Best Time to Drive from Escondido to Santa Monica

Right now (5:51 pm PST): about 135 minutes via I-405 North and I-5 North, usually 111 at this time.

Only 33% 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 Santa Monica 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	118	136	136	159	133	118	119	119	114	114	118	132	123	108	107	105	104
Tue	146	189	184	192	166	131	121	118	116	119	126	136	126	111	107	105	103
Wed	141	198	193	179	153	130	124	121	121	122	130	137	126	113	111	106	103
Thu	139	184	173	191	154	128	124	116	119	118	129	132	122	112	108	105	103
Fri	138	171	147	153	131	138	130	129	133	133	128	130	129	117	113	106	103
Sat	104	104	107	110	118	130	134	141	137	133	132	124	119	116	114	105	102
Sun	103	105	104	105	109	120	132	149	147	143	127	125	122	116	116	108	104

About this drive

On weekdays the 117-mile drive from Escondido to Santa Monica (via I-405 North and I-5 North) usually takes as little as 103 minutes and up to 202 minutes, when leaving around 7:30 am on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are after 6 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 121 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12 pm on Sundays (149 minutes).

About 114 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 3 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 Escondido to downtown Santa Monica 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 Santa Monica?

On weekdays, leave after 6 pm. The drive usually takes about 103 minutes then, versus up to 202 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Escondido to Santa Monica?

The 117-mile drive usually takes 103 to 202 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 121 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Escondido to Santa Monica?

Leaving around 7:30 am on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 202 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-405 North in Los Angeles (27 miles) · I-5 North in San Diego (20 miles) · SR-73 North in Orange County (18 miles) · SR-78 West in San Diego (17 miles) · I-405 North in Orange County (16 miles) · I-5 North in Orange County (14 miles)

San Diego traffic right now · San Diego traffic tomorrow · Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

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 · Escondido to San Bernardino

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	118	136	136	159	133	118	119	119	114	114	118	132	123	108	107	105	104
Tue	146	189	184	192	166	131	121	118	116	119	126	136	126	111	107	105	103
Wed	141	198	193	179	153	130	124	121	121	122	130	137	126	113	111	106	103
Thu	139	184	173	191	154	128	124	116	119	118	129	132	122	112	108	105	103
Fri	138	171	147	153	131	138	130	129	133	133	128	130	129	117	113	106	103
Sat	104	104	107	110	118	130	134	141	137	133	132	124	119	116	114	105	102
Sun	103	105	104	105	109	120	132	149	147	143	127	125	122	116	116	108	104

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	118	136	136	159	133	118	119	119	114	114	118	132	123	108	107	105	104
Tue	146	189	184	192	166	131	121	118	116	119	126	136	126	111	107	105	103
Wed	141	198	193	179	153	130	124	121	121	122	130	137	126	113	111	106	103
Thu	139	184	173	191	154	128	124	116	119	118	129	132	122	112	108	105	103
Fri	138	171	147	153	131	138	130	129	133	133	128	130	129	117	113	106	103
Sat	104	104	107	110	118	130	134	141	137	133	132	124	119	116	114	105	102
Sun	103	105	104	105	109	120	132	149	147	143	127	125	122	116	116	108	104

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	118	136	136	159	133	118	119	119	114	114	118	132	123	108	107	105	104
Tue	146	189	184	192	166	131	121	118	116	119	126	136	126	111	107	105	103
Wed	141	198	193	179	153	130	124	121	121	122	130	137	126	113	111	106	103
Thu	139	184	173	191	154	128	124	116	119	118	129	132	122	112	108	105	103
Fri	138	171	147	153	131	138	130	129	133	133	128	130	129	117	113	106	103
Sat	104	104	107	110	118	130	134	141	137	133	132	124	119	116	114	105	102
Sun	103	105	104	105	109	120	132	149	147	143	127	125	122	116	116	108	104