Best Time to Drive from Riverside to SNA

Right now (5:50 pm PST): about 52 minutes via SR-91 West, usually 48 at this time.

Only 48% 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 SNA 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	42	55	62	60	57	47	46	45	46	47	49	50	51	47	43	42	41
Tue	43	57	64	61	56	49	46	45	46	48	48	52	53	50	44	42	41
Wed	43	54	59	61	56	48	46	46	46	48	50	52	53	51	44	42	40
Thu	42	54	57	54	51	48	46	46	48	48	48	51	53	50	44	42	41
Fri	40	50	50	47	47	46	45	47	48	48	49	51	52	48	44	42	40
Sat	40	41	42	42	42	43	44	44	46	46	46	47	45	44	43	42	40
Sun	40	40	40	41	41	44	45	45	44	45	44	44	43	44	43	42	40

About this drive

On weekdays the 43-mile drive from Riverside to SNA (via SR-91 West) usually takes as little as 40 minutes and up to 65 minutes, when leaving around 6:30 am on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 5:30 am or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 47 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4:30 pm on Saturdays (47 minutes).

About 39 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 4 miles surface streets (5 to 10 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Riverside to John Wayne Airport, Orange County (SNA) (Paularino Avenue) 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 SNA?

On weekdays, leave before 5:30 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 40 minutes then, versus up to 65 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 43-mile drive usually takes 40 to 65 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 47 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Riverside to SNA?

Leaving around 6:30 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 65 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

SR-91 West in Orange County (20 miles) · SR-261 South in Orange County (7 miles) · SR-241 South in Orange County (7 miles) · SR-91 West in Inland Empire (3 miles) · I-405 North in Orange County (1.8 miles)

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

Riverside to SNA over Thanksgiving: when to leave →

More drives

SNA 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	42	55	62	60	57	47	46	45	46	47	49	50	51	47	43	42	41
Tue	43	57	64	61	56	49	46	45	46	48	48	52	53	50	44	42	41
Wed	43	54	59	61	56	48	46	46	46	48	50	52	53	51	44	42	40
Thu	42	54	57	54	51	48	46	46	48	48	48	51	53	50	44	42	41
Fri	40	50	50	47	47	46	45	47	48	48	49	51	52	48	44	42	40
Sat	40	41	42	42	42	43	44	44	46	46	46	47	45	44	43	42	40
Sun	40	40	40	41	41	44	45	45	44	45	44	44	43	44	43	42	40

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	42	55	62	60	57	47	46	45	46	47	49	50	51	47	43	42	41
Tue	43	57	64	61	56	49	46	45	46	48	48	52	53	50	44	42	41
Wed	43	54	59	61	56	48	46	46	46	48	50	52	53	51	44	42	40
Thu	42	54	57	54	51	48	46	46	48	48	48	51	53	50	44	42	41
Fri	40	50	50	47	47	46	45	47	48	48	49	51	52	48	44	42	40
Sat	40	41	42	42	42	43	44	44	46	46	46	47	45	44	43	42	40
Sun	40	40	40	41	41	44	45	45	44	45	44	44	43	44	43	42	40

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	42	55	62	60	57	47	46	45	46	47	49	50	51	47	43	42	41
Tue	43	57	64	61	56	49	46	45	46	48	48	52	53	50	44	42	41
Wed	43	54	59	61	56	48	46	46	46	48	50	52	53	51	44	42	40
Thu	42	54	57	54	51	48	46	46	48	48	48	51	53	50	44	42	41
Fri	40	50	50	47	47	46	45	47	48	48	49	51	52	48	44	42	40
Sat	40	41	42	42	42	43	44	44	46	46	46	47	45	44	43	42	40
Sun	40	40	40	41	41	44	45	45	44	45	44	44	43	44	43	42	40