Best Time to Drive from Mission Viejo to Vista

Right now (3:20 pm PST): about 85 minutes via I-5 South, usually 52 at this time.

Only 20% 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 Vista 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	40	41	42	41	42	42	42	42	42	42	42	43	41	41	41	41	40
Tue	40	42	44	43	42	44	43	43	42	43	43	44	42	42	41	41	41
Wed	40	42	45	42	42	43	43	43	43	43	44	44	43	42	42	42	41
Thu	40	42	45	42	42	44	45	43	43	45	47	47	43	42	42	42	40
Fri	40	42	43	44	42	46	50	53	60	62	63	65	59	53	48	42	41
Sat	41	40	41	41	49	56	60	59	57	53	52	60	49	44	42	41	40
Sun	41	40	40	40	41	43	47	46	46	46	45	45	44	42	43	43	41

About this drive

On weekdays the 46-mile drive from Mission Viejo to Vista (via I-5 South) usually takes as little as 40 minutes and up to 65 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 10 am or after 6 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 45 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 10:30 am on Saturdays (64 minutes).

About 44 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 1.8 miles surface streets (2 to 5 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Mission Viejo to central Vista 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 Vista?

On weekdays, leave before 10 am or after 6 pm. The drive usually takes about 40 minutes then, versus up to 65 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 46-mile drive usually takes 40 to 65 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 45 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Mission Viejo to Vista?

Leaving around 4 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 65 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in Orange County (23 miles) · I-5 South in San Diego (17 miles) · SR-78 East in San Diego (4 miles)

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

More drives

Vista 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	40	41	42	41	42	42	42	42	42	42	42	43	41	41	41	41	40
Tue	40	42	44	43	42	44	43	43	42	43	43	44	42	42	41	41	41
Wed	40	42	45	42	42	43	43	43	43	43	44	44	43	42	42	42	41
Thu	40	42	45	42	42	44	45	43	43	45	47	47	43	42	42	42	40
Fri	40	42	43	44	42	46	50	53	60	62	63	65	59	53	48	42	41
Sat	41	40	41	41	49	56	60	59	57	53	52	60	49	44	42	41	40
Sun	41	40	40	40	41	43	47	46	46	46	45	45	44	42	43	43	41

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	40	41	42	41	42	42	42	42	42	42	42	43	41	41	41	41	40
Tue	40	42	44	43	42	44	43	43	42	43	43	44	42	42	41	41	41
Wed	40	42	45	42	42	43	43	43	43	43	44	44	43	42	42	42	41
Thu	40	42	45	42	42	44	45	43	43	45	47	47	43	42	42	42	40
Fri	40	42	43	44	42	46	50	53	60	62	63	65	59	53	48	42	41
Sat	41	40	41	41	49	56	60	59	57	53	52	60	49	44	42	41	40
Sun	41	40	40	40	41	43	47	46	46	46	45	45	44	42	43	43	41

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	40	41	42	41	42	42	42	42	42	42	42	43	41	41	41	41	40
Tue	40	42	44	43	42	44	43	43	42	43	43	44	42	42	41	41	41
Wed	40	42	45	42	42	43	43	43	43	43	44	44	43	42	42	42	41
Thu	40	42	45	42	42	44	45	43	43	45	47	47	43	42	42	42	40
Fri	40	42	43	44	42	46	50	53	60	62	63	65	59	53	48	42	41
Sat	41	40	41	41	49	56	60	59	57	53	52	60	49	44	42	41	40
Sun	41	40	40	40	41	43	47	46	46	46	45	45	44	42	43	43	41