Best Time to Drive from San Diego to Glendale

Right now (6:49 pm PDT): about 136 minutes via I-5 North, usually 122 at this time.

Only 57% 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 Diego to Glendale 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	128	134	142	140	133	133	133	137	138	142	146	147	139	123	116	113	112
Tue	127	137	144	146	140	135	132	136	140	146	154	157	151	131	117	114	112
Wed	125	133	139	143	140	137	135	136	138	147	157	162	156	135	120	114	112
Thu	125	134	141	141	136	136	136	138	141	148	161	161	159	139	122	115	112
Fri	124	128	133	133	135	135	139	146	150	158	165	161	148	133	123	115	113
Sat	113	115	117	125	135	140	147	150	147	147	145	141	137	134	124	116	113
Sun	112	113	113	116	122	133	145	146	150	151	144	141	140	136	125	116	111

About this drive

On weekdays the 128-mile drive from San Diego to Glendale (via I-5 North) usually takes as little as 112 minutes and up to 165 minutes, when leaving around 3 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are after 7 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 141 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1:30 pm on Sundays (152 minutes).

About 126 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 2 miles surface streets (2 to 4 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from downtown San Diego to central Glendale 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 Diego to Glendale?

On weekdays, leave after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 112 minutes then, versus up to 165 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 128-mile drive usually takes 112 to 165 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 141 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from San Diego to Glendale?

Leaving around 3 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 165 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 North in San Diego (55 miles) · I-5 North in Orange County (53 miles) · I-5 North in Los Angeles (18 miles)

San Diego traffic right now · San Diego traffic tomorrow · Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

San Diego to Escondido · San Diego to Oceanside · San Diego to El Cajon · San Diego to Carlsbad · San Diego to Los Angeles · San Diego to Irvine · San Diego to Temecula · San Diego to LAX · San Diego to Riverside · San Diego to Chula Vista · San Diego to La Jolla · San Diego 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	128	134	142	140	133	133	133	137	138	142	146	147	139	123	116	113	112
Tue	127	137	144	146	140	135	132	136	140	146	154	157	151	131	117	114	112
Wed	125	133	139	143	140	137	135	136	138	147	157	162	156	135	120	114	112
Thu	125	134	141	141	136	136	136	138	141	148	161	161	159	139	122	115	112
Fri	124	128	133	133	135	135	139	146	150	158	165	161	148	133	123	115	113
Sat	113	115	117	125	135	140	147	150	147	147	145	141	137	134	124	116	113
Sun	112	113	113	116	122	133	145	146	150	151	144	141	140	136	125	116	111

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	128	134	142	140	133	133	133	137	138	142	146	147	139	123	116	113	112
Tue	127	137	144	146	140	135	132	136	140	146	154	157	151	131	117	114	112
Wed	125	133	139	143	140	137	135	136	138	147	157	162	156	135	120	114	112
Thu	125	134	141	141	136	136	136	138	141	148	161	161	159	139	122	115	112
Fri	124	128	133	133	135	135	139	146	150	158	165	161	148	133	123	115	113
Sat	113	115	117	125	135	140	147	150	147	147	145	141	137	134	124	116	113
Sun	112	113	113	116	122	133	145	146	150	151	144	141	140	136	125	116	111

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	128	134	142	140	133	133	133	137	138	142	146	147	139	123	116	113	112
Tue	127	137	144	146	140	135	132	136	140	146	154	157	151	131	117	114	112
Wed	125	133	139	143	140	137	135	136	138	147	157	162	156	135	120	114	112
Thu	125	134	141	141	136	136	136	138	141	148	161	161	159	139	122	115	112
Fri	124	128	133	133	135	135	139	146	150	158	165	161	148	133	123	115	113
Sat	113	115	117	125	135	140	147	150	147	147	145	141	137	134	124	116	113
Sun	112	113	113	116	122	133	145	146	150	151	144	141	140	136	125	116	111