Best Time to Drive from San Bernardino to Santa Ana

Right now (10:18 am PDT): about 59 minutes via SR-91 West, usually 56 at this time.

Only 27% 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 San Bernardino to Santa Ana 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	52	66	83	82	66	56	55	55	56	58	64	61	65	55	49	49	48
Tue	52	72	88	91	74	60	55	55	56	59	64	64	66	57	49	48	47
Wed	51	72	88	95	73	59	56	54	56	57	62	64	70	60	50	48	47
Thu	51	70	80	87	71	58	56	55	58	57	64	65	70	60	50	49	48
Fri	48	61	64	67	62	55	56	57	60	59	61	63	63	56	50	48	47
Sat	47	48	48	49	51	53	56	58	60	58	56	57	54	52	50	49	47
Sun	47	48	48	49	50	52	55	55	55	54	53	51	50	50	50	50	48

About this drive

On weekdays the 51-mile drive from San Bernardino to Santa Ana (via SR-91 West) usually takes as little as 47 minutes and up to 95 minutes, when leaving around 8 am on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 5:30 am or after 7 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 56 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12:30 pm on Saturdays (60 minutes).

About 48 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 3 miles surface streets (4 to 8 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central San Bernardino (West 5th Street) to central Santa Ana (Main Street) 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 San Bernardino to Santa Ana?

On weekdays, leave before 5:30 am or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 47 minutes then, versus up to 95 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from San Bernardino to Santa Ana?

The 51-mile drive usually takes 47 to 95 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 56 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from San Bernardino to Santa Ana?

Leaving around 8 am on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 95 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

SR-91 West in Orange County (28 miles) · I-215 South in Inland Empire (9 miles) · SR-55 South in Orange County (6 miles) · SR-91 West in Inland Empire (4 miles)

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

More drives

Santa Ana to San Bernardino (return trip) · San Bernardino to Los Angeles · San Bernardino to Santa Monica · San Bernardino to Pasadena · San Bernardino to Long Beach · San Bernardino to West Covina · San Bernardino to Burbank · San Bernardino to Glendale · San Bernardino to Van Nuys · San Bernardino to Torrance · San Bernardino to LAX · San Bernardino 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	52	66	83	82	66	56	55	55	56	58	64	61	65	55	49	49	48
Tue	52	72	88	91	74	60	55	55	56	59	64	64	66	57	49	48	47
Wed	51	72	88	95	73	59	56	54	56	57	62	64	70	60	50	48	47
Thu	51	70	80	87	71	58	56	55	58	57	64	65	70	60	50	49	48
Fri	48	61	64	67	62	55	56	57	60	59	61	63	63	56	50	48	47
Sat	47	48	48	49	51	53	56	58	60	58	56	57	54	52	50	49	47
Sun	47	48	48	49	50	52	55	55	55	54	53	51	50	50	50	50	48

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	52	66	83	82	66	56	55	55	56	58	64	61	65	55	49	49	48
Tue	52	72	88	91	74	60	55	55	56	59	64	64	66	57	49	48	47
Wed	51	72	88	95	73	59	56	54	56	57	62	64	70	60	50	48	47
Thu	51	70	80	87	71	58	56	55	58	57	64	65	70	60	50	49	48
Fri	48	61	64	67	62	55	56	57	60	59	61	63	63	56	50	48	47
Sat	47	48	48	49	51	53	56	58	60	58	56	57	54	52	50	49	47
Sun	47	48	48	49	50	52	55	55	55	54	53	51	50	50	50	50	48

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	52	66	83	82	66	56	55	55	56	58	64	61	65	55	49	49	48
Tue	52	72	88	91	74	60	55	55	56	59	64	64	66	57	49	48	47
Wed	51	72	88	95	73	59	56	54	56	57	62	64	70	60	50	48	47
Thu	51	70	80	87	71	58	56	55	58	57	64	65	70	60	50	49	48
Fri	48	61	64	67	62	55	56	57	60	59	61	63	63	56	50	48	47
Sat	47	48	48	49	51	53	56	58	60	58	56	57	54	52	50	49	47
Sun	47	48	48	49	50	52	55	55	55	54	53	51	50	50	50	50	48