Best Time to Drive from Riverside to San Juan Capistrano

Right now (8:36 am PST): about 48 minutes via SR-91 West and I-5 South and SR-241 South, usually 49 at this time.

Only 25% 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 Juan Capistrano 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	48	60	67	66	62	53	53	51	50	51	52	53	53	51	48	48	47
Tue	48	61	71	69	64	55	52	51	51	52	52	55	54	53	49	47	47
Wed	48	60	66	69	64	55	51	51	51	52	53	55	55	53	50	47	46
Thu	48	59	65	62	58	54	52	51	52	52	53	54	54	53	49	47	46
Fri	47	57	57	54	54	53	51	52	53	52	52	54	54	53	50	47	46
Sat	46	48	48	48	49	49	51	51	52	52	52	52	52	49	49	47	46
Sun	46	46	46	47	47	50	51	51	51	51	51	50	49	49	49	48	46

About this drive

On weekdays the 52-mile drive from Riverside to San Juan Capistrano (via SR-91 West and I-5 South and SR-241 South) usually takes as little as 46 minutes and up to 71 minutes, when leaving around 7:30 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 51 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1 pm on Saturdays (52 minutes).

About 50 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 1.2 miles surface streets (1 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 Juan Capistrano 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 Juan Capistrano?

On weekdays, leave before 5:30 am or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 46 minutes then, versus up to 71 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Riverside to San Juan Capistrano?

The 52-mile drive usually takes 46 to 71 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 51 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Riverside to San Juan Capistrano?

Leaving around 7:30 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 71 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

SR-91 West in Orange County (21 miles) · I-5 South in Orange County (13 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 Juan Capistrano 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	48	60	67	66	62	53	53	51	50	51	52	53	53	51	48	48	47
Tue	48	61	71	69	64	55	52	51	51	52	52	55	54	53	49	47	47
Wed	48	60	66	69	64	55	51	51	51	52	53	55	55	53	50	47	46
Thu	48	59	65	62	58	54	52	51	52	52	53	54	54	53	49	47	46
Fri	47	57	57	54	54	53	51	52	53	52	52	54	54	53	50	47	46
Sat	46	48	48	48	49	49	51	51	52	52	52	52	52	49	49	47	46
Sun	46	46	46	47	47	50	51	51	51	51	51	50	49	49	49	48	46

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	48	60	67	66	62	53	53	51	50	51	52	53	53	51	48	48	47
Tue	48	61	71	69	64	55	52	51	51	52	52	55	54	53	49	47	47
Wed	48	60	66	69	64	55	51	51	51	52	53	55	55	53	50	47	46
Thu	48	59	65	62	58	54	52	51	52	52	53	54	54	53	49	47	46
Fri	47	57	57	54	54	53	51	52	53	52	52	54	54	53	50	47	46
Sat	46	48	48	48	49	49	51	51	52	52	52	52	52	49	49	47	46
Sun	46	46	46	47	47	50	51	51	51	51	51	50	49	49	49	48	46

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	48	60	67	66	62	53	53	51	50	51	52	53	53	51	48	48	47
Tue	48	61	71	69	64	55	52	51	51	52	52	55	54	53	49	47	47
Wed	48	60	66	69	64	55	51	51	51	52	53	55	55	53	50	47	46
Thu	48	59	65	62	58	54	52	51	52	52	53	54	54	53	49	47	46
Fri	47	57	57	54	54	53	51	52	53	52	52	54	54	53	50	47	46
Sat	46	48	48	48	49	49	51	51	52	52	52	52	52	49	49	47	46
Sun	46	46	46	47	47	50	51	51	51	51	51	50	49	49	49	48	46