Traffic Predict
Best Time to Drive from Ontario to Carlsbad
Right now (11:35 pm PST): about 75 minutes via I-5 South.
Only 46% 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
| Leave | 5am | 6am | 7am | 8am | 9am | 10am | 11am | 12pm | 1pm | 2pm | 3pm | 4pm | 5pm | 6pm | 7pm | 8pm | 9pm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon | 75 | 80 | 84 | 88 | 85 | 82 | 81 | 81 | 81 | 81 | 84 | 89 | 88 | 84 | 77 | 77 | 75 |
| Tue | 75 | 81 | 88 | 90 | 89 | 84 | 83 | 81 | 81 | 83 | 87 | 88 | 88 | 85 | 77 | 76 | 75 |
| Wed | 75 | 82 | 86 | 92 | 89 | 85 | 82 | 81 | 81 | 83 | 90 | 90 | 88 | 87 | 77 | 76 | 74 |
| Thu | 75 | 82 | 84 | 87 | 86 | 84 | 82 | 82 | 83 | 86 | 91 | 93 | 91 | 87 | 78 | 76 | 75 |
| Fri | 75 | 81 | 81 | 82 | 82 | 86 | 89 | 96 | 102 | 107 | 113 | 106 | 99 | 90 | 80 | 78 | 75 |
| Sat | 74 | 76 | 77 | 81 | 89 | 98 | 96 | 93 | 97 | 92 | 92 | 93 | 84 | 81 | 77 | 76 | 74 |
| Sun | 74 | 75 | 74 | 75 | 77 | 83 | 86 | 85 | 86 | 84 | 83 | 81 | 78 | 77 | 77 | 77 | 74 |
About this drive
On weekdays the 80-mile drive from Ontario to Carlsbad (via I-5 South) usually takes as little as 74 minutes and up to 113 minutes, when leaving around 3 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 85 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 10 am on Saturdays (98 minutes).
About 69 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 11 miles surface streets (14 to 31 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Ontario 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 Ontario to Carlsbad?
On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 74 minutes then, versus up to 113 minutes at the worst times.
How long does it take to drive from Ontario to Carlsbad?
The 80-mile drive usually takes 74 to 113 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 85 minutes midday.
When is traffic worst from Ontario to Carlsbad?
Leaving around 3 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 113 minutes.
Freeways on this drive
I-5 South in Orange County (29 miles) · I-5 South in San Diego (15 miles) · SR-241 South in Orange County (11 miles) · SR-133 South in Orange County (4 miles) · SR-71 North in Orange County (4 miles) · SR-91 West in Orange County (4 miles)
Inland Empire traffic right now · Inland Empire traffic tomorrow · San Diego traffic right now · San Diego traffic tomorrow
More drives
Carlsbad to Ontario (return trip) · Ontario to Los Angeles · Ontario to Santa Monica · Ontario to Pasadena · Ontario to Long Beach · Ontario to West Covina · Ontario to Burbank · Ontario to Glendale · Ontario to Santa Clarita · Ontario to Van Nuys · Ontario to Torrance · Ontario to LAX