Best Time to Drive from Mission Viejo to San Diego

Right now (6:24 pm PDT): about 88 minutes via I-5 South, usually 66 at this time.

Only 53% 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.

On weekdays the 74-mile drive from Mission Viejo to San Diego (via I-5 South) usually takes as little as 64 minutes and up to 105 minutes, when leaving around 3 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 74 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 11:30 am on Saturdays (97 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: San Diego to Mission Viejo

Freeway, about 72 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 1.6 miles: 2 to 3 minutes on weekdays, estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time (we don't have street sensors yet). Drive times are measured from central Mission Viejo to downtown San Diego along the route shown. Starting or ending elsewhere in a big city can add or save several minutes.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from Mission Viejo to San Diego 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	64	66	75	73	68	69	69	69	69	72	79	74	69	65	65	65	65
Tue	65	67	77	79	73	70	69	70	69	75	88	90	79	68	66	67	65
Wed	65	67	75	78	71	70	69	69	70	77	89	87	81	67	66	66	65
Thu	64	67	75	78	71	71	70	69	69	77	92	90	79	68	67	67	64
Fri	64	66	69	67	68	71	77	82	89	103	105	99	91	75	67	66	65
Sat	65	65	65	67	79	88	96	97	94	93	92	90	81	72	69	67	64
Sun	64	64	64	65	67	72	82	83	82	80	76	76	71	68	68	68	65

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 San Diego?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 6 pm. The drive usually takes about 64 minutes then, versus up to 105 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Mission Viejo to San Diego?

The 74-mile drive usually takes 64 to 105 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 74 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Mission Viejo to San Diego?

Leaving around 3 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 105 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in San Diego (47 miles) · I-5 South in Orange County (22 miles) · I-805 South in San Diego (3 miles)

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

More drives

San Diego 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	64	66	75	73	68	69	69	69	69	72	79	74	69	65	65	65	65
Tue	65	67	77	79	73	70	69	70	69	75	88	90	79	68	66	67	65
Wed	65	67	75	78	71	70	69	69	70	77	89	87	81	67	66	66	65
Thu	64	67	75	78	71	71	70	69	69	77	92	90	79	68	67	67	64
Fri	64	66	69	67	68	71	77	82	89	103	105	99	91	75	67	66	65
Sat	65	65	65	67	79	88	96	97	94	93	92	90	81	72	69	67	64
Sun	64	64	64	65	67	72	82	83	82	80	76	76	71	68	68	68	65

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	64	66	75	73	68	69	69	69	69	72	79	74	69	65	65	65	65
Tue	65	67	77	79	73	70	69	70	69	75	88	90	79	68	66	67	65
Wed	65	67	75	78	71	70	69	69	70	77	89	87	81	67	66	66	65
Thu	64	67	75	78	71	71	70	69	69	77	92	90	79	68	67	67	64
Fri	64	66	69	67	68	71	77	82	89	103	105	99	91	75	67	66	65
Sat	65	65	65	67	79	88	96	97	94	93	92	90	81	72	69	67	64
Sun	64	64	64	65	67	72	82	83	82	80	76	76	71	68	68	68	65

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	64	66	75	73	68	69	69	69	69	72	79	74	69	65	65	65	65
Tue	65	67	77	79	73	70	69	70	69	75	88	90	79	68	66	67	65
Wed	65	67	75	78	71	70	69	69	70	77	89	87	81	67	66	66	65
Thu	64	67	75	78	71	71	70	69	69	77	92	90	79	68	67	67	64
Fri	64	66	69	67	68	71	77	82	89	103	105	99	91	75	67	66	65
Sat	65	65	65	67	79	88	96	97	94	93	92	90	81	72	69	67	64
Sun	64	64	64	65	67	72	82	83	82	80	76	76	71	68	68	68	65