Traffic Predict
Best Time to Drive from Rancho Santa Margarita to Irvine
Right now (6:03 pm PDT): about 21 minutes via SR-241 North and I-405 North, usually 20 at this time.
Only 61% 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
| Leave | 5am | 6am | 7am | 8am | 9am | 10am | 11am | 12pm | 1pm | 2pm | 3pm | 4pm | 5pm | 6pm | 7pm | 8pm | 9pm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon | 20 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 22 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 |
| Tue | 20 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 25 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 20 |
| Wed | 20 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 24 | 22 | 20 | 20 | 20 |
| Thu | 19 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 20 | 20 | 20 |
| Fri | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 19 |
| Sat | 19 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 19 |
| Sun | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 |
About this drive
On weekdays the 22-mile drive from Rancho Santa Margarita to Irvine (via SR-241 North and I-405 North) usually takes as little as 19 minutes and up to 26 minutes, when leaving around 5:30 pm on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 4:30 pm or after 6 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 20 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1:30 pm on Saturdays (20 minutes).
Drive times are measured from central Rancho Santa Margarita to central Irvine 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 Santa Margarita to Irvine?
On weekdays, leave before 4:30 pm or after 6 pm. The drive usually takes about 19 minutes then, versus up to 26 minutes at the worst times.
How long does it take to drive from Rancho Santa Margarita to Irvine?
The 22-mile drive usually takes 19 to 26 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 20 minutes midday.
When is traffic worst from Rancho Santa Margarita to Irvine?
Leaving around 5:30 pm on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 26 minutes.
Freeways on this drive
SR-241 North in Orange County (10 miles) · I-405 North in Orange County (5 miles) · SR-133 South in Orange County (4 miles) · SR-241 South in Orange County (1.3 miles) · I-405 South in Orange County (1.2 miles)
Orange County traffic right now · Orange County traffic tomorrow
More drives
Irvine to Rancho Santa Margarita (return trip) · Rancho Santa Margarita to Los Angeles · Rancho Santa Margarita to San Diego · Rancho Santa Margarita to Long Beach · Rancho Santa Margarita to Anaheim · Rancho Santa Margarita to Riverside · Rancho Santa Margarita to Santa Ana