Best Time to Drive from Mission Viejo to El Cajon

Right now (3:20 pm PST): about 117 minutes via I-5 South, usually 83 at this time.

Only 44% 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 El Cajon 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	70	72	78	79	74	74	74	74	75	78	80	79	75	72	72	72	70
Tue	70	73	82	85	79	76	75	75	76	80	82	81	80	73	72	72	71
Wed	70	73	81	85	77	75	75	75	75	80	83	82	81	73	72	72	71
Thu	70	73	81	83	76	77	77	75	76	82	86	84	82	74	73	72	70
Fri	70	73	76	74	74	77	80	84	90	98	100	99	89	81	76	72	71
Sat	71	70	71	72	78	84	88	89	87	84	83	86	80	76	73	72	71
Sun	71	70	70	70	72	73	77	77	77	77	77	76	74	74	73	74	71

About this drive

On weekdays the 80-mile drive from Mission Viejo to El Cajon (via I-5 South) usually takes as little as 70 minutes and up to 101 minutes, when leaving around 3:30 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 7 am or after 6 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 78 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12 pm on Saturdays (89 minutes).

About 79 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 1.3 miles surface streets (about 1 minutes), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Mission Viejo to central El Cajon 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 El Cajon?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 6 pm. The drive usually takes about 70 minutes then, versus up to 101 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Mission Viejo to El Cajon?

The 80-mile drive usually takes 70 to 101 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 78 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Mission Viejo to El Cajon?

Leaving around 3:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 101 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in San Diego (36 miles) · I-5 South in Orange County (23 miles) · SR-52 East in San Diego (13 miles) · I-805 South in San Diego (4 miles)

Orange County traffic right now · Orange County traffic tomorrow · San Diego traffic right now · San Diego traffic tomorrow

More drives

El Cajon 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	70	72	78	79	74	74	74	74	75	78	80	79	75	72	72	72	70
Tue	70	73	82	85	79	76	75	75	76	80	82	81	80	73	72	72	71
Wed	70	73	81	85	77	75	75	75	75	80	83	82	81	73	72	72	71
Thu	70	73	81	83	76	77	77	75	76	82	86	84	82	74	73	72	70
Fri	70	73	76	74	74	77	80	84	90	98	100	99	89	81	76	72	71
Sat	71	70	71	72	78	84	88	89	87	84	83	86	80	76	73	72	71
Sun	71	70	70	70	72	73	77	77	77	77	77	76	74	74	73	74	71

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	70	72	78	79	74	74	74	74	75	78	80	79	75	72	72	72	70
Tue	70	73	82	85	79	76	75	75	76	80	82	81	80	73	72	72	71
Wed	70	73	81	85	77	75	75	75	75	80	83	82	81	73	72	72	71
Thu	70	73	81	83	76	77	77	75	76	82	86	84	82	74	73	72	70
Fri	70	73	76	74	74	77	80	84	90	98	100	99	89	81	76	72	71
Sat	71	70	71	72	78	84	88	89	87	84	83	86	80	76	73	72	71
Sun	71	70	70	70	72	73	77	77	77	77	77	76	74	74	73	74	71

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	70	72	78	79	74	74	74	74	75	78	80	79	75	72	72	72	70
Tue	70	73	82	85	79	76	75	75	76	80	82	81	80	73	72	72	71
Wed	70	73	81	85	77	75	75	75	75	80	83	82	81	73	72	72	71
Thu	70	73	81	83	76	77	77	75	76	82	86	84	82	74	73	72	70
Fri	70	73	76	74	74	77	80	84	90	98	100	99	89	81	76	72	71
Sat	71	70	71	72	78	84	88	89	87	84	83	86	80	76	73	72	71
Sun	71	70	70	70	72	73	77	77	77	77	77	76	74	74	73	74	71