Best Time to Drive from Oceanside to Whittier

Right now (6:53 pm PDT): about 92 minutes via I-5 North, usually 77 at this time.

Only 56% 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 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	68	71	76	78	75	76	77	80	82	86	86	86	85	78	73	71	69
Tue	68	72	80	79	77	78	79	80	82	85	88	90	88	82	76	71	69
Wed	68	72	78	80	77	79	80	80	81	86	89	92	88	83	77	71	68
Thu	68	73	76	77	78	79	80	81	82	87	91	93	88	82	77	73	69
Fri	68	72	74	75	76	80	81	84	87	93	93	94	90	83	77	73	68
Sat	68	69	70	71	73	79	83	88	87	86	86	87	82	80	77	75	69
Sun	68	69	69	70	71	74	77	82	83	86	85	83	81	80	77	74	68

About this drive

On weekdays the 77-mile drive from Oceanside to Whittier (via I-5 North) usually takes as little as 68 minutes and up to 94 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 7 am or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 82 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12:30 pm on Saturdays (89 minutes).

About 73 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 4 miles surface streets (5 to 9 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Oceanside to central Whittier 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 Whittier?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 68 minutes then, versus up to 94 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 77-mile drive usually takes 68 to 94 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 82 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Oceanside to Whittier?

Leaving around 4 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 94 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 North in Orange County (52 miles) · I-5 North in San Diego (18 miles) · I-605 North in Los Angeles (3 miles)

San Diego traffic right now · San Diego traffic tomorrow · Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Whittier 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 SAN · Oceanside to Long Beach · Oceanside to Glendora · Oceanside to Anaheim · Oceanside to Riverside · Oceanside to Santa Ana

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	68	71	76	78	75	76	77	80	82	86	86	86	85	78	73	71	69
Tue	68	72	80	79	77	78	79	80	82	85	88	90	88	82	76	71	69
Wed	68	72	78	80	77	79	80	80	81	86	89	92	88	83	77	71	68
Thu	68	73	76	77	78	79	80	81	82	87	91	93	88	82	77	73	69
Fri	68	72	74	75	76	80	81	84	87	93	93	94	90	83	77	73	68
Sat	68	69	70	71	73	79	83	88	87	86	86	87	82	80	77	75	69
Sun	68	69	69	70	71	74	77	82	83	86	85	83	81	80	77	74	68

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	68	71	76	78	75	76	77	80	82	86	86	86	85	78	73	71	69
Tue	68	72	80	79	77	78	79	80	82	85	88	90	88	82	76	71	69
Wed	68	72	78	80	77	79	80	80	81	86	89	92	88	83	77	71	68
Thu	68	73	76	77	78	79	80	81	82	87	91	93	88	82	77	73	69
Fri	68	72	74	75	76	80	81	84	87	93	93	94	90	83	77	73	68
Sat	68	69	70	71	73	79	83	88	87	86	86	87	82	80	77	75	69
Sun	68	69	69	70	71	74	77	82	83	86	85	83	81	80	77	74	68

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	68	71	76	78	75	76	77	80	82	86	86	86	85	78	73	71	69
Tue	68	72	80	79	77	78	79	80	82	85	88	90	88	82	76	71	69
Wed	68	72	78	80	77	79	80	80	81	86	89	92	88	83	77	71	68
Thu	68	73	76	77	78	79	80	81	82	87	91	93	88	82	77	73	69
Fri	68	72	74	75	76	80	81	84	87	93	93	94	90	83	77	73	68
Sat	68	69	70	71	73	79	83	88	87	86	86	87	82	80	77	75	69
Sun	68	69	69	70	71	74	77	82	83	86	85	83	81	80	77	74	68