Best Time to Drive from Mission Viejo to Riverside

Right now (2:05 pm PST): about 51 minutes via SR-91 East and SR-241 North, usually 52 at this time.

Only 45% 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 Riverside 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	41	42	45	47	45	45	45	46	47	51	57	58	59	50	47	45	41
Tue	41	42	49	49	46	45	45	46	46	53	60	61	59	51	47	46	42
Wed	41	42	47	49	45	45	45	46	48	54	56	56	58	50	47	46	42
Thu	41	42	48	47	45	45	45	46	48	52	59	61	59	50	47	45	42
Fri	41	42	44	46	44	45	46	48	54	58	64	62	59	54	49	46	42
Sat	41	42	42	42	43	44	44	44	45	47	48	48	49	47	46	45	41
Sun	41	41	41	41	42	43	43	44	43	44	44	44	43	44	43	44	41

About this drive

On weekdays the 46-mile drive from Mission Viejo to Riverside (via SR-91 East and SR-241 North) usually takes as little as 41 minutes and up to 64 minutes, when leaving around 3:30 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 48 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 5 pm on Saturdays (49 minutes).

About 45 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 1.1 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 (Chrisanta Drive) to central Riverside 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 Riverside?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 41 minutes then, versus up to 64 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 46-mile drive usually takes 41 to 64 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 48 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Mission Viejo to Riverside?

Leaving around 3:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 64 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

SR-91 East in Orange County (20 miles) · SR-241 North in Orange County (12 miles) · I-5 North in Orange County (7 miles) · SR-133 North in Orange County (4 miles) · SR-91 East in Inland Empire (3 miles)

Orange County traffic right now · Orange County traffic tomorrow · Inland Empire traffic right now · Inland Empire traffic tomorrow

Mission Viejo to Riverside over Thanksgiving: when to leave →

More drives

Riverside 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	41	42	45	47	45	45	45	46	47	51	57	58	59	50	47	45	41
Tue	41	42	49	49	46	45	45	46	46	53	60	61	59	51	47	46	42
Wed	41	42	47	49	45	45	45	46	48	54	56	56	58	50	47	46	42
Thu	41	42	48	47	45	45	45	46	48	52	59	61	59	50	47	45	42
Fri	41	42	44	46	44	45	46	48	54	58	64	62	59	54	49	46	42
Sat	41	42	42	42	43	44	44	44	45	47	48	48	49	47	46	45	41
Sun	41	41	41	41	42	43	43	44	43	44	44	44	43	44	43	44	41

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	41	42	45	47	45	45	45	46	47	51	57	58	59	50	47	45	41
Tue	41	42	49	49	46	45	45	46	46	53	60	61	59	51	47	46	42
Wed	41	42	47	49	45	45	45	46	48	54	56	56	58	50	47	46	42
Thu	41	42	48	47	45	45	45	46	48	52	59	61	59	50	47	45	42
Fri	41	42	44	46	44	45	46	48	54	58	64	62	59	54	49	46	42
Sat	41	42	42	42	43	44	44	44	45	47	48	48	49	47	46	45	41
Sun	41	41	41	41	42	43	43	44	43	44	44	44	43	44	43	44	41

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	41	42	45	47	45	45	45	46	47	51	57	58	59	50	47	45	41
Tue	41	42	49	49	46	45	45	46	46	53	60	61	59	51	47	46	42
Wed	41	42	47	49	45	45	45	46	48	54	56	56	58	50	47	46	42
Thu	41	42	48	47	45	45	45	46	48	52	59	61	59	50	47	45	42
Fri	41	42	44	46	44	45	46	48	54	58	64	62	59	54	49	46	42
Sat	41	42	42	42	43	44	44	44	45	47	48	48	49	47	46	45	41
Sun	41	41	41	41	42	43	43	44	43	44	44	44	43	44	43	44	41