Best Time to Drive from Long Beach to Vista

Right now (7:17 pm PDT): about 74 minutes via I-5 South and SR-73 South, usually 74 at this time.

Only 12% 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 Long Beach to Vista 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	72	73	74	80	76	74	75	77	76	76	75	74	73	73	72	72	71
Tue	72	73	75	81	80	75	75	75	75	75	77	77	75	74	74	73	72
Wed	72	73	77	78	79	76	77	75	76	80	81	78	75	74	74	74	72
Thu	72	74	75	80	80	79	77	75	78	81	83	81	75	75	75	72	71
Fri	72	73	74	77	78	86	96	103	107	112	115	110	100	82	76	73	72
Sat	72	72	72	80	103	110	113	113	111	109	108	106	91	80	74	73	72
Sun	72	72	72	72	75	88	91	90	88	87	86	84	77	74	74	73	72

About this drive

On weekdays the 78-mile drive from Long Beach to Vista (via I-5 South and SR-73 South) usually takes as little as 71 minutes and up to 115 minutes, when leaving around 1:30 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 8 am or after 5:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 82 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3:30 pm on Saturdays (115 minutes).

About 71 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 7 miles surface streets (8 to 17 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from downtown Long Beach to central Vista 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 Long Beach to Vista?

On weekdays, leave before 8 am or after 5:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 71 minutes then, versus up to 115 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Long Beach to Vista?

The 78-mile drive usually takes 71 to 115 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 82 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Long Beach to Vista?

Leaving around 1:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 115 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in Orange County (19 miles) · I-5 South in San Diego (17 miles) · SR-73 South in Orange County (17 miles) · I-405 South in Orange County (13 miles) · SR-78 East in San Diego (4 miles) · SR-22 East in Orange County (1.2 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow · San Diego traffic right now · San Diego traffic tomorrow

More drives

Vista to Long Beach (return trip) · Long Beach to Los Angeles · Long Beach to Santa Monica · Long Beach to Pasadena · Long Beach to West Covina · Long Beach to Burbank · Long Beach to Glendale · Long Beach to Santa Clarita · Long Beach to Van Nuys · Long Beach to LAX · Long Beach to Hollywood · Long Beach to Culver City

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	72	73	74	80	76	74	75	77	76	76	75	74	73	73	72	72	71
Tue	72	73	75	81	80	75	75	75	75	75	77	77	75	74	74	73	72
Wed	72	73	77	78	79	76	77	75	76	80	81	78	75	74	74	74	72
Thu	72	74	75	80	80	79	77	75	78	81	83	81	75	75	75	72	71
Fri	72	73	74	77	78	86	96	103	107	112	115	110	100	82	76	73	72
Sat	72	72	72	80	103	110	113	113	111	109	108	106	91	80	74	73	72
Sun	72	72	72	72	75	88	91	90	88	87	86	84	77	74	74	73	72

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	72	73	74	80	76	74	75	77	76	76	75	74	73	73	72	72	71
Tue	72	73	75	81	80	75	75	75	75	75	77	77	75	74	74	73	72
Wed	72	73	77	78	79	76	77	75	76	80	81	78	75	74	74	74	72
Thu	72	74	75	80	80	79	77	75	78	81	83	81	75	75	75	72	71
Fri	72	73	74	77	78	86	96	103	107	112	115	110	100	82	76	73	72
Sat	72	72	72	80	103	110	113	113	111	109	108	106	91	80	74	73	72
Sun	72	72	72	72	75	88	91	90	88	87	86	84	77	74	74	73	72

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	72	73	74	80	76	74	75	77	76	76	75	74	73	73	72	72	71
Tue	72	73	75	81	80	75	75	75	75	75	77	77	75	74	74	73	72
Wed	72	73	77	78	79	76	77	75	76	80	81	78	75	74	74	74	72
Thu	72	74	75	80	80	79	77	75	78	81	83	81	75	75	75	72	71
Fri	72	73	74	77	78	86	96	103	107	112	115	110	100	82	76	73	72
Sat	72	72	72	80	103	110	113	113	111	109	108	106	91	80	74	73	72
Sun	72	72	72	72	75	88	91	90	88	87	86	84	77	74	74	73	72