Best Time to Drive from San Clemente to Ontario

Right now (6:48 pm PDT): about 56 minutes via I-5 North and SR-241 North, usually 56 at this time.

Only 46% 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 Ontario 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	55	65	62	59	57	58	58	59	66	73	73	72	60	56	54	53
Tue	52	58	65	64	60	60	60	59	60	66	72	72	68	59	58	56	53
Wed	52	58	69	67	60	59	59	58	60	68	72	73	72	61	57	56	53
Thu	52	56	66	65	59	59	59	59	62	68	74	74	72	63	59	57	53
Fri	51	53	57	57	58	58	60	64	72	76	80	78	72	62	57	56	53
Sat	52	53	53	54	56	58	62	61	63	62	65	65	65	59	56	55	53
Sun	52	52	52	52	53	54	55	58	59	58	59	60	57	56	54	55	52

About this drive

On weekdays the 54-mile drive from San Clemente to Ontario (via I-5 North and SR-241 North) usually takes as little as 51 minutes and up to 80 minutes, when leaving around 3 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 62 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4 pm on Saturdays (65 minutes).

About 44 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 10 miles surface streets (13 to 29 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 Ontario 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 Ontario?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 51 minutes then, versus up to 80 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 54-mile drive usually takes 51 to 80 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 62 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from San Clemente to Ontario?

Leaving around 3 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 80 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 North in Orange County (21 miles) · SR-241 North in Orange County (12 miles) · SR-91 East in Orange County (7 miles) · SR-133 North in Orange County (4 miles)

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

More drives

Ontario 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	52	55	65	62	59	57	58	58	59	66	73	73	72	60	56	54	53
Tue	52	58	65	64	60	60	60	59	60	66	72	72	68	59	58	56	53
Wed	52	58	69	67	60	59	59	58	60	68	72	73	72	61	57	56	53
Thu	52	56	66	65	59	59	59	59	62	68	74	74	72	63	59	57	53
Fri	51	53	57	57	58	58	60	64	72	76	80	78	72	62	57	56	53
Sat	52	53	53	54	56	58	62	61	63	62	65	65	65	59	56	55	53
Sun	52	52	52	52	53	54	55	58	59	58	59	60	57	56	54	55	52

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	52	55	65	62	59	57	58	58	59	66	73	73	72	60	56	54	53
Tue	52	58	65	64	60	60	60	59	60	66	72	72	68	59	58	56	53
Wed	52	58	69	67	60	59	59	58	60	68	72	73	72	61	57	56	53
Thu	52	56	66	65	59	59	59	59	62	68	74	74	72	63	59	57	53
Fri	51	53	57	57	58	58	60	64	72	76	80	78	72	62	57	56	53
Sat	52	53	53	54	56	58	62	61	63	62	65	65	65	59	56	55	53
Sun	52	52	52	52	53	54	55	58	59	58	59	60	57	56	54	55	52

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	52	55	65	62	59	57	58	58	59	66	73	73	72	60	56	54	53
Tue	52	58	65	64	60	60	60	59	60	66	72	72	68	59	58	56	53
Wed	52	58	69	67	60	59	59	58	60	68	72	73	72	61	57	56	53
Thu	52	56	66	65	59	59	59	59	62	68	74	74	72	63	59	57	53
Fri	51	53	57	57	58	58	60	64	72	76	80	78	72	62	57	56	53
Sat	52	53	53	54	56	58	62	61	63	62	65	65	65	59	56	55	53
Sun	52	52	52	52	53	54	55	58	59	58	59	60	57	56	54	55	52