Best Time to Drive from Imperial Beach to Oceanside

Right now (6:51 pm PDT): about 56 minutes via I-5 North, usually 53 at this time.

Only 56% 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 Imperial Beach to Oceanside 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	51	51	55	75	61	54	54	53	53	54	70	75	66	53	52	52	52
Tue	50	51	58	84	71	55	54	53	54	55	74	81	75	57	52	52	51
Wed	51	51	58	83	71	55	55	54	54	58	79	84	78	59	53	52	51
Thu	51	51	59	83	72	56	55	54	54	60	80	86	78	60	53	52	51
Fri	51	51	54	67	56	55	55	58	61	66	80	76	62	55	53	52	51
Sat	51	51	51	52	54	56	59	58	59	57	56	57	55	54	53	53	51
Sun	51	51	51	51	52	55	61	60	59	59	57	56	54	53	53	53	51

About this drive

On weekdays the 52-mile drive from Imperial Beach to Oceanside (via I-5 North) usually takes as little as 50 minutes and up to 86 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 55 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 11 am on Sundays (61 minutes).

About 39 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 12 miles surface streets (16 to 38 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Imperial Beach to central Oceanside 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 Imperial Beach to Oceanside?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 50 minutes then, versus up to 86 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Imperial Beach to Oceanside?

The 52-mile drive usually takes 50 to 86 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 55 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Imperial Beach to Oceanside?

Leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 86 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 North in San Diego (39 miles)

San Diego traffic right now · San Diego traffic tomorrow

More drives

Oceanside to Imperial Beach (return trip)

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	51	51	55	75	61	54	54	53	53	54	70	75	66	53	52	52	52
Tue	50	51	58	84	71	55	54	53	54	55	74	81	75	57	52	52	51
Wed	51	51	58	83	71	55	55	54	54	58	79	84	78	59	53	52	51
Thu	51	51	59	83	72	56	55	54	54	60	80	86	78	60	53	52	51
Fri	51	51	54	67	56	55	55	58	61	66	80	76	62	55	53	52	51
Sat	51	51	51	52	54	56	59	58	59	57	56	57	55	54	53	53	51
Sun	51	51	51	51	52	55	61	60	59	59	57	56	54	53	53	53	51

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	51	51	55	75	61	54	54	53	53	54	70	75	66	53	52	52	52
Tue	50	51	58	84	71	55	54	53	54	55	74	81	75	57	52	52	51
Wed	51	51	58	83	71	55	55	54	54	58	79	84	78	59	53	52	51
Thu	51	51	59	83	72	56	55	54	54	60	80	86	78	60	53	52	51
Fri	51	51	54	67	56	55	55	58	61	66	80	76	62	55	53	52	51
Sat	51	51	51	52	54	56	59	58	59	57	56	57	55	54	53	53	51
Sun	51	51	51	51	52	55	61	60	59	59	57	56	54	53	53	53	51

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	51	51	55	75	61	54	54	53	53	54	70	75	66	53	52	52	52
Tue	50	51	58	84	71	55	54	53	54	55	74	81	75	57	52	52	51
Wed	51	51	58	83	71	55	55	54	54	58	79	84	78	59	53	52	51
Thu	51	51	59	83	72	56	55	54	54	60	80	86	78	60	53	52	51
Fri	51	51	54	67	56	55	55	58	61	66	80	76	62	55	53	52	51
Sat	51	51	51	52	54	56	59	58	59	57	56	57	55	54	53	53	51
Sun	51	51	51	51	52	55	61	60	59	59	57	56	54	53	53	53	51