Best Time to Drive from Mission Viejo to Whittier

Right now (12:33 pm PDT): about 42 minutes via I-5 North, usually 49 at this time.

Only 47% 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 Whittier 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	37	37	43	50	47	42	42	43	45	45	50	48	50	47	42	39	37
Tue	37	37	46	51	48	43	43	44	45	45	50	57	59	50	45	39	37
Wed	37	38	43	47	47	43	43	44	45	45	53	60	60	53	45	41	37
Thu	37	37	45	46	46	43	44	44	45	48	56	65	61	51	46	41	37
Fri	37	38	38	41	41	44	45	46	49	52	63	60	68	61	44	42	37
Sat	37	37	38	38	38	42	42	43	45	44	47	50	49	43	43	42	37
Sun	37	37	37	37	38	39	42	41	42	42	44	43	44	44	46	41	37

About this drive

On weekdays the 37-mile drive from Mission Viejo to Whittier (via I-5 North) usually takes as little as 37 minutes and up to 68 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 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 45 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4:30 pm on Saturdays (52 minutes).

About 30 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 6 miles surface streets (11 to 31 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 Whittier (Painter Avenue) 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 Whittier?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 37 minutes then, versus up to 68 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 37-mile drive usually takes 37 to 68 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 45 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Mission Viejo to Whittier?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 68 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 North in Orange County (30 miles)

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

More drives

Whittier 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	37	37	43	50	47	42	42	43	45	45	50	48	50	47	42	39	37
Tue	37	37	46	51	48	43	43	44	45	45	50	57	59	50	45	39	37
Wed	37	38	43	47	47	43	43	44	45	45	53	60	60	53	45	41	37
Thu	37	37	45	46	46	43	44	44	45	48	56	65	61	51	46	41	37
Fri	37	38	38	41	41	44	45	46	49	52	63	60	68	61	44	42	37
Sat	37	37	38	38	38	42	42	43	45	44	47	50	49	43	43	42	37
Sun	37	37	37	37	38	39	42	41	42	42	44	43	44	44	46	41	37

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	37	37	43	50	47	42	42	43	45	45	50	48	50	47	42	39	37
Tue	37	37	46	51	48	43	43	44	45	45	50	57	59	50	45	39	37
Wed	37	38	43	47	47	43	43	44	45	45	53	60	60	53	45	41	37
Thu	37	37	45	46	46	43	44	44	45	48	56	65	61	51	46	41	37
Fri	37	38	38	41	41	44	45	46	49	52	63	60	68	61	44	42	37
Sat	37	37	38	38	38	42	42	43	45	44	47	50	49	43	43	42	37
Sun	37	37	37	37	38	39	42	41	42	42	44	43	44	44	46	41	37

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	37	37	43	50	47	42	42	43	45	45	50	48	50	47	42	39	37
Tue	37	37	46	51	48	43	43	44	45	45	50	57	59	50	45	39	37
Wed	37	38	43	47	47	43	43	44	45	45	53	60	60	53	45	41	37
Thu	37	37	45	46	46	43	44	44	45	48	56	65	61	51	46	41	37
Fri	37	38	38	41	41	44	45	46	49	52	63	60	68	61	44	42	37
Sat	37	37	38	38	38	42	42	43	45	44	47	50	49	43	43	42	37
Sun	37	37	37	37	38	39	42	41	42	42	44	43	44	44	46	41	37