Best Time to Drive from Riverside to Encinitas

Right now (5:03 pm PDT): about 115 minutes via I-215 South and I-15 South, usually 107 at this time.

Only 56% 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 Riverside to Encinitas 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	87	103	102	109	103	95	95	94	100	103	103	103	98	91	84	84	84
Tue	86	110	113	116	108	97	93	94	97	95	102	112	109	96	86	84	82
Wed	85	109	111	117	112	96	93	94	97	102	105	108	107	96	85	83	83
Thu	86	113	111	121	112	98	94	95	97	102	107	117	109	98	87	84	83
Fri	83	90	93	105	100	97	103	109	109	111	118	117	107	96	90	84	82
Sat	82	82	84	87	93	102	112	118	114	108	101	99	93	89	85	84	83
Sun	82	83	84	85	86	92	94	97	96	93	90	88	86	86	86	86	82

About this drive

On weekdays the 83-mile drive from Riverside to Encinitas (via I-215 South and I-15 South) usually takes as little as 82 minutes and up to 122 minutes, when leaving around 8:30 am on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 5:30 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 99 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12:30 pm on Saturdays (118 minutes).

About 62 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 21 miles surface streets (27 to 61 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Riverside to central Encinitas 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 Riverside to Encinitas?

On weekdays, leave before 5:30 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 82 minutes then, versus up to 122 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Riverside to Encinitas?

The 83-mile drive usually takes 82 to 122 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 99 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Riverside to Encinitas?

Leaving around 8:30 am on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 122 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-215 South in Inland Empire (29 miles) · I-5 South in San Diego (11 miles) · I-15 South in Inland Empire (10 miles) · SR-76 West in San Diego (7 miles) · I-15 South in San Diego (4 miles)

Inland Empire traffic right now · Inland Empire traffic tomorrow · San Diego traffic right now · San Diego traffic tomorrow

More drives

Encinitas to Riverside (return trip) · Riverside to Los Angeles · Riverside to Santa Monica · Riverside to Pasadena · Riverside to Long Beach · Riverside to West Covina · Riverside to Burbank · Riverside to Glendale · Riverside to Van Nuys · Riverside to Torrance · Riverside to LAX · Riverside to Hollywood

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	87	103	102	109	103	95	95	94	100	103	103	103	98	91	84	84	84
Tue	86	110	113	116	108	97	93	94	97	95	102	112	109	96	86	84	82
Wed	85	109	111	117	112	96	93	94	97	102	105	108	107	96	85	83	83
Thu	86	113	111	121	112	98	94	95	97	102	107	117	109	98	87	84	83
Fri	83	90	93	105	100	97	103	109	109	111	118	117	107	96	90	84	82
Sat	82	82	84	87	93	102	112	118	114	108	101	99	93	89	85	84	83
Sun	82	83	84	85	86	92	94	97	96	93	90	88	86	86	86	86	82

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	87	103	102	109	103	95	95	94	100	103	103	103	98	91	84	84	84
Tue	86	110	113	116	108	97	93	94	97	95	102	112	109	96	86	84	82
Wed	85	109	111	117	112	96	93	94	97	102	105	108	107	96	85	83	83
Thu	86	113	111	121	112	98	94	95	97	102	107	117	109	98	87	84	83
Fri	83	90	93	105	100	97	103	109	109	111	118	117	107	96	90	84	82
Sat	82	82	84	87	93	102	112	118	114	108	101	99	93	89	85	84	83
Sun	82	83	84	85	86	92	94	97	96	93	90	88	86	86	86	86	82

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	87	103	102	109	103	95	95	94	100	103	103	103	98	91	84	84	84
Tue	86	110	113	116	108	97	93	94	97	95	102	112	109	96	86	84	82
Wed	85	109	111	117	112	96	93	94	97	102	105	108	107	96	85	83	83
Thu	86	113	111	121	112	98	94	95	97	102	107	117	109	98	87	84	83
Fri	83	90	93	105	100	97	103	109	109	111	118	117	107	96	90	84	82
Sat	82	82	84	87	93	102	112	118	114	108	101	99	93	89	85	84	83
Sun	82	83	84	85	86	92	94	97	96	93	90	88	86	86	86	86	82