Best Time to Drive from San Clemente to Downey

Right now (7:35 pm PDT): about 58 minutes via I-5 North, usually 54 at this time.

Only 60% 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 Downey 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	47	48	52	57	54	52	55	56	59	61	65	65	65	59	54	49	47
Tue	47	49	54	59	57	55	56	57	59	61	64	69	69	63	56	49	48
Wed	47	49	53	57	56	56	57	57	59	60	66	70	69	63	56	51	47
Thu	47	49	53	56	57	55	57	58	59	63	66	71	69	61	56	51	48
Fri	47	50	51	53	52	56	57	59	61	65	70	68	68	62	55	51	47
Sat	47	48	48	49	49	53	56	58	59	59	60	60	60	55	54	53	47
Sun	47	48	47	48	49	50	53	54	56	57	60	59	59	58	56	52	47

About this drive

On weekdays the 53-mile drive from San Clemente to Downey (via I-5 North) usually takes as little as 47 minutes and up to 71 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7 am or after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 58 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4:30 pm on Saturdays (61 minutes).

About 50 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 3 miles surface streets (3 to 10 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central San Clemente to central Downey 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 Downey?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 47 minutes then, versus up to 71 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from San Clemente to Downey?

The 53-mile drive usually takes 47 to 71 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 58 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from San Clemente to Downey?

Leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 71 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 North in Orange County (50 miles)

Orange County traffic right now · Orange County traffic tomorrow · Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Downey 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	47	48	52	57	54	52	55	56	59	61	65	65	65	59	54	49	47
Tue	47	49	54	59	57	55	56	57	59	61	64	69	69	63	56	49	48
Wed	47	49	53	57	56	56	57	57	59	60	66	70	69	63	56	51	47
Thu	47	49	53	56	57	55	57	58	59	63	66	71	69	61	56	51	48
Fri	47	50	51	53	52	56	57	59	61	65	70	68	68	62	55	51	47
Sat	47	48	48	49	49	53	56	58	59	59	60	60	60	55	54	53	47
Sun	47	48	47	48	49	50	53	54	56	57	60	59	59	58	56	52	47

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	47	48	52	57	54	52	55	56	59	61	65	65	65	59	54	49	47
Tue	47	49	54	59	57	55	56	57	59	61	64	69	69	63	56	49	48
Wed	47	49	53	57	56	56	57	57	59	60	66	70	69	63	56	51	47
Thu	47	49	53	56	57	55	57	58	59	63	66	71	69	61	56	51	48
Fri	47	50	51	53	52	56	57	59	61	65	70	68	68	62	55	51	47
Sat	47	48	48	49	49	53	56	58	59	59	60	60	60	55	54	53	47
Sun	47	48	47	48	49	50	53	54	56	57	60	59	59	58	56	52	47

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	47	48	52	57	54	52	55	56	59	61	65	65	65	59	54	49	47
Tue	47	49	54	59	57	55	56	57	59	61	64	69	69	63	56	49	48
Wed	47	49	53	57	56	56	57	57	59	60	66	70	69	63	56	51	47
Thu	47	49	53	56	57	55	57	58	59	63	66	71	69	61	56	51	48
Fri	47	50	51	53	52	56	57	59	61	65	70	68	68	62	55	51	47
Sat	47	48	48	49	49	53	56	58	59	59	60	60	60	55	54	53	47
Sun	47	48	47	48	49	50	53	54	56	57	60	59	59	58	56	52	47