Best Time to Drive from Oceanside to SAN

Right now (5:17 am PDT): about 33 minutes via I-5 South, usually 33 at this time.

Only 52% 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 Oceanside to SAN 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	33	34	35	42	38	36	35	36	37	36	38	38	38	34	34	34	33
Tue	33	34	36	48	44	37	36	36	36	36	40	49	49	40	34	34	34
Wed	33	34	36	49	43	36	36	36	36	37	44	48	48	38	35	34	33
Thu	33	34	36	48	41	37	37	36	36	38	45	53	51	38	34	35	33
Fri	33	34	35	36	35	36	39	43	42	47	52	51	48	43	38	34	33
Sat	33	33	33	34	38	42	45	45	45	44	45	44	43	40	36	36	33
Sun	33	33	33	33	34	36	45	45	45	44	42	43	40	36	35	35	33

About this drive

On weekdays the 36-mile drive from Oceanside to SAN (via I-5 South) usually takes as little as 33 minutes and up to 53 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7:30 am or after 7 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 37 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 11:30 am on Sundays (46 minutes).

About 34 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 2 miles surface streets (3 to 8 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Oceanside (Mission Avenue) to San Diego International Airport (SAN) (Vera Cruz 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 Oceanside to SAN?

On weekdays, leave before 7:30 am or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 33 minutes then, versus up to 53 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Oceanside to SAN?

The 36-mile drive usually takes 33 to 53 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 37 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Oceanside to SAN?

Leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 53 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in San Diego (33 miles)

San Diego traffic right now · San Diego traffic tomorrow

More drives

SAN to Oceanside (return trip) · Oceanside to San Diego · Oceanside to Escondido · Oceanside to Chula Vista · Oceanside to La Jolla · Oceanside to El Cajon · Oceanside to Long Beach

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	33	34	35	42	38	36	35	36	37	36	38	38	38	34	34	34	33
Tue	33	34	36	48	44	37	36	36	36	36	40	49	49	40	34	34	34
Wed	33	34	36	49	43	36	36	36	36	37	44	48	48	38	35	34	33
Thu	33	34	36	48	41	37	37	36	36	38	45	53	51	38	34	35	33
Fri	33	34	35	36	35	36	39	43	42	47	52	51	48	43	38	34	33
Sat	33	33	33	34	38	42	45	45	45	44	45	44	43	40	36	36	33
Sun	33	33	33	33	34	36	45	45	45	44	42	43	40	36	35	35	33

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	33	34	35	42	38	36	35	36	37	36	38	38	38	34	34	34	33
Tue	33	34	36	48	44	37	36	36	36	36	40	49	49	40	34	34	34
Wed	33	34	36	49	43	36	36	36	36	37	44	48	48	38	35	34	33
Thu	33	34	36	48	41	37	37	36	36	38	45	53	51	38	34	35	33
Fri	33	34	35	36	35	36	39	43	42	47	52	51	48	43	38	34	33
Sat	33	33	33	34	38	42	45	45	45	44	45	44	43	40	36	36	33
Sun	33	33	33	33	34	36	45	45	45	44	42	43	40	36	35	35	33

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	33	34	35	42	38	36	35	36	37	36	38	38	38	34	34	34	33
Tue	33	34	36	48	44	37	36	36	36	36	40	49	49	40	34	34	34
Wed	33	34	36	49	43	36	36	36	36	37	44	48	48	38	35	34	33
Thu	33	34	36	48	41	37	37	36	36	38	45	53	51	38	34	35	33
Fri	33	34	35	36	35	36	39	43	42	47	52	51	48	43	38	34	33
Sat	33	33	33	34	38	42	45	45	45	44	45	44	43	40	36	36	33
Sun	33	33	33	33	34	36	45	45	45	44	42	43	40	36	35	35	33