Best Time to Drive from Mid-City to Lake Elsinore

Right now (5:50 pm PDT): about 128 minutes via SR-91 East and I-15 South and I-5 South, usually 111 at this time.

Only 15% 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 Mid-City to Lake Elsinore 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	68	76	84	84	77	77	84	82	86	94	119	128	115	105	82	72	68
Tue	67	73	91	92	79	78	80	82	87	101	123	133	125	111	93	77	67
Wed	67	73	89	90	81	77	79	82	85	98	110	119	109	98	89	78	69
Thu	67	74	89	89	80	80	85	88	97	109	134	135	126	111	91	76	70
Fri	67	72	84	85	83	82	85	96	113	135	143	137	127	111	90	78	71
Sat	68	70	71	74	80	84	92	91	94	98	101	95	91	86	81	78	70
Sun	67	68	67	69	70	77	78	83	83	85	84	82	81	78	80	78	71

About this drive

On weekdays the 76-mile drive from Mid-City to Lake Elsinore (via SR-91 East and I-15 South and I-5 South) usually takes as little as 67 minutes and up to 143 minutes, when leaving around 3 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 8:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 92 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3 pm on Saturdays (101 minutes).

About 74 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 1.7 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 central Mid-City to central Lake Elsinore 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 Mid-City to Lake Elsinore?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 67 minutes then, versus up to 143 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Mid-City to Lake Elsinore?

The 76-mile drive usually takes 67 to 143 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 92 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Mid-City to Lake Elsinore?

Leaving around 3 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 143 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

SR-91 East in Orange County (27 miles) · I-15 South in Orange County (14 miles) · I-5 South in Los Angeles (13 miles) · I-10 East in Los Angeles (9 miles) · I-5 South in Orange County (6 miles) · I-15 South in Inland Empire (6 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow · Inland Empire traffic right now · Inland Empire traffic tomorrow

More drives

Lake Elsinore to Mid-City (return trip) · Mid-City to Fontana · Mid-City to Moreno Valley · Mid-City to Glendale · Mid-City to Lancaster · Mid-City to Palmdale · Mid-City to Valencia · Mid-City to Fullerton · Mid-City to East Los Angeles · Mid-City to Costa Mesa · Mid-City to Norwalk · Mid-City to Rialto

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	68	76	84	84	77	77	84	82	86	94	119	128	115	105	82	72	68
Tue	67	73	91	92	79	78	80	82	87	101	123	133	125	111	93	77	67
Wed	67	73	89	90	81	77	79	82	85	98	110	119	109	98	89	78	69
Thu	67	74	89	89	80	80	85	88	97	109	134	135	126	111	91	76	70
Fri	67	72	84	85	83	82	85	96	113	135	143	137	127	111	90	78	71
Sat	68	70	71	74	80	84	92	91	94	98	101	95	91	86	81	78	70
Sun	67	68	67	69	70	77	78	83	83	85	84	82	81	78	80	78	71

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	68	76	84	84	77	77	84	82	86	94	119	128	115	105	82	72	68
Tue	67	73	91	92	79	78	80	82	87	101	123	133	125	111	93	77	67
Wed	67	73	89	90	81	77	79	82	85	98	110	119	109	98	89	78	69
Thu	67	74	89	89	80	80	85	88	97	109	134	135	126	111	91	76	70
Fri	67	72	84	85	83	82	85	96	113	135	143	137	127	111	90	78	71
Sat	68	70	71	74	80	84	92	91	94	98	101	95	91	86	81	78	70
Sun	67	68	67	69	70	77	78	83	83	85	84	82	81	78	80	78	71

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	68	76	84	84	77	77	84	82	86	94	119	128	115	105	82	72	68
Tue	67	73	91	92	79	78	80	82	87	101	123	133	125	111	93	77	67
Wed	67	73	89	90	81	77	79	82	85	98	110	119	109	98	89	78	69
Thu	67	74	89	89	80	80	85	88	97	109	134	135	126	111	91	76	70
Fri	67	72	84	85	83	82	85	96	113	135	143	137	127	111	90	78	71
Sat	68	70	71	74	80	84	92	91	94	98	101	95	91	86	81	78	70
Sun	67	68	67	69	70	77	78	83	83	85	84	82	81	78	80	78	71