Best Time to Drive from Riverside to San Clemente

Right now (7:18 pm PDT): about 54 minutes via SR-91 West and I-5 South, usually 54 at this time.

Only 21% 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 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	56	68	74	74	67	59	58	57	56	57	58	60	59	57	54	55	53
Tue	55	69	80	80	73	62	59	58	57	58	59	61	60	59	54	54	53
Wed	56	70	81	80	74	63	59	58	58	58	59	61	61	59	55	54	52
Thu	54	68	74	72	68	61	59	59	58	58	58	60	60	58	55	54	53
Fri	53	63	62	61	62	60	58	59	60	60	59	61	61	58	56	54	52
Sat	52	54	54	54	55	57	59	60	62	61	61	61	59	56	55	53	52
Sun	52	53	53	53	53	56	58	58	57	57	58	55	54	54	54	54	52

About this drive

On weekdays the 59-mile drive from Riverside to San Clemente (via SR-91 West and I-5 South) usually takes as little as 52 minutes and up to 84 minutes, when leaving around 7:30 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 58 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1 pm on Saturdays (62 minutes).

About 57 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 1.8 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 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 Riverside to San Clemente?

On weekdays, leave before 5:30 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 52 minutes then, versus up to 84 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 59-mile drive usually takes 52 to 84 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 58 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Riverside to San Clemente?

Leaving around 7:30 am on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 84 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

SR-91 West in Orange County (21 miles) · I-5 South in Orange County (20 miles) · SR-241 South in Orange County (11 miles) · SR-133 South in Orange County (4 miles)

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

More drives

San Clemente 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	56	68	74	74	67	59	58	57	56	57	58	60	59	57	54	55	53
Tue	55	69	80	80	73	62	59	58	57	58	59	61	60	59	54	54	53
Wed	56	70	81	80	74	63	59	58	58	58	59	61	61	59	55	54	52
Thu	54	68	74	72	68	61	59	59	58	58	58	60	60	58	55	54	53
Fri	53	63	62	61	62	60	58	59	60	60	59	61	61	58	56	54	52
Sat	52	54	54	54	55	57	59	60	62	61	61	61	59	56	55	53	52
Sun	52	53	53	53	53	56	58	58	57	57	58	55	54	54	54	54	52

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	56	68	74	74	67	59	58	57	56	57	58	60	59	57	54	55	53
Tue	55	69	80	80	73	62	59	58	57	58	59	61	60	59	54	54	53
Wed	56	70	81	80	74	63	59	58	58	58	59	61	61	59	55	54	52
Thu	54	68	74	72	68	61	59	59	58	58	58	60	60	58	55	54	53
Fri	53	63	62	61	62	60	58	59	60	60	59	61	61	58	56	54	52
Sat	52	54	54	54	55	57	59	60	62	61	61	61	59	56	55	53	52
Sun	52	53	53	53	53	56	58	58	57	57	58	55	54	54	54	54	52

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	56	68	74	74	67	59	58	57	56	57	58	60	59	57	54	55	53
Tue	55	69	80	80	73	62	59	58	57	58	59	61	60	59	54	54	53
Wed	56	70	81	80	74	63	59	58	58	58	59	61	61	59	55	54	52
Thu	54	68	74	72	68	61	59	59	58	58	58	60	60	58	55	54	53
Fri	53	63	62	61	62	60	58	59	60	60	59	61	61	58	56	54	52
Sat	52	54	54	54	55	57	59	60	62	61	61	61	59	56	55	53	52
Sun	52	53	53	53	53	56	58	58	57	57	58	55	54	54	54	54	52