Best Time to Drive from San Clemente to Riverside

Right now (7:18 pm PDT): about 56 minutes via I-5 North and SR-91 East and SR-241 North, usually 58 at this time.

Only 24% 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 Riverside 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	51	52	57	59	56	56	56	58	60	64	69	67	66	60	56	55	52
Tue	51	53	59	58	57	57	57	57	59	67	70	70	66	58	58	56	52
Wed	51	54	60	59	56	57	58	58	60	66	68	68	65	59	57	56	53
Thu	51	53	58	58	56	57	57	58	62	66	70	70	67	60	59	56	52
Fri	51	52	55	56	56	58	58	60	68	73	78	74	69	64	59	56	52
Sat	51	52	52	53	54	55	57	60	61	61	61	62	62	59	56	56	52
Sun	51	52	52	52	53	54	55	57	57	58	59	60	57	56	55	55	52

About this drive

On weekdays the 59-mile drive from San Clemente to Riverside (via I-5 North and SR-91 East and SR-241 North) usually takes as little as 51 minutes and up to 78 minutes, when leaving around 3 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 7 am or after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 61 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3:30 pm on Saturdays (63 minutes).

About 58 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 0.9 miles surface streets (1 to 2 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 Riverside 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 Riverside?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 51 minutes then, versus up to 78 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 59-mile drive usually takes 51 to 78 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 61 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from San Clemente to Riverside?

Leaving around 3 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 78 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 North in Orange County (21 miles) · SR-91 East in Orange County (20 miles) · SR-241 North in Orange County (12 miles) · SR-133 North in Orange County (4 miles) · SR-91 East in Inland Empire (1.1 miles)

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

More drives

Riverside 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

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	51	52	57	59	56	56	56	58	60	64	69	67	66	60	56	55	52
Tue	51	53	59	58	57	57	57	57	59	67	70	70	66	58	58	56	52
Wed	51	54	60	59	56	57	58	58	60	66	68	68	65	59	57	56	53
Thu	51	53	58	58	56	57	57	58	62	66	70	70	67	60	59	56	52
Fri	51	52	55	56	56	58	58	60	68	73	78	74	69	64	59	56	52
Sat	51	52	52	53	54	55	57	60	61	61	61	62	62	59	56	56	52
Sun	51	52	52	52	53	54	55	57	57	58	59	60	57	56	55	55	52

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	51	52	57	59	56	56	56	58	60	64	69	67	66	60	56	55	52
Tue	51	53	59	58	57	57	57	57	59	67	70	70	66	58	58	56	52
Wed	51	54	60	59	56	57	58	58	60	66	68	68	65	59	57	56	53
Thu	51	53	58	58	56	57	57	58	62	66	70	70	67	60	59	56	52
Fri	51	52	55	56	56	58	58	60	68	73	78	74	69	64	59	56	52
Sat	51	52	52	53	54	55	57	60	61	61	61	62	62	59	56	56	52
Sun	51	52	52	52	53	54	55	57	57	58	59	60	57	56	55	55	52

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	51	52	57	59	56	56	56	58	60	64	69	67	66	60	56	55	52
Tue	51	53	59	58	57	57	57	57	59	67	70	70	66	58	58	56	52
Wed	51	54	60	59	56	57	58	58	60	66	68	68	65	59	57	56	53
Thu	51	53	58	58	56	57	57	58	62	66	70	70	67	60	59	56	52
Fri	51	52	55	56	56	58	58	60	68	73	78	74	69	64	59	56	52
Sat	51	52	52	53	54	55	57	60	61	61	61	62	62	59	56	56	52
Sun	51	52	52	52	53	54	55	57	57	58	59	60	57	56	55	55	52