Best Time to Drive from Irvine to La Jolla

Right now (12:48 am PDT): about 66 minutes via I-5 South.

Only 39% 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 La Jolla 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	66	69	79	75	72	71	70	71	72	71	71	70	71	69	68	68	67
Tue	67	70	81	82	75	73	72	72	72	71	72	75	72	71	69	69	67
Wed	67	70	81	81	74	73	72	72	72	73	74	76	73	70	69	69	67
Thu	67	70	82	80	73	75	74	72	72	74	76	77	73	70	70	69	67
Fri	67	70	73	71	71	75	79	82	88	92	94	92	85	76	73	69	67
Sat	67	67	68	69	77	85	87	87	85	81	81	89	75	71	69	68	67
Sun	67	67	67	67	69	72	78	79	78	77	75	75	71	70	70	70	67

About this drive

On weekdays the 75-mile drive from Irvine to La Jolla (via I-5 South) usually takes as little as 66 minutes and up to 94 minutes, when leaving around 3 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 7 am or after 5:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 75 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 10:30 am on Saturdays (91 minutes).

About 70 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 5 miles surface streets (5 to 8 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Irvine to central La Jolla 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 La Jolla?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 5:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 66 minutes then, versus up to 94 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Irvine to La Jolla?

The 75-mile drive usually takes 66 to 94 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 75 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Irvine to La Jolla?

Leaving around 3 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 94 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in San Diego (35 miles) · I-5 South in Orange County (28 miles) · I-405 South in Orange County (6 miles) · I-805 South in San Diego (2 miles)

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

More drives

La Jolla 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	66	69	79	75	72	71	70	71	72	71	71	70	71	69	68	68	67
Tue	67	70	81	82	75	73	72	72	72	71	72	75	72	71	69	69	67
Wed	67	70	81	81	74	73	72	72	72	73	74	76	73	70	69	69	67
Thu	67	70	82	80	73	75	74	72	72	74	76	77	73	70	70	69	67
Fri	67	70	73	71	71	75	79	82	88	92	94	92	85	76	73	69	67
Sat	67	67	68	69	77	85	87	87	85	81	81	89	75	71	69	68	67
Sun	67	67	67	67	69	72	78	79	78	77	75	75	71	70	70	70	67

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	66	69	79	75	72	71	70	71	72	71	71	70	71	69	68	68	67
Tue	67	70	81	82	75	73	72	72	72	71	72	75	72	71	69	69	67
Wed	67	70	81	81	74	73	72	72	72	73	74	76	73	70	69	69	67
Thu	67	70	82	80	73	75	74	72	72	74	76	77	73	70	70	69	67
Fri	67	70	73	71	71	75	79	82	88	92	94	92	85	76	73	69	67
Sat	67	67	68	69	77	85	87	87	85	81	81	89	75	71	69	68	67
Sun	67	67	67	67	69	72	78	79	78	77	75	75	71	70	70	70	67

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	66	69	79	75	72	71	70	71	72	71	71	70	71	69	68	68	67
Tue	67	70	81	82	75	73	72	72	72	71	72	75	72	71	69	69	67
Wed	67	70	81	81	74	73	72	72	72	73	74	76	73	70	69	69	67
Thu	67	70	82	80	73	75	74	72	72	74	76	77	73	70	70	69	67
Fri	67	70	73	71	71	75	79	82	88	92	94	92	85	76	73	69	67
Sat	67	67	68	69	77	85	87	87	85	81	81	89	75	71	69	68	67
Sun	67	67	67	67	69	72	78	79	78	77	75	75	71	70	70	70	67