Best Time to Drive from Rancho Penasquitos to Santa Ana

Right now (6:18 pm PDT): about 92 minutes via I-5 North, usually 81 at this time.

Only 40% 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 Rancho Penasquitos to Santa Ana 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	71	73	78	88	84	79	79	81	80	81	83	89	88	78	74	73	72
Tue	71	73	79	90	87	81	79	81	80	82	88	96	93	86	74	73	72
Wed	71	73	78	89	87	84	80	82	80	83	90	97	96	87	77	73	71
Thu	71	73	77	89	85	83	82	81	81	81	91	99	97	89	78	74	72
Fri	71	73	77	81	81	81	81	83	86	94	101	99	92	80	78	74	71
Sat	71	71	72	73	78	82	90	92	89	89	86	85	81	79	77	75	71
Sun	71	72	72	73	74	80	89	93	93	93	88	86	84	81	76	75	71

About this drive

On weekdays the 81-mile drive from Rancho Penasquitos to Santa Ana (via I-5 North) usually takes as little as 71 minutes and up to 102 minutes, when leaving around 3:30 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 7:30 am or after 7 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 82 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1:30 pm on Sundays (95 minutes).

About 78 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 central Rancho Penasquitos to central Santa Ana 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 Rancho Penasquitos to Santa Ana?

On weekdays, leave before 7:30 am or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 71 minutes then, versus up to 102 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Rancho Penasquitos to Santa Ana?

The 81-mile drive usually takes 71 to 102 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 82 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Rancho Penasquitos to Santa Ana?

Leaving around 3:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 102 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 North in San Diego (38 miles) · I-5 North in Orange County (32 miles) · SR-56 West in San Diego (9 miles)

San Diego traffic right now · San Diego traffic tomorrow · Orange County traffic right now · Orange County traffic tomorrow

More drives

Santa Ana to Rancho Penasquitos (return trip) · Rancho Penasquitos to San Diego · Rancho Penasquitos to Anaheim

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	71	73	78	88	84	79	79	81	80	81	83	89	88	78	74	73	72
Tue	71	73	79	90	87	81	79	81	80	82	88	96	93	86	74	73	72
Wed	71	73	78	89	87	84	80	82	80	83	90	97	96	87	77	73	71
Thu	71	73	77	89	85	83	82	81	81	81	91	99	97	89	78	74	72
Fri	71	73	77	81	81	81	81	83	86	94	101	99	92	80	78	74	71
Sat	71	71	72	73	78	82	90	92	89	89	86	85	81	79	77	75	71
Sun	71	72	72	73	74	80	89	93	93	93	88	86	84	81	76	75	71

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	71	73	78	88	84	79	79	81	80	81	83	89	88	78	74	73	72
Tue	71	73	79	90	87	81	79	81	80	82	88	96	93	86	74	73	72
Wed	71	73	78	89	87	84	80	82	80	83	90	97	96	87	77	73	71
Thu	71	73	77	89	85	83	82	81	81	81	91	99	97	89	78	74	72
Fri	71	73	77	81	81	81	81	83	86	94	101	99	92	80	78	74	71
Sat	71	71	72	73	78	82	90	92	89	89	86	85	81	79	77	75	71
Sun	71	72	72	73	74	80	89	93	93	93	88	86	84	81	76	75	71

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	71	73	78	88	84	79	79	81	80	81	83	89	88	78	74	73	72
Tue	71	73	79	90	87	81	79	81	80	82	88	96	93	86	74	73	72
Wed	71	73	78	89	87	84	80	82	80	83	90	97	96	87	77	73	71
Thu	71	73	77	89	85	83	82	81	81	81	91	99	97	89	78	74	72
Fri	71	73	77	81	81	81	81	83	86	94	101	99	92	80	78	74	71
Sat	71	71	72	73	78	82	90	92	89	89	86	85	81	79	77	75	71
Sun	71	72	72	73	74	80	89	93	93	93	88	86	84	81	76	75	71