to Riverside · Escondido to Santa Ana · Escondido to Irvine

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	37	38	45	74	46	40	40	40	39	39	39	40	42	39	38	38	38
Tue	37	38	58	85	66	40	40	40	39	39	40	40	40	39	38	38	38
Wed	37	38	62	71	54	40	41	40	39	39	40	40	40	39	39	38	38
Thu	37	38	55	86	52	40	40	39	40	39	40	40	43	41	39	39	38
Fri	37	38	46	61	44	40	40	43	43	46	46	44	46	43	40	39	37
Sat	38	37	37	38	39	41	45	46	45	49	45	43	41	39	38	39	37
Sun	38	38	37	38	38	41	50	48	52	51	47	44	42	39	39	40	37

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	37	38	45	74	46	40	40	40	39	39	39	40	42	39	38	38	38
Tue	37	38	58	85	66	40	40	40	39	39	40	40	40	39	38	38	38
Wed	37	38	62	71	54	40	41	40	39	39	40	40	40	39	39	38	38
Thu	37	38	55	86	52	40	40	39	40	39	40	40	43	41	39	39	38
Fri	37	38	46	61	44	40	40	43	43	46	46	44	46	43	40	39	37
Sat	38	37	37	38	39	41	45	46	45	49	45	43	41	39	38	39	37
Sun	38	38	37	38	38	41	50	48	52	51	47	44	42	39	39	40	37

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	37	38	45	74	46	40	40	40	39	39	39	40	42	39	38	38	38
Tue	37	38	58	85	66	40	40	40	39	39	40	40	40	39	38	38	38
Wed	37	38	62	71	54	40	41	40	39	39	40	40	40	39	39	38	38
Thu	37	38	55	86	52	40	40	39	40	39	40	40	43	41	39	39	38
Fri	37	38	46	61	44	40	40	43	43	46	46	44	46	43	40	39	37
Sat	38	37	37	38	39	41	45	46	45	49	45	43	41	39	38	39	37
Sun	38	38	37	38	38	41	50	48	52	51	47	44	42	39	39	40	37