Best Time to Drive from Mission Viejo to East Los Angeles

Right now (5:48 pm PDT): about 45 minutes via I-5 North, usually 44 at this time.

Only 50% 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 East Los Angeles 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	37	39	43	47	46	42	44	44	47	48	51	51	51	49	43	39	37
Tue	37	39	45	48	46	44	45	45	46	47	51	54	56	52	46	40	38
Wed	37	40	44	47	45	44	45	45	46	46	52	56	56	53	47	42	38
Thu	37	39	44	46	45	44	46	46	47	48	53	58	56	51	47	42	38
Fri	37	40	40	43	43	45	46	46	48	50	55	56	58	54	46	43	38
Sat	37	38	39	39	40	44	45	45	46	46	47	47	48	44	45	43	38
Sun	37	38	38	38	40	40	44	43	45	45	46	46	46	46	47	43	38

About this drive

On weekdays the 43-mile drive from Mission Viejo to East Los Angeles (via I-5 North) usually takes as little as 37 minutes and up to 59 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 7 am or after 8:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 46 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4:30 pm on Saturdays (50 minutes).

About 41 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 1.3 miles surface streets (1 to 3 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 East Los Angeles 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 East Los Angeles?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 37 minutes then, versus up to 59 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Mission Viejo to East Los Angeles?

The 43-mile drive usually takes 37 to 59 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 46 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Mission Viejo to East Los Angeles?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 59 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 North in Orange County (36 miles) · I-5 North in Los Angeles (6 miles)

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

More drives

East Los Angeles 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	37	39	43	47	46	42	44	44	47	48	51	51	51	49	43	39	37
Tue	37	39	45	48	46	44	45	45	46	47	51	54	56	52	46	40	38
Wed	37	40	44	47	45	44	45	45	46	46	52	56	56	53	47	42	38
Thu	37	39	44	46	45	44	46	46	47	48	53	58	56	51	47	42	38
Fri	37	40	40	43	43	45	46	46	48	50	55	56	58	54	46	43	38
Sat	37	38	39	39	40	44	45	45	46	46	47	47	48	44	45	43	38
Sun	37	38	38	38	40	40	44	43	45	45	46	46	46	46	47	43	38

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	37	39	43	47	46	42	44	44	47	48	51	51	51	49	43	39	37
Tue	37	39	45	48	46	44	45	45	46	47	51	54	56	52	46	40	38
Wed	37	40	44	47	45	44	45	45	46	46	52	56	56	53	47	42	38
Thu	37	39	44	46	45	44	46	46	47	48	53	58	56	51	47	42	38
Fri	37	40	40	43	43	45	46	46	48	50	55	56	58	54	46	43	38
Sat	37	38	39	39	40	44	45	45	46	46	47	47	48	44	45	43	38
Sun	37	38	38	38	40	40	44	43	45	45	46	46	46	46	47	43	38

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	37	39	43	47	46	42	44	44	47	48	51	51	51	49	43	39	37
Tue	37	39	45	48	46	44	45	45	46	47	51	54	56	52	46	40	38
Wed	37	40	44	47	45	44	45	45	46	46	52	56	56	53	47	42	38
Thu	37	39	44	46	45	44	46	46	47	48	53	58	56	51	47	42	38
Fri	37	40	40	43	43	45	46	46	48	50	55	56	58	54	46	43	38
Sat	37	38	39	39	40	44	45	45	46	46	47	47	48	44	45	43	38
Sun	37	38	38	38	40	40	44	43	45	45	46	46	46	46	47	43	38