Best Time to Drive from San Clemente to Pasadena

Right now (5:48 pm PDT): about 82 minutes via I-5 North, usually 72 at this time.

Only 48% 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 Pasadena 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	63	71	73	78	72	69	70	72	74	75	78	77	77	72	69	65	62
Tue	64	71	80	82	79	73	73	73	74	75	79	81	81	76	72	65	63
Wed	63	72	78	80	75	73	74	73	74	74	80	83	81	77	70	66	62
Thu	64	72	78	79	76	73	74	74	75	78	83	86	81	76	72	67	63
Fri	64	71	70	73	71	74	74	76	79	82	86	85	86	80	71	67	62
Sat	63	65	66	66	68	72	75	77	78	77	77	78	76	72	71	68	62
Sun	63	66	65	64	66	67	71	72	75	76	78	78	78	77	75	69	62

About this drive

On weekdays the 70-mile drive from San Clemente to Pasadena (via I-5 North) usually takes as little as 62 minutes and up to 87 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 74 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2:30 pm on Sundays (78 minutes).

About 68 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 2 miles surface streets (2 to 3 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central San Clemente to Old Pasadena 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 Pasadena?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 62 minutes then, versus up to 87 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 70-mile drive usually takes 62 to 87 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 74 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from San Clemente to Pasadena?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 87 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 North in Orange County (50 miles) · I-5 North in Los Angeles (13 miles) · I-110 North in Los Angeles (5 miles)

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

More drives

Pasadena 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	63	71	73	78	72	69	70	72	74	75	78	77	77	72	69	65	62
Tue	64	71	80	82	79	73	73	73	74	75	79	81	81	76	72	65	63
Wed	63	72	78	80	75	73	74	73	74	74	80	83	81	77	70	66	62
Thu	64	72	78	79	76	73	74	74	75	78	83	86	81	76	72	67	63
Fri	64	71	70	73	71	74	74	76	79	82	86	85	86	80	71	67	62
Sat	63	65	66	66	68	72	75	77	78	77	77	78	76	72	71	68	62
Sun	63	66	65	64	66	67	71	72	75	76	78	78	78	77	75	69	62

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	63	71	73	78	72	69	70	72	74	75	78	77	77	72	69	65	62
Tue	64	71	80	82	79	73	73	73	74	75	79	81	81	76	72	65	63
Wed	63	72	78	80	75	73	74	73	74	74	80	83	81	77	70	66	62
Thu	64	72	78	79	76	73	74	74	75	78	83	86	81	76	72	67	63
Fri	64	71	70	73	71	74	74	76	79	82	86	85	86	80	71	67	62
Sat	63	65	66	66	68	72	75	77	78	77	77	78	76	72	71	68	62
Sun	63	66	65	64	66	67	71	72	75	76	78	78	78	77	75	69	62

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	63	71	73	78	72	69	70	72	74	75	78	77	77	72	69	65	62
Tue	64	71	80	82	79	73	73	73	74	75	79	81	81	76	72	65	63
Wed	63	72	78	80	75	73	74	73	74	74	80	83	81	77	70	66	62
Thu	64	72	78	79	76	73	74	74	75	78	83	86	81	76	72	67	63
Fri	64	71	70	73	71	74	74	76	79	82	86	85	86	80	71	67	62
Sat	63	65	66	66	68	72	75	77	78	77	77	78	76	72	71	68	62
Sun	63	66	65	64	66	67	71	72	75	76	78	78	78	77	75	69	62