Best Time to Drive from Mission Viejo to Santa Monica

Right now (12:39 pm PST): about 71 minutes via I-5 North and I-10 West, usually 73 at this time.

Only 29% 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.

About this drive

On weekdays the 61-mile drive from Mission Viejo to Santa Monica (via I-5 North and I-10 West) usually takes as little as 54 minutes and up to 94 minutes, when leaving around 7:30 am on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 5:30 am or after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 68 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 10:30 am on Saturdays (72 minutes).

About 60 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 1 mile surface streets (1 to 2 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 Santa Monica 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 Santa Monica?

On weekdays, leave before 5:30 am or after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 54 minutes then, versus up to 94 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Mission Viejo to Santa Monica?

The 61-mile drive usually takes 54 to 94 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 68 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Mission Viejo to Santa Monica?

Leaving around 7:30 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 94 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 North in Orange County (36 miles) · I-10 West in Los Angeles (15 miles) · I-5 North in Los Angeles (8 miles) · SR-60 West in Los Angeles (1.7 miles)

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

Mission Viejo to Santa Monica over Thanksgiving: when to leave →

More drives

Santa Monica to Mission Viejo (return trip) · Mission Viejo to Los Angeles · 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

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