Best Time to Drive from Pasadena to Rancho Santa Margarita

Right now (7:06 pm PDT): about 65 minutes via SR-241 South and I-210 East and SR-71 North, usually 70 at this time.

Only 43% 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 Pasadena 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	60	63	63	65	66	66	65	65	66	68	77	80	83	76	65	61	59
Tue	59	63	64	67	67	66	65	65	65	69	76	79	83	79	69	62	58
Wed	59	64	63	67	67	67	66	66	66	70	79	80	82	77	69	63	58
Thu	60	63	63	66	66	65	65	65	67	72	81	83	87	82	70	62	59
Fri	59	64	63	64	65	66	66	71	75	83	90	90	88	79	70	65	60
Sat	58	60	61	62	61	62	64	66	67	71	72	70	68	64	62	60	59
Sun	58	58	59	59	60	61	61	61	63	63	64	62	62	60	61	61	58

About this drive

On weekdays the 65-mile drive from Pasadena to Rancho Santa Margarita (via SR-241 South and I-210 East and SR-71 North) usually takes as little as 58 minutes and up to 90 minutes, when leaving around 3:30 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 7:30 am or after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 68 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3:30 pm on Saturdays (72 minutes).

About 64 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 1 mile surface streets (1 to 2 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from Old Pasadena 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 Pasadena to Rancho Santa Margarita?

On weekdays, leave before 7:30 am or after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 58 minutes then, versus up to 90 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 65-mile drive usually takes 58 to 90 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 68 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Pasadena to Rancho Santa Margarita?

Leaving around 3:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 90 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

SR-241 South in Orange County (20 miles) · I-210 East in Los Angeles (19 miles) · SR-71 North in Los Angeles (7 miles) · SR-57 South in Los Angeles (6 miles) · SR-71 North in Orange County (6 miles) · SR-91 West in Orange County (4 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow · Orange County traffic right now · Orange County traffic tomorrow

More drives

Rancho Santa Margarita to Pasadena (return trip) · Pasadena to Santa Monica · Pasadena to Long Beach · Pasadena to West Covina · Pasadena to Burbank · Pasadena to Santa Clarita · Pasadena to Van Nuys · Pasadena to Torrance · Pasadena to Hollywood · Pasadena to Culver City · Pasadena to Whittier · Pasadena to Thousand Oaks

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	60	63	63	65	66	66	65	65	66	68	77	80	83	76	65	61	59
Tue	59	63	64	67	67	66	65	65	65	69	76	79	83	79	69	62	58
Wed	59	64	63	67	67	67	66	66	66	70	79	80	82	77	69	63	58
Thu	60	63	63	66	66	65	65	65	67	72	81	83	87	82	70	62	59
Fri	59	64	63	64	65	66	66	71	75	83	90	90	88	79	70	65	60
Sat	58	60	61	62	61	62	64	66	67	71	72	70	68	64	62	60	59
Sun	58	58	59	59	60	61	61	61	63	63	64	62	62	60	61	61	58

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	60	63	63	65	66	66	65	65	66	68	77	80	83	76	65	61	59
Tue	59	63	64	67	67	66	65	65	65	69	76	79	83	79	69	62	58
Wed	59	64	63	67	67	67	66	66	66	70	79	80	82	77	69	63	58
Thu	60	63	63	66	66	65	65	65	67	72	81	83	87	82	70	62	59
Fri	59	64	63	64	65	66	66	71	75	83	90	90	88	79	70	65	60
Sat	58	60	61	62	61	62	64	66	67	71	72	70	68	64	62	60	59
Sun	58	58	59	59	60	61	61	61	63	63	64	62	62	60	61	61	58

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	60	63	63	65	66	66	65	65	66	68	77	80	83	76	65	61	59
Tue	59	63	64	67	67	66	65	65	65	69	76	79	83	79	69	62	58
Wed	59	64	63	67	67	67	66	66	66	70	79	80	82	77	69	63	58
Thu	60	63	63	66	66	65	65	65	67	72	81	83	87	82	70	62	59
Fri	59	64	63	64	65	66	66	71	75	83	90	90	88	79	70	65	60
Sat	58	60	61	62	61	62	64	66	67	71	72	70	68	64	62	60	59
Sun	58	58	59	59	60	61	61	61	63	63	64	62	62	60	61	61	58