Best Time to Drive from Mission Viejo to Los Angeles

Right now (6:35 pm PST): about 63 minutes via I-5 North, usually 55 at this time.

Only 39% 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 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	43	49	52	58	54	49	51	52	53	53	56	57	57	54	49	45	42
Tue	43	49	55	59	55	52	52	52	53	53	57	60	61	57	52	46	43
Wed	43	48	53	57	54	51	51	51	52	52	58	62	62	58	52	47	43
Thu	43	48	53	56	54	52	53	52	52	54	59	63	61	56	52	48	43
Fri	43	49	48	51	51	52	53	53	54	56	61	61	63	60	52	49	43
Sat	42	44	45	45	47	51	52	52	52	52	53	53	53	51	51	48	44
Sun	42	43	43	43	45	46	50	49	51	51	52	52	53	54	53	49	44

About this drive

On weekdays the 48-mile drive from Mission Viejo to Los Angeles (via I-5 North) usually takes as little as 42 minutes and up to 64 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 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 52 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4:30 pm on Saturdays (54 minutes).

About 46 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 1.5 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 Mission Viejo (Chrisanta Drive) to Downtown LA (City Hall) (West 1st Street) 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 Los Angeles?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 42 minutes then, versus up to 64 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 48-mile drive usually takes 42 to 64 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 52 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Mission Viejo to Los Angeles?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 64 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 North in Orange County (36 miles) · I-5 North in Los Angeles (10 miles)

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

Mission Viejo to Los Angeles over Thanksgiving: when to leave →

More drives

Los Angeles to Mission Viejo (return trip) · 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 · Mission Viejo to Culver City

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	43	49	52	58	54	49	51	52	53	53	56	57	57	54	49	45	42
Tue	43	49	55	59	55	52	52	52	53	53	57	60	61	57	52	46	43
Wed	43	48	53	57	54	51	51	51	52	52	58	62	62	58	52	47	43
Thu	43	48	53	56	54	52	53	52	52	54	59	63	61	56	52	48	43
Fri	43	49	48	51	51	52	53	53	54	56	61	61	63	60	52	49	43
Sat	42	44	45	45	47	51	52	52	52	52	53	53	53	51	51	48	44
Sun	42	43	43	43	45	46	50	49	51	51	52	52	53	54	53	49	44

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	43	49	52	58	54	49	51	52	53	53	56	57	57	54	49	45	42
Tue	43	49	55	59	55	52	52	52	53	53	57	60	61	57	52	46	43
Wed	43	48	53	57	54	51	51	51	52	52	58	62	62	58	52	47	43
Thu	43	48	53	56	54	52	53	52	52	54	59	63	61	56	52	48	43
Fri	43	49	48	51	51	52	53	53	54	56	61	61	63	60	52	49	43
Sat	42	44	45	45	47	51	52	52	52	52	53	53	53	51	51	48	44
Sun	42	43	43	43	45	46	50	49	51	51	52	52	53	54	53	49	44

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	43	49	52	58	54	49	51	52	53	53	56	57	57	54	49	45	42
Tue	43	49	55	59	55	52	52	52	53	53	57	60	61	57	52	46	43
Wed	43	48	53	57	54	51	51	51	52	52	58	62	62	58	52	47	43
Thu	43	48	53	56	54	52	53	52	52	54	59	63	61	56	52	48	43
Fri	43	49	48	51	51	52	53	53	54	56	61	61	63	60	52	49	43
Sat	42	44	45	45	47	51	52	52	52	52	53	53	53	51	51	48	44
Sun	42	43	43	43	45	46	50	49	51	51	52	52	53	54	53	49	44