Best Time to Drive from Murrieta to Carlsbad

Right now (5:33 pm PDT): about 48 minutes via I-15 South and SR-76 West, usually 50 at this time.

Only 51% 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 Murrieta to Carlsbad 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	43	56	52	47	46	46	46	45	45	45	47	54	54	48	44	43	43
Tue	42	55	58	48	47	46	45	45	45	45	50	58	54	51	44	43	43
Wed	42	55	61	47	46	46	46	46	45	45	53	58	55	50	45	44	43
Thu	43	55	58	48	47	47	47	46	46	48	54	57	59	51	46	44	43
Fri	43	46	46	45	47	49	51	54	56	65	71	74	73	59	51	44	43
Sat	43	43	43	43	48	55	68	71	73	68	61	61	55	46	44	43	43
Sun	43	43	43	44	44	57	74	74	71	69	62	59	54	45	44	44	43

About this drive

On weekdays the 41-mile drive from Murrieta to Carlsbad (via I-15 South and SR-76 West) usually takes as little as 42 minutes and up to 75 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 7 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 48 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1:30 pm on Saturdays (77 minutes).

About 27 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 14 miles surface streets (18 to 48 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Murrieta to central Carlsbad 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 Murrieta to Carlsbad?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 42 minutes then, versus up to 75 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Murrieta to Carlsbad?

The 41-mile drive usually takes 42 to 75 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 48 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Murrieta to Carlsbad?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 75 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-15 South in Inland Empire (14 miles) · SR-76 West in San Diego (7 miles) · I-15 South in San Diego (4 miles) · I-5 South in San Diego (3 miles)

Inland Empire traffic right now · Inland Empire traffic tomorrow · San Diego traffic right now · San Diego traffic tomorrow

More drives

Carlsbad to Murrieta (return trip) · Murrieta to Los Angeles · Murrieta to San Diego · Murrieta to San Dimas · Murrieta to Lakewood · Murrieta to Long Beach · Murrieta to Anaheim · Murrieta to Riverside · Murrieta to Santa Ana · Murrieta to Chula Vista · Murrieta to Irvine · Murrieta to San Bernardino

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	43	56	52	47	46	46	46	45	45	45	47	54	54	48	44	43	43
Tue	42	55	58	48	47	46	45	45	45	45	50	58	54	51	44	43	43
Wed	42	55	61	47	46	46	46	46	45	45	53	58	55	50	45	44	43
Thu	43	55	58	48	47	47	47	46	46	48	54	57	59	51	46	44	43
Fri	43	46	46	45	47	49	51	54	56	65	71	74	73	59	51	44	43
Sat	43	43	43	43	48	55	68	71	73	68	61	61	55	46	44	43	43
Sun	43	43	43	44	44	57	74	74	71	69	62	59	54	45	44	44	43

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	43	56	52	47	46	46	46	45	45	45	47	54	54	48	44	43	43
Tue	42	55	58	48	47	46	45	45	45	45	50	58	54	51	44	43	43
Wed	42	55	61	47	46	46	46	46	45	45	53	58	55	50	45	44	43
Thu	43	55	58	48	47	47	47	46	46	48	54	57	59	51	46	44	43
Fri	43	46	46	45	47	49	51	54	56	65	71	74	73	59	51	44	43
Sat	43	43	43	43	48	55	68	71	73	68	61	61	55	46	44	43	43
Sun	43	43	43	44	44	57	74	74	71	69	62	59	54	45	44	44	43

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	43	56	52	47	46	46	46	45	45	45	47	54	54	48	44	43	43
Tue	42	55	58	48	47	46	45	45	45	45	50	58	54	51	44	43	43
Wed	42	55	61	47	46	46	46	46	45	45	53	58	55	50	45	44	43
Thu	43	55	58	48	47	47	47	46	46	48	54	57	59	51	46	44	43
Fri	43	46	46	45	47	49	51	54	56	65	71	74	73	59	51	44	43
Sat	43	43	43	43	48	55	68	71	73	68	61	61	55	46	44	43	43
Sun	43	43	43	44	44	57	74	74	71	69	62	59	54	45	44	44	43