Best Time to Drive from Los Angeles to Mission Viejo

Right now (11:21 am PST): about 55 minutes via I-5 South, usually 55 at this time.

Only 39% 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 Los Angeles to Mission Viejo 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	43	53	64	66	53	48	53	53	56	53	76	93	85	77	58	46	43
Tue	41	51	75	75	57	49	50	52	52	59	78	98	95	84	67	51	43
Wed	41	50	73	73	58	50	50	50	51	57	63	77	75	63	58	50	44
Thu	41	50	69	72	57	51	55	56	60	61	83	91	91	82	64	49	45
Fri	41	48	62	63	56	52	51	54	61	74	85	88	88	82	62	52	45
Sat	42	43	44	46	50	51	55	56	57	60	61	59	56	55	51	50	47
Sun	42	42	42	43	44	49	50	54	56	57	57	55	56	54	54	51	46

About this drive

On weekdays the 48-mile drive from Los Angeles to Mission Viejo (via I-5 South) usually takes as little as 41 minutes and up to 102 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 9 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 55 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3:30 pm on Saturdays (62 minutes).

About 47 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 1.3 miles surface streets (2 to 4 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from Downtown LA (City Hall) (West 1st Street) to central Mission Viejo (Chrisanta Drive) 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 Los Angeles to Mission Viejo?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 9 pm. The drive usually takes about 41 minutes then, versus up to 102 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Los Angeles to Mission Viejo?

The 48-mile drive usually takes 41 to 102 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 55 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Los Angeles to Mission Viejo?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 102 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in Orange County (35 miles) · I-5 South in Los Angeles (9 miles) · US-101 South in Los Angeles (2 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow · Orange County traffic right now · Orange County traffic tomorrow

Los Angeles to Mission Viejo over Thanksgiving: when to leave →

More drives

Mission Viejo to Los Angeles (return trip) · Los Angeles to Santa Monica · Los Angeles to Long Beach · Los Angeles to West Covina · Los Angeles to Burbank · Los Angeles to Glendale · Los Angeles to Santa Clarita · Los Angeles to Van Nuys · Los Angeles to Torrance · Los Angeles to Hollywood · Los Angeles to Culver City · Los Angeles to El Monte

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	43	53	64	66	53	48	53	53	56	53	76	93	85	77	58	46	43
Tue	41	51	75	75	57	49	50	52	52	59	78	98	95	84	67	51	43
Wed	41	50	73	73	58	50	50	50	51	57	63	77	75	63	58	50	44
Thu	41	50	69	72	57	51	55	56	60	61	83	91	91	82	64	49	45
Fri	41	48	62	63	56	52	51	54	61	74	85	88	88	82	62	52	45
Sat	42	43	44	46	50	51	55	56	57	60	61	59	56	55	51	50	47
Sun	42	42	42	43	44	49	50	54	56	57	57	55	56	54	54	51	46

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	43	53	64	66	53	48	53	53	56	53	76	93	85	77	58	46	43
Tue	41	51	75	75	57	49	50	52	52	59	78	98	95	84	67	51	43
Wed	41	50	73	73	58	50	50	50	51	57	63	77	75	63	58	50	44
Thu	41	50	69	72	57	51	55	56	60	61	83	91	91	82	64	49	45
Fri	41	48	62	63	56	52	51	54	61	74	85	88	88	82	62	52	45
Sat	42	43	44	46	50	51	55	56	57	60	61	59	56	55	51	50	47
Sun	42	42	42	43	44	49	50	54	56	57	57	55	56	54	54	51	46

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	43	53	64	66	53	48	53	53	56	53	76	93	85	77	58	46	43
Tue	41	51	75	75	57	49	50	52	52	59	78	98	95	84	67	51	43
Wed	41	50	73	73	58	50	50	50	51	57	63	77	75	63	58	50	44
Thu	41	50	69	72	57	51	55	56	60	61	83	91	91	82	64	49	45
Fri	41	48	62	63	56	52	51	54	61	74	85	88	88	82	62	52	45
Sat	42	43	44	46	50	51	55	56	57	60	61	59	56	55	51	50	47
Sun	42	42	42	43	44	49	50	54	56	57	57	55	56	54	54	51	46