Best Time to Drive from Ontario to Rancho Santa Margarita

Right now (9:04 pm PDT): about 40 minutes via SR-241 South, usually 39 at this time.

Only 34% 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 Ontario to Rancho Santa Margarita 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	40	44	48	52	47	45	44	44	45	45	49	54	52	49	42	41	40
Tue	39	44	51	54	51	47	46	44	45	45	51	52	52	49	42	41	39
Wed	39	45	50	57	52	48	45	44	44	46	53	53	53	52	41	40	39
Thu	39	44	48	52	47	46	45	45	45	47	52	55	54	52	42	41	40
Fri	39	44	44	46	44	44	44	45	48	52	56	56	56	51	43	41	39
Sat	39	41	41	41	42	44	44	42	43	45	43	46	45	44	40	40	39
Sun	39	39	39	40	40	42	41	41	43	42	41	40	40	40	40	41	39

About this drive

On weekdays the 38-mile drive from Ontario to Rancho Santa Margarita (via SR-241 South) usually takes as little as 39 minutes and up to 57 minutes, when leaving around 8 am on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 7 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 45 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3:30 pm on Saturdays (47 minutes).

About 29 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 10 miles surface streets (13 to 30 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Ontario to central Rancho Santa Margarita 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 Rancho Santa Margarita?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 39 minutes then, versus up to 57 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Ontario to Rancho Santa Margarita?

The 38-mile drive usually takes 39 to 57 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 45 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Ontario to Rancho Santa Margarita?

Leaving around 8 am on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 57 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

SR-241 South in Orange County (20 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 · Orange County traffic right now · Orange County traffic tomorrow

More drives

Rancho Santa Margarita 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

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	40	44	48	52	47	45	44	44	45	45	49	54	52	49	42	41	40
Tue	39	44	51	54	51	47	46	44	45	45	51	52	52	49	42	41	39
Wed	39	45	50	57	52	48	45	44	44	46	53	53	53	52	41	40	39
Thu	39	44	48	52	47	46	45	45	45	47	52	55	54	52	42	41	40
Fri	39	44	44	46	44	44	44	45	48	52	56	56	56	51	43	41	39
Sat	39	41	41	41	42	44	44	42	43	45	43	46	45	44	40	40	39
Sun	39	39	39	40	40	42	41	41	43	42	41	40	40	40	40	41	39

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	40	44	48	52	47	45	44	44	45	45	49	54	52	49	42	41	40
Tue	39	44	51	54	51	47	46	44	45	45	51	52	52	49	42	41	39
Wed	39	45	50	57	52	48	45	44	44	46	53	53	53	52	41	40	39
Thu	39	44	48	52	47	46	45	45	45	47	52	55	54	52	42	41	40
Fri	39	44	44	46	44	44	44	45	48	52	56	56	56	51	43	41	39
Sat	39	41	41	41	42	44	44	42	43	45	43	46	45	44	40	40	39
Sun	39	39	39	40	40	42	41	41	43	42	41	40	40	40	40	41	39

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	40	44	48	52	47	45	44	44	45	45	49	54	52	49	42	41	40
Tue	39	44	51	54	51	47	46	44	45	45	51	52	52	49	42	41	39
Wed	39	45	50	57	52	48	45	44	44	46	53	53	53	52	41	40	39
Thu	39	44	48	52	47	46	45	45	45	47	52	55	54	52	42	41	40
Fri	39	44	44	46	44	44	44	45	48	52	56	56	56	51	43	41	39
Sat	39	41	41	41	42	44	44	42	43	45	43	46	45	44	40	40	39
Sun	39	39	39	40	40	42	41	41	43	42	41	40	40	40	40	41	39