Best Time to Drive from Pasadena to San Clemente

Right now (3:20 pm PST): about 78 minutes via I-5 South, usually 79 at this time.

Only 4% 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 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	62	72	87	85	73	70	72	72	74	73	89	100	95	86	71	65	63
Tue	61	76	94	94	77	72	71	72	72	77	90	105	102	91	79	69	62
Wed	61	74	95	92	79	71	71	70	72	75	81	91	89	79	74	68	63
Thu	61	72	91	91	77	74	75	75	78	78	93	101	100	91	77	67	64
Fri	61	72	83	82	75	73	72	74	79	89	96	99	98	92	77	69	64
Sat	62	64	65	68	71	71	75	76	77	80	78	77	76	73	70	69	65
Sun	62	62	62	63	65	68	70	73	74	75	75	74	73	72	72	70	64

About this drive

On weekdays the 70-mile drive from Pasadena to San Clemente (via I-5 South) usually takes as little as 61 minutes and up to 109 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 8:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 74 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2 pm on Saturdays (80 minutes).

About 68 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 3 miles surface streets (3 to 5 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from Old Pasadena 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 Pasadena to San Clemente?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 61 minutes then, versus up to 109 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 70-mile drive usually takes 61 to 109 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 74 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Pasadena to San Clemente?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 109 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in Orange County (45 miles) · I-5 South in Los Angeles (17 miles) · I-110 South in Los Angeles (6 miles)

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

More drives

San Clemente 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	62	72	87	85	73	70	72	72	74	73	89	100	95	86	71	65	63
Tue	61	76	94	94	77	72	71	72	72	77	90	105	102	91	79	69	62
Wed	61	74	95	92	79	71	71	70	72	75	81	91	89	79	74	68	63
Thu	61	72	91	91	77	74	75	75	78	78	93	101	100	91	77	67	64
Fri	61	72	83	82	75	73	72	74	79	89	96	99	98	92	77	69	64
Sat	62	64	65	68	71	71	75	76	77	80	78	77	76	73	70	69	65
Sun	62	62	62	63	65	68	70	73	74	75	75	74	73	72	72	70	64

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	62	72	87	85	73	70	72	72	74	73	89	100	95	86	71	65	63
Tue	61	76	94	94	77	72	71	72	72	77	90	105	102	91	79	69	62
Wed	61	74	95	92	79	71	71	70	72	75	81	91	89	79	74	68	63
Thu	61	72	91	91	77	74	75	75	78	78	93	101	100	91	77	67	64
Fri	61	72	83	82	75	73	72	74	79	89	96	99	98	92	77	69	64
Sat	62	64	65	68	71	71	75	76	77	80	78	77	76	73	70	69	65
Sun	62	62	62	63	65	68	70	73	74	75	75	74	73	72	72	70	64

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	62	72	87	85	73	70	72	72	74	73	89	100	95	86	71	65	63
Tue	61	76	94	94	77	72	71	72	72	77	90	105	102	91	79	69	62
Wed	61	74	95	92	79	71	71	70	72	75	81	91	89	79	74	68	63
Thu	61	72	91	91	77	74	75	75	78	78	93	101	100	91	77	67	64
Fri	61	72	83	82	75	73	72	74	79	89	96	99	98	92	77	69	64
Sat	62	64	65	68	71	71	75	76	77	80	78	77	76	73	70	69	65
Sun	62	62	62	63	65	68	70	73	74	75	75	74	73	72	72	70	64