Best Time to Drive from San Clemente to Temecula

Right now (3:20 pm PST): about 89 minutes via I-5 South and I-15 North, usually 61 at this time.

Only 27% 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 Temecula 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	50	61	55	50	51	52	52	52	52	52	53	53	54	53	51	50	50
Tue	50	61	59	50	51	52	52	52	52	52	56	58	57	53	50	50	50
Wed	50	61	62	51	51	53	52	52	52	52	58	60	58	54	51	51	50
Thu	50	61	56	50	51	53	53	52	52	53	60	66	66	57	53	51	50
Fri	50	52	51	51	52	53	57	61	70	76	81	84	76	64	55	53	51
Sat	50	50	50	50	52	62	70	67	68	69	63	63	59	55	53	51	50
Sun	50	50	50	50	50	51	54	56	56	55	55	54	53	52	52	53	50

About this drive

On weekdays the 51-mile drive from San Clemente to Temecula (via I-5 South and I-15 North) usually takes as little as 50 minutes and up to 84 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 55 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 11 am on Saturdays (70 minutes).

About 38 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 13 miles surface streets (17 to 28 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 Temecula 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 Temecula?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 50 minutes then, versus up to 84 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 51-mile drive usually takes 50 to 84 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 55 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from San Clemente to Temecula?

Leaving around 4 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 84 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in San Diego (15 miles) · I-5 South in Orange County (8 miles) · I-15 North in San Diego (7 miles) · SR-76 East in San Diego (6 miles) · I-15 North in Inland Empire (2 miles)

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

More drives

Temecula 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	50	61	55	50	51	52	52	52	52	52	53	53	54	53	51	50	50
Tue	50	61	59	50	51	52	52	52	52	52	56	58	57	53	50	50	50
Wed	50	61	62	51	51	53	52	52	52	52	58	60	58	54	51	51	50
Thu	50	61	56	50	51	53	53	52	52	53	60	66	66	57	53	51	50
Fri	50	52	51	51	52	53	57	61	70	76	81	84	76	64	55	53	51
Sat	50	50	50	50	52	62	70	67	68	69	63	63	59	55	53	51	50
Sun	50	50	50	50	50	51	54	56	56	55	55	54	53	52	52	53	50

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	50	61	55	50	51	52	52	52	52	52	53	53	54	53	51	50	50
Tue	50	61	59	50	51	52	52	52	52	52	56	58	57	53	50	50	50
Wed	50	61	62	51	51	53	52	52	52	52	58	60	58	54	51	51	50
Thu	50	61	56	50	51	53	53	52	52	53	60	66	66	57	53	51	50
Fri	50	52	51	51	52	53	57	61	70	76	81	84	76	64	55	53	51
Sat	50	50	50	50	52	62	70	67	68	69	63	63	59	55	53	51	50
Sun	50	50	50	50	50	51	54	56	56	55	55	54	53	52	52	53	50

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	50	61	55	50	51	52	52	52	52	52	53	53	54	53	51	50	50
Tue	50	61	59	50	51	52	52	52	52	52	56	58	57	53	50	50	50
Wed	50	61	62	51	51	53	52	52	52	52	58	60	58	54	51	51	50
Thu	50	61	56	50	51	53	53	52	52	53	60	66	66	57	53	51	50
Fri	50	52	51	51	52	53	57	61	70	76	81	84	76	64	55	53	51
Sat	50	50	50	50	52	62	70	67	68	69	63	63	59	55	53	51	50
Sun	50	50	50	50	50	51	54	56	56	55	55	54	53	52	52	53	50