Best Time to Drive from San Clemente to San Diego

Right now (4:34 am PDT): about 53 minutes via I-5 South, usually 51 at this time.

Only 69% 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 San Diego 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	53	56	60	54	55	55	55	54	55	60	60	57	53	53	52	52
Tue	51	53	58	65	61	55	56	55	55	57	64	71	68	55	53	53	52
Wed	51	53	58	66	58	55	55	55	55	57	66	70	67	56	54	53	52
Thu	51	53	57	64	57	56	57	56	55	59	67	74	68	55	54	53	52
Fri	51	53	55	54	54	57	61	65	69	76	81	80	71	64	57	54	52
Sat	52	52	52	53	57	67	75	73	72	71	66	69	64	58	55	54	52
Sun	52	52	52	52	53	54	58	61	60	59	58	58	57	55	55	55	52

About this drive

On weekdays the 59-mile drive from San Clemente to San Diego (via I-5 South) usually takes as little as 51 minutes and up to 81 minutes, when leaving around 3 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 7 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 58 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 11 am on Saturdays (75 minutes).

About 57 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 1.3 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 downtown San Diego 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 San Diego?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 51 minutes then, versus up to 81 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 59-mile drive usually takes 51 to 81 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 58 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from San Clemente to San Diego?

Leaving around 3 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 81 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in San Diego (47 miles) · I-5 South in Orange County (8 miles) · I-805 South in San Diego (3 miles)

Orange County traffic right now · Orange County traffic tomorrow · San Diego traffic right now · San Diego traffic tomorrow

More drives

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

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	53	56	60	54	55	55	55	54	55	60	60	57	53	53	52	52
Tue	51	53	58	65	61	55	56	55	55	57	64	71	68	55	53	53	52
Wed	51	53	58	66	58	55	55	55	55	57	66	70	67	56	54	53	52
Thu	51	53	57	64	57	56	57	56	55	59	67	74	68	55	54	53	52
Fri	51	53	55	54	54	57	61	65	69	76	81	80	71	64	57	54	52
Sat	52	52	52	53	57	67	75	73	72	71	66	69	64	58	55	54	52
Sun	52	52	52	52	53	54	58	61	60	59	58	58	57	55	55	55	52

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	51	53	56	60	54	55	55	55	54	55	60	60	57	53	53	52	52
Tue	51	53	58	65	61	55	56	55	55	57	64	71	68	55	53	53	52
Wed	51	53	58	66	58	55	55	55	55	57	66	70	67	56	54	53	52
Thu	51	53	57	64	57	56	57	56	55	59	67	74	68	55	54	53	52
Fri	51	53	55	54	54	57	61	65	69	76	81	80	71	64	57	54	52
Sat	52	52	52	53	57	67	75	73	72	71	66	69	64	58	55	54	52
Sun	52	52	52	52	53	54	58	61	60	59	58	58	57	55	55	55	52

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	51	53	56	60	54	55	55	55	54	55	60	60	57	53	53	52	52
Tue	51	53	58	65	61	55	56	55	55	57	64	71	68	55	53	53	52
Wed	51	53	58	66	58	55	55	55	55	57	66	70	67	56	54	53	52
Thu	51	53	57	64	57	56	57	56	55	59	67	74	68	55	54	53	52
Fri	51	53	55	54	54	57	61	65	69	76	81	80	71	64	57	54	52
Sat	52	52	52	53	57	67	75	73	72	71	66	69	64	58	55	54	52
Sun	52	52	52	52	53	54	58	61	60	59	58	58	57	55	55	55	52