Best Time to Drive from San Clemente to Buena Park

Right now (6:51 pm PDT): about 47 minutes via I-5 North, usually 43 at this time.

Only 62% 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 Clemente to Buena Park 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	36	37	38	43	40	39	41	42	45	45	46	47	48	45	42	38	37
Tue	36	37	38	42	42	42	43	43	44	45	47	48	50	48	43	39	37
Wed	36	37	38	42	42	42	44	44	45	44	47	49	49	48	44	40	36
Thu	36	37	38	42	42	42	44	44	44	45	46	48	48	47	44	40	37
Fri	36	37	38	40	40	42	43	44	45	47	50	50	50	47	44	41	37
Sat	36	37	37	37	38	41	44	45	45	45	45	45	46	43	43	40	37
Sun	36	37	37	37	37	38	41	42	45	46	47	47	46	46	44	40	37

About this drive

On weekdays the 42-mile drive from San Clemente to Buena Park (via I-5 North) usually takes as little as 36 minutes and up to 50 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 7:30 am or after 8:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 44 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2:30 pm on Sundays (48 minutes).

Drive times are measured from central San Clemente to central Buena Park 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 Clemente to Buena Park?

On weekdays, leave before 7:30 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 36 minutes then, versus up to 50 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from San Clemente to Buena Park?

The 42-mile drive usually takes 36 to 50 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 44 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from San Clemente to Buena Park?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 50 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 North in Orange County (41 miles)

Orange County traffic right now · Orange County traffic tomorrow

More drives

Buena Park to San Clemente (return trip) · San Clemente to Los Angeles · San Clemente to San Diego · San Clemente to Santa Monica · San Clemente to Long Beach · San Clemente to Anaheim · San Clemente to Riverside · San Clemente to Santa Ana · San Clemente to Chula Vista · San Clemente to Irvine · San Clemente to San Bernardino · San Clemente to Santa Barbara

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	36	37	38	43	40	39	41	42	45	45	46	47	48	45	42	38	37
Tue	36	37	38	42	42	42	43	43	44	45	47	48	50	48	43	39	37
Wed	36	37	38	42	42	42	44	44	45	44	47	49	49	48	44	40	36
Thu	36	37	38	42	42	42	44	44	44	45	46	48	48	47	44	40	37
Fri	36	37	38	40	40	42	43	44	45	47	50	50	50	47	44	41	37
Sat	36	37	37	37	38	41	44	45	45	45	45	45	46	43	43	40	37
Sun	36	37	37	37	37	38	41	42	45	46	47	47	46	46	44	40	37

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	36	37	38	43	40	39	41	42	45	45	46	47	48	45	42	38	37
Tue	36	37	38	42	42	42	43	43	44	45	47	48	50	48	43	39	37
Wed	36	37	38	42	42	42	44	44	45	44	47	49	49	48	44	40	36
Thu	36	37	38	42	42	42	44	44	44	45	46	48	48	47	44	40	37
Fri	36	37	38	40	40	42	43	44	45	47	50	50	50	47	44	41	37
Sat	36	37	37	37	38	41	44	45	45	45	45	45	46	43	43	40	37
Sun	36	37	37	37	37	38	41	42	45	46	47	47	46	46	44	40	37

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	36	37	38	43	40	39	41	42	45	45	46	47	48	45	42	38	37
Tue	36	37	38	42	42	42	43	43	44	45	47	48	50	48	43	39	37
Wed	36	37	38	42	42	42	44	44	45	44	47	49	49	48	44	40	36
Thu	36	37	38	42	42	42	44	44	44	45	46	48	48	47	44	40	37
Fri	36	37	38	40	40	42	43	44	45	47	50	50	50	47	44	41	37
Sat	36	37	37	37	38	41	44	45	45	45	45	45	46	43	43	40	37
Sun	36	37	37	37	37	38	41	42	45	46	47	47	46	46	44	40	37