Best Time to Drive from Los Angeles to Rancho Santa Margarita

Right now (6:24 pm PDT): about 64 minutes via I-5 South, usually 62 at this time.

Only 2% 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 52-mile drive from Los Angeles to Rancho Santa Margarita (via I-5 South) usually takes as little as 45 minutes and up to 79 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 8:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 57 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3:30 pm on Saturdays (61 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: Rancho Santa Margarita to Los Angeles

Freeway, about 51 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 0.6 miles: about 1 minutes, estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time (we don't have street sensors yet). Drive times are measured from Downtown LA (City Hall) to central Rancho Santa Margarita 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 Los Angeles to Rancho Santa Margarita 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	45	52	64	67	56	52	53	53	55	58	64	71	74	64	53	48	46
Tue	45	55	71	72	59	54	53	54	55	59	67	74	77	67	57	49	46
Wed	45	54	69	72	61	54	54	55	56	60	68	73	78	67	57	50	47
Thu	45	54	69	71	61	55	56	57	59	60	69	75	78	69	58	51	47
Fri	46	53	61	62	57	55	56	57	60	66	73	76	75	70	59	53	48
Sat	46	47	48	49	52	53	55	56	58	60	60	60	59	57	52	50	48
Sun	46	46	46	47	48	50	52	53	55	56	57	56	54	53	51	51	47

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 Rancho Santa Margarita?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 45 minutes then, versus up to 79 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Los Angeles to Rancho Santa Margarita?

The 52-mile drive usually takes 45 to 79 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 57 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Los Angeles to Rancho Santa Margarita?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 79 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in Orange County (24 miles) · I-5 South in Los Angeles (13 miles) · SR-241 South in Orange County (8 miles) · SR-133 North in Orange County (3 miles) · US-101 South in Los Angeles (3 miles)

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

More drives

Rancho Santa Margarita 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	45	52	64	67	56	52	53	53	55	58	64	71	74	64	53	48	46
Tue	45	55	71	72	59	54	53	54	55	59	67	74	77	67	57	49	46
Wed	45	54	69	72	61	54	54	55	56	60	68	73	78	67	57	50	47
Thu	45	54	69	71	61	55	56	57	59	60	69	75	78	69	58	51	47
Fri	46	53	61	62	57	55	56	57	60	66	73	76	75	70	59	53	48
Sat	46	47	48	49	52	53	55	56	58	60	60	60	59	57	52	50	48
Sun	46	46	46	47	48	50	52	53	55	56	57	56	54	53	51	51	47

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	45	52	64	67	56	52	53	53	55	58	64	71	74	64	53	48	46
Tue	45	55	71	72	59	54	53	54	55	59	67	74	77	67	57	49	46
Wed	45	54	69	72	61	54	54	55	56	60	68	73	78	67	57	50	47
Thu	45	54	69	71	61	55	56	57	59	60	69	75	78	69	58	51	47
Fri	46	53	61	62	57	55	56	57	60	66	73	76	75	70	59	53	48
Sat	46	47	48	49	52	53	55	56	58	60	60	60	59	57	52	50	48
Sun	46	46	46	47	48	50	52	53	55	56	57	56	54	53	51	51	47

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	45	52	64	67	56	52	53	53	55	58	64	71	74	64	53	48	46
Tue	45	55	71	72	59	54	53	54	55	59	67	74	77	67	57	49	46
Wed	45	54	69	72	61	54	54	55	56	60	68	73	78	67	57	50	47
Thu	45	54	69	71	61	55	56	57	59	60	69	75	78	69	58	51	47
Fri	46	53	61	62	57	55	56	57	60	66	73	76	75	70	59	53	48
Sat	46	47	48	49	52	53	55	56	58	60	60	60	59	57	52	50	48
Sun	46	46	46	47	48	50	52	53	55	56	57	56	54	53	51	51	47