Best Time to Drive from Mission Viejo to Carson

Right now (3:20 pm PST): about 51 minutes via I-405 North, usually 45 at this time.

None 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 Mission Viejo to Carson 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	39	39	40	42	41	41	41	42	43	44	49	59	72	56	42	42	41
Tue	38	39	40	42	42	42	42	43	43	46	51	61	70	62	47	42	40
Wed	38	39	40	42	42	42	43	43	44	48	54	63	69	61	49	46	40
Thu	38	39	40	42	42	42	43	43	44	48	52	61	65	57	48	45	39
Fri	38	39	39	41	41	41	42	43	45	52	57	61	67	57	49	46	40
Sat	39	39	39	39	40	41	42	42	43	44	46	43	44	44	44	44	39
Sun	39	39	39	39	39	40	41	42	42	43	43	43	43	44	47	50	43

About this drive

On weekdays the 44-mile drive from Mission Viejo to Carson (via I-405 North) usually takes as little as 38 minutes and up to 72 minutes, when leaving around 5 pm on Mondays. The fastest times to leave are before 11 am or after 9 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 44 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 8 pm on Sundays (50 minutes).

About 43 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 1 mile surface streets (1 to 2 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Mission Viejo to central Carson 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 Mission Viejo to Carson?

On weekdays, leave before 11 am or after 9 pm. The drive usually takes about 38 minutes then, versus up to 72 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Mission Viejo to Carson?

The 44-mile drive usually takes 38 to 72 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 44 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Mission Viejo to Carson?

Leaving around 5 pm on Mondays is usually slowest, about 72 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-405 North in Orange County (25 miles) · I-405 North in Los Angeles (10 miles) · I-5 North in Orange County (5 miles) · I-110 South in Los Angeles (1.7 miles)

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

More drives

Carson to Mission Viejo (return trip) · Mission Viejo to Los Angeles · Mission Viejo to Santa Monica · Mission Viejo to Pasadena · Mission Viejo to Long Beach · Mission Viejo to West Covina · Mission Viejo to Burbank · Mission Viejo to Glendale · Mission Viejo to Van Nuys · Mission Viejo to Torrance · Mission Viejo to LAX · Mission Viejo to Hollywood

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	39	39	40	42	41	41	41	42	43	44	49	59	72	56	42	42	41
Tue	38	39	40	42	42	42	42	43	43	46	51	61	70	62	47	42	40
Wed	38	39	40	42	42	42	43	43	44	48	54	63	69	61	49	46	40
Thu	38	39	40	42	42	42	43	43	44	48	52	61	65	57	48	45	39
Fri	38	39	39	41	41	41	42	43	45	52	57	61	67	57	49	46	40
Sat	39	39	39	39	40	41	42	42	43	44	46	43	44	44	44	44	39
Sun	39	39	39	39	39	40	41	42	42	43	43	43	43	44	47	50	43

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	39	39	40	42	41	41	41	42	43	44	49	59	72	56	42	42	41
Tue	38	39	40	42	42	42	42	43	43	46	51	61	70	62	47	42	40
Wed	38	39	40	42	42	42	43	43	44	48	54	63	69	61	49	46	40
Thu	38	39	40	42	42	42	43	43	44	48	52	61	65	57	48	45	39
Fri	38	39	39	41	41	41	42	43	45	52	57	61	67	57	49	46	40
Sat	39	39	39	39	40	41	42	42	43	44	46	43	44	44	44	44	39
Sun	39	39	39	39	39	40	41	42	42	43	43	43	43	44	47	50	43

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	39	39	40	42	41	41	41	42	43	44	49	59	72	56	42	42	41
Tue	38	39	40	42	42	42	42	43	43	46	51	61	70	62	47	42	40
Wed	38	39	40	42	42	42	43	43	44	48	54	63	69	61	49	46	40
Thu	38	39	40	42	42	42	43	43	44	48	52	61	65	57	48	45	39
Fri	38	39	39	41	41	41	42	43	45	52	57	61	67	57	49	46	40
Sat	39	39	39	39	40	41	42	42	43	44	46	43	44	44	44	44	39
Sun	39	39	39	39	39	40	41	42	42	43	43	43	43	44	47	50	43