Best Time to Drive from San Clemente to Los Angeles

Right now (6:24 pm PDT): about 73 minutes via I-5 North, usually 62 at this time.

Only 6% 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.

On weekdays the 62-mile drive from San Clemente to Los Angeles (via I-5 North) usually takes as little as 54 minutes and up to 81 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 5:30 am or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 67 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1 pm on Saturdays (72 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: Los Angeles to San Clemente

Freeway, about 61 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 0.7 miles: about 1 minutes, estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time (we don't have street sensors yet). Drive times are measured from central San Clemente to Downtown LA (City Hall) along the route shown. Starting or ending elsewhere in a big city can add or save several minutes.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from San Clemente to Los Angeles 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	56	64	68	72	66	63	63	64	66	68	72	72	71	63	57	56	54
Tue	56	65	73	76	69	65	65	64	65	68	72	76	75	67	59	56	54
Wed	56	66	74	76	70	67	67	65	67	70	76	78	77	69	61	59	56
Thu	56	65	73	73	69	66	66	66	67	70	74	78	75	67	60	57	55
Fri	55	63	65	66	65	66	67	69	72	77	81	80	78	69	61	58	55
Sat	54	55	56	58	60	64	68	71	72	71	71	71	69	65	61	59	55
Sun	54	54	55	56	58	61	64	67	69	69	69	69	67	65	63	62	55

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 Los Angeles?

On weekdays, leave before 5:30 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 54 minutes then, versus up to 81 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from San Clemente to Los Angeles?

The 62-mile drive usually takes 54 to 81 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 67 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from San Clemente to Los Angeles?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 81 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

Freeways on this drive

I-5 North in Orange County (50 miles) · I-5 North in Los Angeles (11 miles)

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

More drives

Los Angeles to San Clemente (return trip) · San Clemente to San Diego

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	56	64	68	72	66	63	63	64	66	68	72	72	71	63	57	56	54
Tue	56	65	73	76	69	65	65	64	65	68	72	76	75	67	59	56	54
Wed	56	66	74	76	70	67	67	65	67	70	76	78	77	69	61	59	56
Thu	56	65	73	73	69	66	66	66	67	70	74	78	75	67	60	57	55
Fri	55	63	65	66	65	66	67	69	72	77	81	80	78	69	61	58	55
Sat	54	55	56	58	60	64	68	71	72	71	71	71	69	65	61	59	55
Sun	54	54	55	56	58	61	64	67	69	69	69	69	67	65	63	62	55

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	56	64	68	72	66	63	63	64	66	68	72	72	71	63	57	56	54
Tue	56	65	73	76	69	65	65	64	65	68	72	76	75	67	59	56	54
Wed	56	66	74	76	70	67	67	65	67	70	76	78	77	69	61	59	56
Thu	56	65	73	73	69	66	66	66	67	70	74	78	75	67	60	57	55
Fri	55	63	65	66	65	66	67	69	72	77	81	80	78	69	61	58	55
Sat	54	55	56	58	60	64	68	71	72	71	71	71	69	65	61	59	55
Sun	54	54	55	56	58	61	64	67	69	69	69	69	67	65	63	62	55

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	56	64	68	72	66	63	63	64	66	68	72	72	71	63	57	56	54
Tue	56	65	73	76	69	65	65	64	65	68	72	76	75	67	59	56	54
Wed	56	66	74	76	70	67	67	65	67	70	76	78	77	69	61	59	56
Thu	56	65	73	73	69	66	66	66	67	70	74	78	75	67	60	57	55
Fri	55	63	65	66	65	66	67	69	72	77	81	80	78	69	61	58	55
Sat	54	55	56	58	60	64	68	71	72	71	71	71	69	65	61	59	55
Sun	54	54	55	56	58	61	64	67	69	69	69	69	67	65	63	62	55