Best Time to Drive from Los Angeles to San Diego

Right now (6:53 pm PST): about 154 minutes via I-5 South, usually 130 at this time.

Only 48% 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 San Diego 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	110	126	142	136	124	120	124	124	131	135	158	165	157	146	124	114	111
Tue	109	129	157	148	129	122	122	124	131	150	175	178	167	153	134	118	109
Wed	108	126	156	146	130	122	122	121	130	145	155	158	147	134	126	117	110
Thu	108	125	151	144	129	125	128	127	140	156	180	171	165	151	130	116	112
Fri	109	120	134	134	129	128	131	142	161	176	182	173	162	152	130	120	111
Sat	109	110	112	119	131	139	141	141	141	144	146	137	130	126	121	118	113
Sun	109	109	108	111	114	122	126	130	130	131	131	128	128	125	125	121	112

About this drive

On weekdays the 120-mile drive from Los Angeles to San Diego (via I-5 South) usually takes as little as 108 minutes and up to 185 minutes, when leaving around 2:30 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 135 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3 pm on Saturdays (146 minutes).

About 113 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 7 miles surface streets (10 to 21 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 downtown San Diego (East Broadway) 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 San Diego?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 108 minutes then, versus up to 185 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 120-mile drive usually takes 108 to 185 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 135 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Los Angeles to San Diego?

Leaving around 2:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 185 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in Orange County (54 miles) · I-5 South in San Diego (47 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 · San Diego traffic right now · San Diego traffic tomorrow

Los Angeles to San Diego over Thanksgiving: when to leave →

More drives

San Diego 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	110	126	142	136	124	120	124	124	131	135	158	165	157	146	124	114	111
Tue	109	129	157	148	129	122	122	124	131	150	175	178	167	153	134	118	109
Wed	108	126	156	146	130	122	122	121	130	145	155	158	147	134	126	117	110
Thu	108	125	151	144	129	125	128	127	140	156	180	171	165	151	130	116	112
Fri	109	120	134	134	129	128	131	142	161	176	182	173	162	152	130	120	111
Sat	109	110	112	119	131	139	141	141	141	144	146	137	130	126	121	118	113
Sun	109	109	108	111	114	122	126	130	130	131	131	128	128	125	125	121	112

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	110	126	142	136	124	120	124	124	131	135	158	165	157	146	124	114	111
Tue	109	129	157	148	129	122	122	124	131	150	175	178	167	153	134	118	109
Wed	108	126	156	146	130	122	122	121	130	145	155	158	147	134	126	117	110
Thu	108	125	151	144	129	125	128	127	140	156	180	171	165	151	130	116	112
Fri	109	120	134	134	129	128	131	142	161	176	182	173	162	152	130	120	111
Sat	109	110	112	119	131	139	141	141	141	144	146	137	130	126	121	118	113
Sun	109	109	108	111	114	122	126	130	130	131	131	128	128	125	125	121	112

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	110	126	142	136	124	120	124	124	131	135	158	165	157	146	124	114	111
Tue	109	129	157	148	129	122	122	124	131	150	175	178	167	153	134	118	109
Wed	108	126	156	146	130	122	122	121	130	145	155	158	147	134	126	117	110
Thu	108	125	151	144	129	125	128	127	140	156	180	171	165	151	130	116	112
Fri	109	120	134	134	129	128	131	142	161	176	182	173	162	152	130	120	111
Sat	109	110	112	119	131	139	141	141	141	144	146	137	130	126	121	118	113
Sun	109	109	108	111	114	122	126	130	130	131	131	128	128	125	125	121	112