Best Time to Drive from San Clemente to San Diego

Right now (6:24 pm PDT): about 74 minutes via I-5 South, usually 53 at this time.

Only 67% 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 59-mile drive from San Clemente to San Diego (via I-5 South) usually takes as little as 51 minutes and up to 91 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 59 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 11:30 am on Saturdays (83 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: San Diego to San Clemente

Freeway, about 57 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 1.3 miles: 1 to 2 minutes on weekdays, 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 San Diego 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 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	55	56	55	55	55	57	62	61	57	52	52	52	52
Tue	51	53	59	65	61	55	55	55	55	58	69	79	69	55	53	54	52
Wed	51	53	58	66	58	55	55	55	55	61	75	76	71	55	53	54	52
Thu	51	53	58	65	58	56	56	56	55	61	76	78	69	55	54	54	51
Fri	51	53	55	54	54	57	61	68	73	89	91	88	80	66	55	53	52
Sat	52	52	52	53	61	71	81	82	81	79	78	77	70	60	56	55	51
Sun	52	52	51	52	53	57	67	70	68	66	63	63	58	55	54	55	52

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 91 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 91 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 59 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from San Clemente to San Diego?

Leaving around 3 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 91 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

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

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	55	56	55	55	55	57	62	61	57	52	52	52	52
Tue	51	53	59	65	61	55	55	55	55	58	69	79	69	55	53	54	52
Wed	51	53	58	66	58	55	55	55	55	61	75	76	71	55	53	54	52
Thu	51	53	58	65	58	56	56	56	55	61	76	78	69	55	54	54	51
Fri	51	53	55	54	54	57	61	68	73	89	91	88	80	66	55	53	52
Sat	52	52	52	53	61	71	81	82	81	79	78	77	70	60	56	55	51
Sun	52	52	51	52	53	57	67	70	68	66	63	63	58	55	54	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	55	56	55	55	55	57	62	61	57	52	52	52	52
Tue	51	53	59	65	61	55	55	55	55	58	69	79	69	55	53	54	52
Wed	51	53	58	66	58	55	55	55	55	61	75	76	71	55	53	54	52
Thu	51	53	58	65	58	56	56	56	55	61	76	78	69	55	54	54	51
Fri	51	53	55	54	54	57	61	68	73	89	91	88	80	66	55	53	52
Sat	52	52	52	53	61	71	81	82	81	79	78	77	70	60	56	55	51
Sun	52	52	51	52	53	57	67	70	68	66	63	63	58	55	54	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	55	56	55	55	55	57	62	61	57	52	52	52	52
Tue	51	53	59	65	61	55	55	55	55	58	69	79	69	55	53	54	52
Wed	51	53	58	66	58	55	55	55	55	61	75	76	71	55	53	54	52
Thu	51	53	58	65	58	56	56	56	55	61	76	78	69	55	54	54	51
Fri	51	53	55	54	54	57	61	68	73	89	91	88	80	66	55	53	52
Sat	52	52	52	53	61	71	81	82	81	79	78	77	70	60	56	55	51
Sun	52	52	51	52	53	57	67	70	68	66	63	63	58	55	54	55	52