Best Time to Drive from Irvine to San Diego

Right now (5:50 am PST): about 81 minutes via I-5 South, usually 84 at this time.

Only 51% 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 San Diego 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	80	83	93	90	88	86	85	85	86	89	94	93	89	86	83	82	81
Tue	81	85	99	99	91	89	87	87	87	94	103	106	99	93	84	83	81
Wed	80	84	99	97	89	88	87	88	87	95	104	105	99	94	85	83	81
Thu	80	84	99	95	89	90	89	88	88	97	106	109	98	92	85	83	81
Fri	81	84	88	86	87	90	92	97	104	110	113	112	101	91	87	84	81
Sat	80	80	81	83	91	96	99	100	99	95	95	96	89	86	83	82	81
Sun	80	80	80	81	82	84	89	88	87	90	87	86	85	84	84	83	80

About this drive

On weekdays the 84-mile drive from Irvine to San Diego (via I-5 South) usually takes as little as 80 minutes and up to 115 minutes, when leaving around 3:30 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 91 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 10:30 am on Saturdays (101 minutes).

About 74 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 11 miles surface streets (16 to 27 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Irvine (Harvard Avenue) to downtown San Diego (East Broadway) 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 Diego?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 80 minutes then, versus up to 115 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Irvine to San Diego?

The 84-mile drive usually takes 80 to 115 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 91 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Irvine to San Diego?

Leaving around 3:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 115 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in San Diego (47 miles) · I-5 South in Orange County (24 miles) · I-405 South in Orange County (2 miles)

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

Irvine to San Diego over Thanksgiving: when to leave →

More drives

San Diego 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	80	83	93	90	88	86	85	85	86	89	94	93	89	86	83	82	81
Tue	81	85	99	99	91	89	87	87	87	94	103	106	99	93	84	83	81
Wed	80	84	99	97	89	88	87	88	87	95	104	105	99	94	85	83	81
Thu	80	84	99	95	89	90	89	88	88	97	106	109	98	92	85	83	81
Fri	81	84	88	86	87	90	92	97	104	110	113	112	101	91	87	84	81
Sat	80	80	81	83	91	96	99	100	99	95	95	96	89	86	83	82	81
Sun	80	80	80	81	82	84	89	88	87	90	87	86	85	84	84	83	80

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	80	83	93	90	88	86	85	85	86	89	94	93	89	86	83	82	81
Tue	81	85	99	99	91	89	87	87	87	94	103	106	99	93	84	83	81
Wed	80	84	99	97	89	88	87	88	87	95	104	105	99	94	85	83	81
Thu	80	84	99	95	89	90	89	88	88	97	106	109	98	92	85	83	81
Fri	81	84	88	86	87	90	92	97	104	110	113	112	101	91	87	84	81
Sat	80	80	81	83	91	96	99	100	99	95	95	96	89	86	83	82	81
Sun	80	80	80	81	82	84	89	88	87	90	87	86	85	84	84	83	80

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	80	83	93	90	88	86	85	85	86	89	94	93	89	86	83	82	81
Tue	81	85	99	99	91	89	87	87	87	94	103	106	99	93	84	83	81
Wed	80	84	99	97	89	88	87	88	87	95	104	105	99	94	85	83	81
Thu	80	84	99	95	89	90	89	88	88	97	106	109	98	92	85	83	81
Fri	81	84	88	86	87	90	92	97	104	110	113	112	101	91	87	84	81
Sat	80	80	81	83	91	96	99	100	99	95	95	96	89	86	83	82	81
Sun	80	80	80	81	82	84	89	88	87	90	87	86	85	84	84	83	80