Best Time to Drive from Riverside to Mission Viejo

Right now (10:18 am PDT): about 47 minutes via SR-91 West and SR-241 South, usually 47 at this time.

Only 20% 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 Mission Viejo 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	47	58	65	64	58	49	49	47	46	47	48	50	50	47	45	44	44
Tue	45	60	72	68	62	52	48	47	47	48	48	51	52	49	45	44	43
Wed	46	60	69	67	63	53	48	47	47	48	50	51	52	50	45	43	42
Thu	45	58	64	60	57	51	48	48	48	48	49	51	52	49	45	43	43
Fri	43	53	52	50	50	49	47	48	49	49	49	50	51	49	45	44	42
Sat	42	44	45	45	46	47	49	51	53	50	50	50	49	46	44	43	42
Sun	42	42	43	44	44	48	49	49	48	47	47	45	45	44	44	44	42

About this drive

On weekdays the 46-mile drive from Riverside to Mission Viejo (via SR-91 West and SR-241 South) usually takes as little as 42 minutes and up to 72 minutes, when leaving around 7 am on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 5:30 am or after 7 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 48 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1 pm on Saturdays (53 minutes).

About 45 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 1.4 miles surface streets (2 to 4 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Riverside to central Mission Viejo (Chrisanta Drive) 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 Mission Viejo?

On weekdays, leave before 5:30 am or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 42 minutes then, versus up to 72 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Riverside to Mission Viejo?

The 46-mile drive usually takes 42 to 72 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 48 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Riverside to Mission Viejo?

Leaving around 7 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 72 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

SR-91 West in Orange County (20 miles) · SR-241 South in Orange County (11 miles) · I-5 South in Orange County (6 miles) · SR-133 South in Orange County (4 miles) · SR-91 West in Inland Empire (3 miles)

Inland Empire traffic right now · Inland Empire traffic tomorrow · Orange County traffic right now · Orange County traffic tomorrow

More drives

Mission Viejo 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	47	58	65	64	58	49	49	47	46	47	48	50	50	47	45	44	44
Tue	45	60	72	68	62	52	48	47	47	48	48	51	52	49	45	44	43
Wed	46	60	69	67	63	53	48	47	47	48	50	51	52	50	45	43	42
Thu	45	58	64	60	57	51	48	48	48	48	49	51	52	49	45	43	43
Fri	43	53	52	50	50	49	47	48	49	49	49	50	51	49	45	44	42
Sat	42	44	45	45	46	47	49	51	53	50	50	50	49	46	44	43	42
Sun	42	42	43	44	44	48	49	49	48	47	47	45	45	44	44	44	42

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	47	58	65	64	58	49	49	47	46	47	48	50	50	47	45	44	44
Tue	45	60	72	68	62	52	48	47	47	48	48	51	52	49	45	44	43
Wed	46	60	69	67	63	53	48	47	47	48	50	51	52	50	45	43	42
Thu	45	58	64	60	57	51	48	48	48	48	49	51	52	49	45	43	43
Fri	43	53	52	50	50	49	47	48	49	49	49	50	51	49	45	44	42
Sat	42	44	45	45	46	47	49	51	53	50	50	50	49	46	44	43	42
Sun	42	42	43	44	44	48	49	49	48	47	47	45	45	44	44	44	42

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	47	58	65	64	58	49	49	47	46	47	48	50	50	47	45	44	44
Tue	45	60	72	68	62	52	48	47	47	48	48	51	52	49	45	44	43
Wed	46	60	69	67	63	53	48	47	47	48	50	51	52	50	45	43	42
Thu	45	58	64	60	57	51	48	48	48	48	49	51	52	49	45	43	43
Fri	43	53	52	50	50	49	47	48	49	49	49	50	51	49	45	44	42
Sat	42	44	45	45	46	47	49	51	53	50	50	50	49	46	44	43	42
Sun	42	42	43	44	44	48	49	49	48	47	47	45	45	44	44	44	42