Best Time to Drive from La Jolla to El Cajon

Right now (3:03 pm PDT): about 31 minutes via SR-52 East, usually 38 at this time.

Only 21% 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 La Jolla to El Cajon 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	26	27	27	28	28	27	27	27	27	28	34	39	37	28	27	27	27
Tue	26	27	27	29	29	27	27	27	27	29	37	41	44	38	27	27	27
Wed	26	27	27	28	30	27	27	27	28	28	39	42	41	35	28	27	27
Thu	26	27	27	29	30	27	27	27	28	29	39	43	44	36	27	27	27
Fri	26	27	27	28	28	27	27	27	28	29	38	42	37	29	27	27	27
Sat	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27
Sun	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27

About this drive

On weekdays the 23-mile drive from La Jolla to El Cajon (via SR-52 East) usually takes as little as 26 minutes and up to 45 minutes, when leaving around 5:30 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 8:30 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 28 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12:30 pm on Saturdays (27 minutes).

About 15 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 8 miles surface streets (13 to 21 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central La Jolla (Fay Avenue) to central El Cajon (South Magnolia Avenue) 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 La Jolla to El Cajon?

On weekdays, leave before 8:30 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 26 minutes then, versus up to 45 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from La Jolla to El Cajon?

The 23-mile drive usually takes 26 to 45 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 28 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from La Jolla to El Cajon?

Leaving around 5:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 45 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

SR-52 East in San Diego (15 miles)

San Diego traffic right now · San Diego traffic tomorrow

More drives

El Cajon to La Jolla (return trip) · La Jolla to San Diego · La Jolla to Escondido · La Jolla to Oceanside · La Jolla to Chula Vista · La Jolla to Carlsbad · La Jolla to SAN · La Jolla to Garden Grove · La Jolla to Santa Monica

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	26	27	27	28	28	27	27	27	27	28	34	39	37	28	27	27	27
Tue	26	27	27	29	29	27	27	27	27	29	37	41	44	38	27	27	27
Wed	26	27	27	28	30	27	27	27	28	28	39	42	41	35	28	27	27
Thu	26	27	27	29	30	27	27	27	28	29	39	43	44	36	27	27	27
Fri	26	27	27	28	28	27	27	27	28	29	38	42	37	29	27	27	27
Sat	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27
Sun	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	26	27	27	28	28	27	27	27	27	28	34	39	37	28	27	27	27
Tue	26	27	27	29	29	27	27	27	27	29	37	41	44	38	27	27	27
Wed	26	27	27	28	30	27	27	27	28	28	39	42	41	35	28	27	27
Thu	26	27	27	29	30	27	27	27	28	29	39	43	44	36	27	27	27
Fri	26	27	27	28	28	27	27	27	28	29	38	42	37	29	27	27	27
Sat	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27
Sun	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	26	27	27	28	28	27	27	27	27	28	34	39	37	28	27	27	27
Tue	26	27	27	29	29	27	27	27	27	29	37	41	44	38	27	27	27
Wed	26	27	27	28	30	27	27	27	28	28	39	42	41	35	28	27	27
Thu	26	27	27	29	30	27	27	27	28	29	39	43	44	36	27	27	27
Fri	26	27	27	28	28	27	27	27	28	29	38	42	37	29	27	27	27
Sat	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27
Sun	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27	27