Best Time to Drive from San Diego to Glendale

Right now (3:20 pm PST): about 137 minutes via I-5 North, usually 144 at this time.

Only 34% 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	143	141	134	134	134	137	139	142	147	148	141	124	116	113	112
Tue	127	136	144	144	139	134	133	136	140	146	154	158	152	132	117	114	112
Wed	124	133	140	142	138	137	135	136	139	145	158	162	157	136	120	114	112
Thu	124	133	139	141	136	136	136	138	141	149	161	162	160	140	122	115	113
Fri	123	128	133	133	135	135	139	145	150	159	167	165	151	135	124	115	113
Sat	113	115	117	122	131	138	145	147	145	146	145	141	138	134	124	117	114
Sun	112	112	113	116	122	133	143	147	149	149	142	141	139	134	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 167 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 (150 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 167 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 167 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 167 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	143	141	134	134	134	137	139	142	147	148	141	124	116	113	112
Tue	127	136	144	144	139	134	133	136	140	146	154	158	152	132	117	114	112
Wed	124	133	140	142	138	137	135	136	139	145	158	162	157	136	120	114	112
Thu	124	133	139	141	136	136	136	138	141	149	161	162	160	140	122	115	113
Fri	123	128	133	133	135	135	139	145	150	159	167	165	151	135	124	115	113
Sat	113	115	117	122	131	138	145	147	145	146	145	141	138	134	124	117	114
Sun	112	112	113	116	122	133	143	147	149	149	142	141	139	134	125	116	111

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	128	134	143	141	134	134	134	137	139	142	147	148	141	124	116	113	112
Tue	127	136	144	144	139	134	133	136	140	146	154	158	152	132	117	114	112
Wed	124	133	140	142	138	137	135	136	139	145	158	162	157	136	120	114	112
Thu	124	133	139	141	136	136	136	138	141	149	161	162	160	140	122	115	113
Fri	123	128	133	133	135	135	139	145	150	159	167	165	151	135	124	115	113
Sat	113	115	117	122	131	138	145	147	145	146	145	141	138	134	124	117	114
Sun	112	112	113	116	122	133	143	147	149	149	142	141	139	134	125	116	111

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	128	134	143	141	134	134	134	137	139	142	147	148	141	124	116	113	112
Tue	127	136	144	144	139	134	133	136	140	146	154	158	152	132	117	114	112
Wed	124	133	140	142	138	137	135	136	139	145	158	162	157	136	120	114	112
Thu	124	133	139	141	136	136	136	138	141	149	161	162	160	140	122	115	113
Fri	123	128	133	133	135	135	139	145	150	159	167	165	151	135	124	115	113
Sat	113	115	117	122	131	138	145	147	145	146	145	141	138	134	124	117	114
Sun	112	112	113	116	122	133	143	147	149	149	142	141	139	134	125	116	111