Best Time to Drive from Mission Viejo to Pasadena

Right now (12:33 pm PDT): about 66 minutes via I-5 North, usually 65 at this time.

Only 35% 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 Pasadena 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	51	54	57	63	61	57	58	59	62	66	72	75	76	67	58	53	51
Tue	51	54	61	66	62	59	60	60	62	68	75	76	80	73	62	54	51
Wed	51	54	59	64	61	60	59	60	62	65	73	79	80	73	62	56	51
Thu	51	53	58	63	62	60	61	60	63	67	75	84	80	72	64	58	52
Fri	51	54	54	58	59	61	62	64	65	70	80	78	81	74	62	57	51
Sat	51	52	53	53	54	59	60	60	62	67	65	65	63	59	59	57	51
Sun	51	51	52	52	54	54	59	57	59	59	61	60	61	60	62	58	52

About this drive

On weekdays the 52-mile drive from Mission Viejo to Pasadena (via I-5 North) usually takes as little as 51 minutes and up to 84 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7 am or after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 63 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2 pm on Saturdays (67 minutes).

About 45 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 7 miles surface streets (12 to 26 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 Old Pasadena (East Holly 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 Pasadena?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 51 minutes then, versus up to 84 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 52-mile drive usually takes 51 to 84 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 63 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Mission Viejo to Pasadena?

Leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 84 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 North in Orange County (36 miles) · I-5 North in Los Angeles (6 miles) · I-710 North in Los Angeles (3 miles)

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

More drives

Pasadena to Mission Viejo (return trip) · Mission Viejo to Los Angeles · Mission Viejo to Santa Monica · 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	51	54	57	63	61	57	58	59	62	66	72	75	76	67	58	53	51
Tue	51	54	61	66	62	59	60	60	62	68	75	76	80	73	62	54	51
Wed	51	54	59	64	61	60	59	60	62	65	73	79	80	73	62	56	51
Thu	51	53	58	63	62	60	61	60	63	67	75	84	80	72	64	58	52
Fri	51	54	54	58	59	61	62	64	65	70	80	78	81	74	62	57	51
Sat	51	52	53	53	54	59	60	60	62	67	65	65	63	59	59	57	51
Sun	51	51	52	52	54	54	59	57	59	59	61	60	61	60	62	58	52

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	51	54	57	63	61	57	58	59	62	66	72	75	76	67	58	53	51
Tue	51	54	61	66	62	59	60	60	62	68	75	76	80	73	62	54	51
Wed	51	54	59	64	61	60	59	60	62	65	73	79	80	73	62	56	51
Thu	51	53	58	63	62	60	61	60	63	67	75	84	80	72	64	58	52
Fri	51	54	54	58	59	61	62	64	65	70	80	78	81	74	62	57	51
Sat	51	52	53	53	54	59	60	60	62	67	65	65	63	59	59	57	51
Sun	51	51	52	52	54	54	59	57	59	59	61	60	61	60	62	58	52

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	51	54	57	63	61	57	58	59	62	66	72	75	76	67	58	53	51
Tue	51	54	61	66	62	59	60	60	62	68	75	76	80	73	62	54	51
Wed	51	54	59	64	61	60	59	60	62	65	73	79	80	73	62	56	51
Thu	51	53	58	63	62	60	61	60	63	67	75	84	80	72	64	58	52
Fri	51	54	54	58	59	61	62	64	65	70	80	78	81	74	62	57	51
Sat	51	52	53	53	54	59	60	60	62	67	65	65	63	59	59	57	51
Sun	51	51	52	52	54	54	59	57	59	59	61	60	61	60	62	58	52