Best Time to Drive from Ontario to San Clemente

Right now (6:48 pm PDT): about 55 minutes via I-5 South and SR-241 South, usually 54 at this time.

Only 45% 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 San Clemente 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	53	57	62	66	63	59	59	59	59	59	64	69	68	64	56	55	54
Tue	53	59	65	69	66	62	60	60	59	60	65	67	67	63	56	55	53
Wed	53	59	65	72	67	63	60	59	59	60	68	68	68	66	55	54	53
Thu	53	59	63	67	63	61	60	59	59	62	67	71	70	66	56	55	54
Fri	53	59	59	61	59	60	59	59	63	66	70	70	70	65	56	55	53
Sat	53	54	55	56	57	58	58	56	57	59	58	60	60	58	54	54	53
Sun	52	53	53	54	55	56	56	56	58	56	56	55	54	54	54	55	52

About this drive

On weekdays the 54-mile drive from Ontario to San Clemente (via I-5 South and SR-241 South) usually takes as little as 53 minutes and up to 72 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 60 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3:30 pm on Saturdays (61 minutes).

About 44 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 10 miles surface streets (14 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 San Clemente 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 San Clemente?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 53 minutes then, versus up to 72 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Ontario to San Clemente?

The 54-mile drive usually takes 53 to 72 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 60 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Ontario to San Clemente?

Leaving around 8 am on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 72 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in Orange County (20 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 · Orange County traffic right now · Orange County traffic tomorrow

More drives

San Clemente 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	53	57	62	66	63	59	59	59	59	59	64	69	68	64	56	55	54
Tue	53	59	65	69	66	62	60	60	59	60	65	67	67	63	56	55	53
Wed	53	59	65	72	67	63	60	59	59	60	68	68	68	66	55	54	53
Thu	53	59	63	67	63	61	60	59	59	62	67	71	70	66	56	55	54
Fri	53	59	59	61	59	60	59	59	63	66	70	70	70	65	56	55	53
Sat	53	54	55	56	57	58	58	56	57	59	58	60	60	58	54	54	53
Sun	52	53	53	54	55	56	56	56	58	56	56	55	54	54	54	55	52

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	53	57	62	66	63	59	59	59	59	59	64	69	68	64	56	55	54
Tue	53	59	65	69	66	62	60	60	59	60	65	67	67	63	56	55	53
Wed	53	59	65	72	67	63	60	59	59	60	68	68	68	66	55	54	53
Thu	53	59	63	67	63	61	60	59	59	62	67	71	70	66	56	55	54
Fri	53	59	59	61	59	60	59	59	63	66	70	70	70	65	56	55	53
Sat	53	54	55	56	57	58	58	56	57	59	58	60	60	58	54	54	53
Sun	52	53	53	54	55	56	56	56	58	56	56	55	54	54	54	55	52

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	53	57	62	66	63	59	59	59	59	59	64	69	68	64	56	55	54
Tue	53	59	65	69	66	62	60	60	59	60	65	67	67	63	56	55	53
Wed	53	59	65	72	67	63	60	59	59	60	68	68	68	66	55	54	53
Thu	53	59	63	67	63	61	60	59	59	62	67	71	70	66	56	55	54
Fri	53	59	59	61	59	60	59	59	63	66	70	70	70	65	56	55	53
Sat	53	54	55	56	57	58	58	56	57	59	58	60	60	58	54	54	53
Sun	52	53	53	54	55	56	56	56	58	56	56	55	54	54	54	55	52