Best Time to Drive from Lake Elsinore to Santa Ana

Right now (6:18 pm PDT): about 50 minutes via I-15 North and SR-91 West, usually 46 at this time.

Only 42% 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 Lake Elsinore to Santa Ana 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	46	65	80	78	63	53	49	49	50	49	51	49	50	47	45	45	44
Tue	45	68	83	81	67	54	50	49	49	50	52	51	52	50	48	47	45
Wed	45	66	81	80	66	57	50	50	49	51	52	51	53	48	45	45	43
Thu	45	67	79	75	65	54	51	50	49	50	53	53	51	47	46	45	44
Fri	44	56	59	60	55	51	50	52	52	53	56	54	53	50	49	49	43
Sat	44	45	45	45	47	50	54	55	56	54	53	52	51	48	46	45	44
Sun	44	44	44	45	46	49	52	53	52	51	49	47	47	45	46	47	44

About this drive

On weekdays the 48-mile drive from Lake Elsinore to Santa Ana (via I-15 North and SR-91 West) usually takes as little as 43 minutes and up to 86 minutes, when leaving around 7:30 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 50 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12:30 pm on Saturdays (56 minutes).

About 44 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 4 miles surface streets (5 to 10 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Lake Elsinore to central Santa Ana 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 Lake Elsinore to Santa Ana?

On weekdays, leave before 5:30 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 43 minutes then, versus up to 86 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Lake Elsinore to Santa Ana?

The 48-mile drive usually takes 43 to 86 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 50 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Lake Elsinore to Santa Ana?

Leaving around 7:30 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 86 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

SR-91 West in Orange County (18 miles) · I-15 North in Orange County (14 miles) · I-15 North in Inland Empire (6 miles) · SR-55 South in Orange County (5 miles)

Inland Empire traffic right now · Inland Empire traffic tomorrow · Orange County traffic right now · Orange County traffic tomorrow

More drives

Santa Ana to Lake Elsinore (return trip) · Lake Elsinore to Los Angeles · Lake Elsinore to San Diego · Lake Elsinore to Lakewood · Lake Elsinore to Long Beach · Lake Elsinore to Anaheim · Lake Elsinore to Riverside

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	46	65	80	78	63	53	49	49	50	49	51	49	50	47	45	45	44
Tue	45	68	83	81	67	54	50	49	49	50	52	51	52	50	48	47	45
Wed	45	66	81	80	66	57	50	50	49	51	52	51	53	48	45	45	43
Thu	45	67	79	75	65	54	51	50	49	50	53	53	51	47	46	45	44
Fri	44	56	59	60	55	51	50	52	52	53	56	54	53	50	49	49	43
Sat	44	45	45	45	47	50	54	55	56	54	53	52	51	48	46	45	44
Sun	44	44	44	45	46	49	52	53	52	51	49	47	47	45	46	47	44

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	46	65	80	78	63	53	49	49	50	49	51	49	50	47	45	45	44
Tue	45	68	83	81	67	54	50	49	49	50	52	51	52	50	48	47	45
Wed	45	66	81	80	66	57	50	50	49	51	52	51	53	48	45	45	43
Thu	45	67	79	75	65	54	51	50	49	50	53	53	51	47	46	45	44
Fri	44	56	59	60	55	51	50	52	52	53	56	54	53	50	49	49	43
Sat	44	45	45	45	47	50	54	55	56	54	53	52	51	48	46	45	44
Sun	44	44	44	45	46	49	52	53	52	51	49	47	47	45	46	47	44

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	46	65	80	78	63	53	49	49	50	49	51	49	50	47	45	45	44
Tue	45	68	83	81	67	54	50	49	49	50	52	51	52	50	48	47	45
Wed	45	66	81	80	66	57	50	50	49	51	52	51	53	48	45	45	43
Thu	45	67	79	75	65	54	51	50	49	50	53	53	51	47	46	45	44
Fri	44	56	59	60	55	51	50	52	52	53	56	54	53	50	49	49	43
Sat	44	45	45	45	47	50	54	55	56	54	53	52	51	48	46	45	44
Sun	44	44	44	45	46	49	52	53	52	51	49	47	47	45	46	47	44