Best Time to Drive from Paramount to Carlsbad

Right now (7:05 pm PDT): about 86 minutes via I-5 South and SR-73 South, usually 72 at this time.

Only 49% 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 Paramount to Carlsbad 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	69	71	73	81	75	73	73	73	73	73	73	73	72	72	70	70	69
Tue	70	71	76	87	82	76	75	74	74	75	75	76	76	74	72	71	69
Wed	69	72	77	85	81	75	75	75	74	75	77	76	75	75	72	71	69
Thu	69	72	76	85	82	77	76	75	75	77	79	78	76	75	73	71	70
Fri	70	72	74	79	77	79	84	88	90	92	95	92	86	78	75	72	70
Sat	70	70	70	73	83	94	92	91	95	86	87	85	77	73	72	71	69
Sun	70	69	69	70	72	77	82	81	80	80	78	78	73	72	72	72	70

About this drive

On weekdays the 78-mile drive from Paramount to Carlsbad (via I-5 South and SR-73 South) usually takes as little as 69 minutes and up to 96 minutes, when leaving around 3:30 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 7:30 am or after 6 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 77 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1 pm on Saturdays (95 minutes).

About 76 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 2 miles surface streets (3 to 7 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Paramount 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 Paramount to Carlsbad?

On weekdays, leave before 7:30 am or after 6 pm. The drive usually takes about 69 minutes then, versus up to 96 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Paramount to Carlsbad?

The 78-mile drive usually takes 69 to 96 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 77 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Paramount to Carlsbad?

Leaving around 3:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 96 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in Orange County (18 miles) · SR-73 South in Orange County (17 miles) · I-5 South in San Diego (16 miles) · I-405 South in Orange County (14 miles) · I-605 South in Orange County (7 miles) · SR-91 East in Los Angeles (3 miles)

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

More drives

Carlsbad to Paramount (return trip)

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	69	71	73	81	75	73	73	73	73	73	73	73	72	72	70	70	69
Tue	70	71	76	87	82	76	75	74	74	75	75	76	76	74	72	71	69
Wed	69	72	77	85	81	75	75	75	74	75	77	76	75	75	72	71	69
Thu	69	72	76	85	82	77	76	75	75	77	79	78	76	75	73	71	70
Fri	70	72	74	79	77	79	84	88	90	92	95	92	86	78	75	72	70
Sat	70	70	70	73	83	94	92	91	95	86	87	85	77	73	72	71	69
Sun	70	69	69	70	72	77	82	81	80	80	78	78	73	72	72	72	70

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	69	71	73	81	75	73	73	73	73	73	73	73	72	72	70	70	69
Tue	70	71	76	87	82	76	75	74	74	75	75	76	76	74	72	71	69
Wed	69	72	77	85	81	75	75	75	74	75	77	76	75	75	72	71	69
Thu	69	72	76	85	82	77	76	75	75	77	79	78	76	75	73	71	70
Fri	70	72	74	79	77	79	84	88	90	92	95	92	86	78	75	72	70
Sat	70	70	70	73	83	94	92	91	95	86	87	85	77	73	72	71	69
Sun	70	69	69	70	72	77	82	81	80	80	78	78	73	72	72	72	70

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	69	71	73	81	75	73	73	73	73	73	73	73	72	72	70	70	69
Tue	70	71	76	87	82	76	75	74	74	75	75	76	76	74	72	71	69
Wed	69	72	77	85	81	75	75	75	74	75	77	76	75	75	72	71	69
Thu	69	72	76	85	82	77	76	75	75	77	79	78	76	75	73	71	70
Fri	70	72	74	79	77	79	84	88	90	92	95	92	86	78	75	72	70
Sat	70	70	70	73	83	94	92	91	95	86	87	85	77	73	72	71	69
Sun	70	69	69	70	72	77	82	81	80	80	78	78	73	72	72	72	70