Best Time to Drive from Irvine to Canyon Country

Right now (7:09 pm PDT): about 100 minutes via I-5 North, usually 93 at this time.

Only 13% 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 Irvine to Canyon Country 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	74	97	95	99	96	89	88	88	91	98	102	106	101	94	78	74	71
Tue	76	95	96	103	99	93	88	87	89	96	107	116	107	96	85	76	72
Wed	74	95	94	96	98	91	88	87	90	96	105	112	109	106	88	77	71
Thu	75	94	95	98	97	90	91	89	89	101	116	121	107	98	93	78	71
Fri	73	88	87	92	97	94	92	100	103	105	114	112	113	99	87	80	72
Sat	70	72	74	75	83	94	97	93	96	93	92	93	88	89	88	79	72
Sun	70	71	71	71	74	81	91	100	102	104	99	88	88	88	87	82	72

About this drive

On weekdays the 78-mile drive from Irvine to Canyon Country (via I-5 North) usually takes as little as 71 minutes and up to 122 minutes, when leaving around 3:30 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 5:30 am or after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 92 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2 pm on Sundays (104 minutes).

About 73 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 5 miles surface streets (6 to 17 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Irvine to central Canyon Country 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 Irvine to Canyon Country?

On weekdays, leave before 5:30 am or after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 71 minutes then, versus up to 122 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Irvine to Canyon Country?

The 78-mile drive usually takes 71 to 122 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 92 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Irvine to Canyon Country?

Leaving around 3:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 122 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 North in Los Angeles (40 miles) · I-5 North in Orange County (22 miles) · I-405 North in Orange County (5 miles) · SR-55 North in Orange County (4 miles) · I-405 South in Orange County (2 miles)

Orange County traffic right now · Orange County traffic tomorrow · Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Canyon Country to Irvine (return trip) · Irvine to Los Angeles · Irvine to Santa Monica · Irvine to Pasadena · Irvine to Long Beach · Irvine to West Covina · Irvine to Burbank · Irvine to Glendale · Irvine to Santa Clarita · Irvine to Van Nuys · Irvine to Torrance · Irvine to LAX

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	74	97	95	99	96	89	88	88	91	98	102	106	101	94	78	74	71
Tue	76	95	96	103	99	93	88	87	89	96	107	116	107	96	85	76	72
Wed	74	95	94	96	98	91	88	87	90	96	105	112	109	106	88	77	71
Thu	75	94	95	98	97	90	91	89	89	101	116	121	107	98	93	78	71
Fri	73	88	87	92	97	94	92	100	103	105	114	112	113	99	87	80	72
Sat	70	72	74	75	83	94	97	93	96	93	92	93	88	89	88	79	72
Sun	70	71	71	71	74	81	91	100	102	104	99	88	88	88	87	82	72

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	74	97	95	99	96	89	88	88	91	98	102	106	101	94	78	74	71
Tue	76	95	96	103	99	93	88	87	89	96	107	116	107	96	85	76	72
Wed	74	95	94	96	98	91	88	87	90	96	105	112	109	106	88	77	71
Thu	75	94	95	98	97	90	91	89	89	101	116	121	107	98	93	78	71
Fri	73	88	87	92	97	94	92	100	103	105	114	112	113	99	87	80	72
Sat	70	72	74	75	83	94	97	93	96	93	92	93	88	89	88	79	72
Sun	70	71	71	71	74	81	91	100	102	104	99	88	88	88	87	82	72

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	74	97	95	99	96	89	88	88	91	98	102	106	101	94	78	74	71
Tue	76	95	96	103	99	93	88	87	89	96	107	116	107	96	85	76	72
Wed	74	95	94	96	98	91	88	87	90	96	105	112	109	106	88	77	71
Thu	75	94	95	98	97	90	91	89	89	101	116	121	107	98	93	78	71
Fri	73	88	87	92	97	94	92	100	103	105	114	112	113	99	87	80	72
Sat	70	72	74	75	83	94	97	93	96	93	92	93	88	89	88	79	72
Sun	70	71	71	71	74	81	91	100	102	104	99	88	88	88	87	82	72