Best Time to Drive from Lake Elsinore to Los Angeles

Right now (6:24 pm PDT): about 75 minutes via SR-91 West and I-15 North and I-5 North, usually 68 at this time.

Only 35% 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.

On weekdays the 70-mile drive from Lake Elsinore to Los Angeles (via SR-91 West and I-15 North and I-5 North) usually takes as little as 62 minutes and up to 116 minutes, when leaving around 7 am on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 5:30 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 76 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12:30 pm on Saturdays (88 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: Los Angeles to Lake Elsinore

Freeway, about 68 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 1.3 miles: 2 to 3 minutes on weekdays, estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time (we don't have street sensors yet). Drive times are measured from central Lake Elsinore to Downtown LA (City Hall) along the route shown. Starting or ending elsewhere in a big city can add or save several minutes.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from Lake Elsinore to Los Angeles 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	67	92	111	106	91	80	75	74	75	76	77	75	72	67	64	63	62
Tue	67	98	116	109	95	82	76	74	74	76	78	79	76	71	67	64	62
Wed	66	99	116	108	94	84	76	74	75	76	80	80	77	69	64	63	62
Thu	67	97	109	103	92	83	77	75	75	78	84	83	77	69	65	64	62
Fri	65	81	85	86	83	80	79	80	82	85	88	86	84	77	71	68	62
Sat	62	64	65	67	71	78	83	87	87	84	82	82	79	72	67	65	62
Sun	61	62	62	64	68	75	81	84	82	79	76	73	72	70	70	68	62

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 Lake Elsinore to Los Angeles?

On weekdays, leave before 5:30 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 62 minutes then, versus up to 116 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Lake Elsinore to Los Angeles?

The 70-mile drive usually takes 62 to 116 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 76 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Lake Elsinore to Los Angeles?

Leaving around 7 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 116 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

Freeways on this drive

SR-91 West in Orange County (27 miles) · I-15 North in Orange County (14 miles) · I-5 North in Los Angeles (11 miles) · I-5 North in Orange County (10 miles) · I-15 North in Inland Empire (6 miles)

Inland Empire traffic right now · Inland Empire traffic tomorrow · Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Los Angeles to Lake Elsinore (return trip) · Lake Elsinore to San Diego

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	67	92	111	106	91	80	75	74	75	76	77	75	72	67	64	63	62
Tue	67	98	116	109	95	82	76	74	74	76	78	79	76	71	67	64	62
Wed	66	99	116	108	94	84	76	74	75	76	80	80	77	69	64	63	62
Thu	67	97	109	103	92	83	77	75	75	78	84	83	77	69	65	64	62
Fri	65	81	85	86	83	80	79	80	82	85	88	86	84	77	71	68	62
Sat	62	64	65	67	71	78	83	87	87	84	82	82	79	72	67	65	62
Sun	61	62	62	64	68	75	81	84	82	79	76	73	72	70	70	68	62

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	67	92	111	106	91	80	75	74	75	76	77	75	72	67	64	63	62
Tue	67	98	116	109	95	82	76	74	74	76	78	79	76	71	67	64	62
Wed	66	99	116	108	94	84	76	74	75	76	80	80	77	69	64	63	62
Thu	67	97	109	103	92	83	77	75	75	78	84	83	77	69	65	64	62
Fri	65	81	85	86	83	80	79	80	82	85	88	86	84	77	71	68	62
Sat	62	64	65	67	71	78	83	87	87	84	82	82	79	72	67	65	62
Sun	61	62	62	64	68	75	81	84	82	79	76	73	72	70	70	68	62

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	67	92	111	106	91	80	75	74	75	76	77	75	72	67	64	63	62
Tue	67	98	116	109	95	82	76	74	74	76	78	79	76	71	67	64	62
Wed	66	99	116	108	94	84	76	74	75	76	80	80	77	69	64	63	62
Thu	67	97	109	103	92	83	77	75	75	78	84	83	77	69	65	64	62
Fri	65	81	85	86	83	80	79	80	82	85	88	86	84	77	71	68	62
Sat	62	64	65	67	71	78	83	87	87	84	82	82	79	72	67	65	62
Sun	61	62	62	64	68	75	81	84	82	79	76	73	72	70	70	68	62