Best Time to Drive from Fountain Valley to Carlsbad

Right now (3:20 pm PST): about 85 minutes via I-5 South and SR-73 South, usually 64 at this time.

Only 16% 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 Fountain Valley to Carlsbad 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	50	51	53	57	56	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	52	51	51	51	51
Tue	51	52	55	59	59	55	53	53	53	53	53	53	52	52	51	51	51
Wed	50	52	55	56	58	55	54	54	52	53	54	54	53	52	52	51	51
Thu	50	52	54	58	57	55	54	53	54	54	55	55	54	53	52	51	50
Fri	51	52	53	55	54	56	59	63	67	68	69	73	65	57	54	52	51
Sat	51	51	51	52	59	64	68	68	69	64	64	64	58	54	52	52	51
Sun	51	51	51	51	52	55	61	60	60	62	58	56	54	53	53	54	51

About this drive

On weekdays the 57-mile drive from Fountain Valley to Carlsbad (via I-5 South and SR-73 South) usually takes as little as 50 minutes and up to 73 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 7:30 am or after 5 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 55 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 10:30 am on Saturdays (70 minutes).

About 55 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 2 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 Fountain Valley to central Carlsbad 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 Fountain Valley to Carlsbad?

On weekdays, leave before 7:30 am or after 5 pm. The drive usually takes about 50 minutes then, versus up to 73 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Fountain Valley to Carlsbad?

The 57-mile drive usually takes 50 to 73 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 55 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Fountain Valley to Carlsbad?

Leaving around 4 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 73 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in Orange County (18 miles) · SR-73 South in Orange County (17 miles) · I-5 South in San Diego (16 miles) · I-405 South in Orange County (4 miles)

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

More drives

Carlsbad to Fountain Valley (return trip) · Fountain Valley to Los Angeles · Fountain Valley to Long Beach · Fountain Valley to Anaheim · Fountain Valley to Riverside · Fountain Valley to Irvine · Fountain Valley to San Bernardino · Fountain Valley to Fontana · Fountain Valley to Moreno Valley · Fountain Valley to Glendale · Fountain Valley to Santa Clarita · Fountain Valley to Oceanside

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	50	51	53	57	56	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	52	51	51	51	51
Tue	51	52	55	59	59	55	53	53	53	53	53	53	52	52	51	51	51
Wed	50	52	55	56	58	55	54	54	52	53	54	54	53	52	52	51	51
Thu	50	52	54	58	57	55	54	53	54	54	55	55	54	53	52	51	50
Fri	51	52	53	55	54	56	59	63	67	68	69	73	65	57	54	52	51
Sat	51	51	51	52	59	64	68	68	69	64	64	64	58	54	52	52	51
Sun	51	51	51	51	52	55	61	60	60	62	58	56	54	53	53	54	51

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	50	51	53	57	56	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	52	51	51	51	51
Tue	51	52	55	59	59	55	53	53	53	53	53	53	52	52	51	51	51
Wed	50	52	55	56	58	55	54	54	52	53	54	54	53	52	52	51	51
Thu	50	52	54	58	57	55	54	53	54	54	55	55	54	53	52	51	50
Fri	51	52	53	55	54	56	59	63	67	68	69	73	65	57	54	52	51
Sat	51	51	51	52	59	64	68	68	69	64	64	64	58	54	52	52	51
Sun	51	51	51	51	52	55	61	60	60	62	58	56	54	53	53	54	51

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	50	51	53	57	56	53	53	53	53	53	53	53	52	51	51	51	51
Tue	51	52	55	59	59	55	53	53	53	53	53	53	52	52	51	51	51
Wed	50	52	55	56	58	55	54	54	52	53	54	54	53	52	52	51	51
Thu	50	52	54	58	57	55	54	53	54	54	55	55	54	53	52	51	50
Fri	51	52	53	55	54	56	59	63	67	68	69	73	65	57	54	52	51
Sat	51	51	51	52	59	64	68	68	69	64	64	64	58	54	52	52	51
Sun	51	51	51	51	52	55	61	60	60	62	58	56	54	53	53	54	51