Traffic Predict
Best Time to Drive from Irvine to San Clemente
Right now (6:53 pm PDT): about 24 minutes via I-5 South and I-405 South, usually 23 at this time.
Only 61% 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
| Leave | 5am | 6am | 7am | 8am | 9am | 10am | 11am | 12pm | 1pm | 2pm | 3pm | 4pm | 5pm | 6pm | 7pm | 8pm | 9pm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 22 | 22 | 22 |
| Tue | 22 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 22 |
| Wed | 22 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 22 |
| Thu | 21 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 24 | 23 | 22 | 22 |
| Fri | 22 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 22 |
| Sat | 22 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 |
| Sun | 21 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 21 |
About this drive
On weekdays the 24-mile drive from Irvine to San Clemente (via I-5 South and I-405 South) usually takes as little as 21 minutes and up to 25 minutes, when leaving around 5:30 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 23 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 9:30 am on Saturdays (23 minutes).
About 24 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 0.7 miles surface streets (about 1 minutes), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Irvine to central San Clemente 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 San Clemente?
On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 21 minutes then, versus up to 25 minutes at the worst times.
How long does it take to drive from Irvine to San Clemente?
The 24-mile drive usually takes 21 to 25 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 23 minutes midday.
When is traffic worst from Irvine to San Clemente?
Leaving around 5:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 25 minutes.
Freeways on this drive
I-5 South in Orange County (18 miles) · I-405 South in Orange County (6 miles)
Orange County traffic right now · Orange County traffic tomorrow
More drives
San Clemente 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