Best Time to Drive from Irvine to Poway

Right now (5:48 pm PDT): about 82 minutes via I-5 South, usually 84 at this time.

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 Poway 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	72	75	87	85	78	77	77	77	78	78	82	82	78	76	74	74	73
Tue	73	76	91	91	81	79	78	78	78	81	86	88	82	78	75	75	73
Wed	73	76	91	89	80	79	78	79	79	82	87	87	83	77	75	75	73
Thu	73	76	92	88	80	81	80	79	78	83	89	90	83	77	76	75	73
Fri	73	76	80	77	78	82	85	89	95	102	103	102	96	84	79	75	73
Sat	73	73	74	76	88	95	99	105	102	97	99	102	89	82	76	75	73
Sun	73	73	73	73	75	78	84	85	84	83	82	81	78	76	76	76	73

About this drive

On weekdays the 81-mile drive from Irvine to Poway (via I-5 South) usually takes as little as 72 minutes and up to 103 minutes, when leaving around 3 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 7 am or after 6 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 82 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 10:30 am on Saturdays (106 minutes).

About 76 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 6 miles surface streets (6 to 11 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Irvine to central Poway 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 Poway?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 6 pm. The drive usually takes about 72 minutes then, versus up to 103 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Irvine to Poway?

The 81-mile drive usually takes 72 to 103 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 82 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Irvine to Poway?

Leaving around 3 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 103 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in San Diego (34 miles) · I-5 South in Orange County (28 miles) · SR-56 East in San Diego (9 miles) · I-405 South in Orange County (6 miles)

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

More drives

Poway 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	72	75	87	85	78	77	77	77	78	78	82	82	78	76	74	74	73
Tue	73	76	91	91	81	79	78	78	78	81	86	88	82	78	75	75	73
Wed	73	76	91	89	80	79	78	79	79	82	87	87	83	77	75	75	73
Thu	73	76	92	88	80	81	80	79	78	83	89	90	83	77	76	75	73
Fri	73	76	80	77	78	82	85	89	95	102	103	102	96	84	79	75	73
Sat	73	73	74	76	88	95	99	105	102	97	99	102	89	82	76	75	73
Sun	73	73	73	73	75	78	84	85	84	83	82	81	78	76	76	76	73

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	72	75	87	85	78	77	77	77	78	78	82	82	78	76	74	74	73
Tue	73	76	91	91	81	79	78	78	78	81	86	88	82	78	75	75	73
Wed	73	76	91	89	80	79	78	79	79	82	87	87	83	77	75	75	73
Thu	73	76	92	88	80	81	80	79	78	83	89	90	83	77	76	75	73
Fri	73	76	80	77	78	82	85	89	95	102	103	102	96	84	79	75	73
Sat	73	73	74	76	88	95	99	105	102	97	99	102	89	82	76	75	73
Sun	73	73	73	73	75	78	84	85	84	83	82	81	78	76	76	76	73

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	72	75	87	85	78	77	77	77	78	78	82	82	78	76	74	74	73
Tue	73	76	91	91	81	79	78	78	78	81	86	88	82	78	75	75	73
Wed	73	76	91	89	80	79	78	79	79	82	87	87	83	77	75	75	73
Thu	73	76	92	88	80	81	80	79	78	83	89	90	83	77	76	75	73
Fri	73	76	80	77	78	82	85	89	95	102	103	102	96	84	79	75	73
Sat	73	73	74	76	88	95	99	105	102	97	99	102	89	82	76	75	73
Sun	73	73	73	73	75	78	84	85	84	83	82	81	78	76	76	76	73