Best Time to Drive from Mission Viejo to Downey

Right now (3:03 pm PDT): about 46 minutes via I-5 North, usually 60 at this time.

Only 49% 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 Downey 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	34	35	42	47	45	39	41	42	44	47	52	51	52	48	41	36	34
Tue	34	36	47	50	48	44	43	42	45	47	54	57	59	55	46	37	35
Wed	34	36	44	48	46	43	42	43	44	46	52	58	58	54	45	38	35
Thu	34	36	45	46	46	43	44	44	47	50	55	61	60	53	47	39	35
Fri	34	36	38	41	41	44	46	48	49	53	60	59	63	57	44	39	35
Sat	34	35	35	36	36	40	41	42	45	46	48	49	49	42	41	40	35
Sun	34	35	35	35	36	36	40	38	40	40	42	41	42	41	43	38	35

About this drive

On weekdays the 37-mile drive from Mission Viejo to Downey (via I-5 North) usually takes as little as 34 minutes and up to 63 minutes, when leaving around 5 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 8:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 45 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4:30 pm on Saturdays (51 minutes).

About 33 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 4 miles surface streets (6 to 20 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Mission Viejo (Chrisanta Drive) to central Downey (Downey Avenue) 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 Downey?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 34 minutes then, versus up to 63 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 37-mile drive usually takes 34 to 63 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 45 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Mission Viejo to Downey?

Leaving around 5 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 63 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 North in Orange County (33 miles)

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

More drives

Downey 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	34	35	42	47	45	39	41	42	44	47	52	51	52	48	41	36	34
Tue	34	36	47	50	48	44	43	42	45	47	54	57	59	55	46	37	35
Wed	34	36	44	48	46	43	42	43	44	46	52	58	58	54	45	38	35
Thu	34	36	45	46	46	43	44	44	47	50	55	61	60	53	47	39	35
Fri	34	36	38	41	41	44	46	48	49	53	60	59	63	57	44	39	35
Sat	34	35	35	36	36	40	41	42	45	46	48	49	49	42	41	40	35
Sun	34	35	35	35	36	36	40	38	40	40	42	41	42	41	43	38	35

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	34	35	42	47	45	39	41	42	44	47	52	51	52	48	41	36	34
Tue	34	36	47	50	48	44	43	42	45	47	54	57	59	55	46	37	35
Wed	34	36	44	48	46	43	42	43	44	46	52	58	58	54	45	38	35
Thu	34	36	45	46	46	43	44	44	47	50	55	61	60	53	47	39	35
Fri	34	36	38	41	41	44	46	48	49	53	60	59	63	57	44	39	35
Sat	34	35	35	36	36	40	41	42	45	46	48	49	49	42	41	40	35
Sun	34	35	35	35	36	36	40	38	40	40	42	41	42	41	43	38	35

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	34	35	42	47	45	39	41	42	44	47	52	51	52	48	41	36	34
Tue	34	36	47	50	48	44	43	42	45	47	54	57	59	55	46	37	35
Wed	34	36	44	48	46	43	42	43	44	46	52	58	58	54	45	38	35
Thu	34	36	45	46	46	43	44	44	47	50	55	61	60	53	47	39	35
Fri	34	36	38	41	41	44	46	48	49	53	60	59	63	57	44	39	35
Sat	34	35	35	36	36	40	41	42	45	46	48	49	49	42	41	40	35
Sun	34	35	35	35	36	36	40	38	40	40	42	41	42	41	43	38	35