Best Time to Drive from Riverside to San Marcos

Right now (7:03 pm PDT): about 66 minutes via I-215 South and I-15 South, usually 66 at this time.

Only 55% 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 Marcos 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	67	81	76	80	75	75	70	70	73	75	80	76	73	70	66	66	65
Tue	67	85	87	87	77	71	70	70	72	71	73	81	81	72	67	65	64
Wed	66	82	83	84	80	71	70	70	71	73	75	78	80	73	67	65	64
Thu	66	87	83	86	79	71	70	71	70	73	78	85	82	73	68	66	64
Fri	65	71	71	78	74	71	72	76	78	79	82	82	76	71	70	66	65
Sat	65	65	65	66	68	77	82	88	88	84	75	72	68	68	66	65	65
Sun	65	65	67	67	67	67	70	72	71	69	67	67	67	67	67	67	65

About this drive

On weekdays the 67-mile drive from Riverside to San Marcos (via I-215 South and I-15 South) usually takes as little as 64 minutes and up to 87 minutes, when leaving around 6 am on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 5:30 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 72 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12:30 pm on Saturdays (91 minutes).

About 53 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 14 miles surface streets (17 to 32 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 Marcos 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 Marcos?

On weekdays, leave before 5:30 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 64 minutes then, versus up to 87 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 67-mile drive usually takes 64 to 87 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 72 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Riverside to San Marcos?

Leaving around 6 am on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 87 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-215 South in Inland Empire (29 miles) · I-15 South in San Diego (14 miles) · I-15 South in Inland Empire (10 miles)

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

More drives

San Marcos 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	67	81	76	80	75	75	70	70	73	75	80	76	73	70	66	66	65
Tue	67	85	87	87	77	71	70	70	72	71	73	81	81	72	67	65	64
Wed	66	82	83	84	80	71	70	70	71	73	75	78	80	73	67	65	64
Thu	66	87	83	86	79	71	70	71	70	73	78	85	82	73	68	66	64
Fri	65	71	71	78	74	71	72	76	78	79	82	82	76	71	70	66	65
Sat	65	65	65	66	68	77	82	88	88	84	75	72	68	68	66	65	65
Sun	65	65	67	67	67	67	70	72	71	69	67	67	67	67	67	67	65

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	67	81	76	80	75	75	70	70	73	75	80	76	73	70	66	66	65
Tue	67	85	87	87	77	71	70	70	72	71	73	81	81	72	67	65	64
Wed	66	82	83	84	80	71	70	70	71	73	75	78	80	73	67	65	64
Thu	66	87	83	86	79	71	70	71	70	73	78	85	82	73	68	66	64
Fri	65	71	71	78	74	71	72	76	78	79	82	82	76	71	70	66	65
Sat	65	65	65	66	68	77	82	88	88	84	75	72	68	68	66	65	65
Sun	65	65	67	67	67	67	70	72	71	69	67	67	67	67	67	67	65

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	67	81	76	80	75	75	70	70	73	75	80	76	73	70	66	66	65
Tue	67	85	87	87	77	71	70	70	72	71	73	81	81	72	67	65	64
Wed	66	82	83	84	80	71	70	70	71	73	75	78	80	73	67	65	64
Thu	66	87	83	86	79	71	70	71	70	73	78	85	82	73	68	66	64
Fri	65	71	71	78	74	71	72	76	78	79	82	82	76	71	70	66	65
Sat	65	65	65	66	68	77	82	88	88	84	75	72	68	68	66	65	65
Sun	65	65	67	67	67	67	70	72	71	69	67	67	67	67	67	67	65