Best Time to Drive from Los Angeles to San Clemente

Right now (6:24 pm PDT): about 74 minutes via I-5 South, usually 71 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 62-mile drive from Los Angeles to San Clemente (via I-5 South) usually takes as little as 53 minutes and up to 90 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 66 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3:30 pm on Saturdays (70 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: San Clemente to Los Angeles

Freeway, about 60 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 1.3 miles: 1 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 Downtown LA (City Hall) to central San Clemente 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 San Clemente 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	53	62	74	77	66	61	62	63	65	67	74	81	84	73	62	57	55
Tue	54	64	82	83	70	64	63	64	65	68	77	85	87	76	66	58	55
Wed	53	64	80	82	72	65	64	65	66	70	78	85	88	76	66	59	55
Thu	53	64	80	81	71	65	66	66	68	70	79	87	88	78	67	60	55
Fri	54	62	71	72	67	65	66	67	69	76	84	86	85	79	68	62	57
Sat	54	56	57	59	62	63	65	65	67	70	70	69	69	66	61	59	56
Sun	54	54	54	55	57	59	61	63	65	66	67	66	64	62	61	61	56

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 San Clemente?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 53 minutes then, versus up to 90 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Los Angeles to San Clemente?

The 62-mile drive usually takes 53 to 90 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 66 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Los Angeles to San Clemente?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 90 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in Orange County (45 miles) · I-5 South in Los Angeles (13 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

San Clemente 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	53	62	74	77	66	61	62	63	65	67	74	81	84	73	62	57	55
Tue	54	64	82	83	70	64	63	64	65	68	77	85	87	76	66	58	55
Wed	53	64	80	82	72	65	64	65	66	70	78	85	88	76	66	59	55
Thu	53	64	80	81	71	65	66	66	68	70	79	87	88	78	67	60	55
Fri	54	62	71	72	67	65	66	67	69	76	84	86	85	79	68	62	57
Sat	54	56	57	59	62	63	65	65	67	70	70	69	69	66	61	59	56
Sun	54	54	54	55	57	59	61	63	65	66	67	66	64	62	61	61	56

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	53	62	74	77	66	61	62	63	65	67	74	81	84	73	62	57	55
Tue	54	64	82	83	70	64	63	64	65	68	77	85	87	76	66	58	55
Wed	53	64	80	82	72	65	64	65	66	70	78	85	88	76	66	59	55
Thu	53	64	80	81	71	65	66	66	68	70	79	87	88	78	67	60	55
Fri	54	62	71	72	67	65	66	67	69	76	84	86	85	79	68	62	57
Sat	54	56	57	59	62	63	65	65	67	70	70	69	69	66	61	59	56
Sun	54	54	54	55	57	59	61	63	65	66	67	66	64	62	61	61	56

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	53	62	74	77	66	61	62	63	65	67	74	81	84	73	62	57	55
Tue	54	64	82	83	70	64	63	64	65	68	77	85	87	76	66	58	55
Wed	53	64	80	82	72	65	64	65	66	70	78	85	88	76	66	59	55
Thu	53	64	80	81	71	65	66	66	68	70	79	87	88	78	67	60	55
Fri	54	62	71	72	67	65	66	67	69	76	84	86	85	79	68	62	57
Sat	54	56	57	59	62	63	65	65	67	70	70	69	69	66	61	59	56
Sun	54	54	54	55	57	59	61	63	65	66	67	66	64	62	61	61	56