Best Time to Drive from San Diego to Mission Viejo

Right now (6:24 pm PDT): about 73 minutes via I-5 North, usually 66 at this time.

Only 52% 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 74-mile drive from San Diego to Mission Viejo (via I-5 North) usually takes as little as 64 minutes and up to 92 minutes, when leaving around 3 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 8 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 71 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12 pm on Sundays (87 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: Mission Viejo to San Diego

Freeway, about 72 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 1.7 miles: about 2 minutes, estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time (we don't have street sensors yet). Drive times are measured from downtown San Diego to central Mission Viejo 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 Diego to Mission Viejo 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	64	65	68	71	70	69	69	69	68	69	73	77	76	67	66	66	65
Tue	64	65	68	70	73	70	69	70	70	71	77	83	80	71	66	66	66
Wed	64	65	68	72	74	71	71	71	73	73	84	90	89	76	67	66	64
Thu	64	65	67	70	71	71	70	70	70	71	81	90	89	75	67	67	65
Fri	64	65	66	68	69	70	71	74	77	82	92	90	80	68	67	67	64
Sat	64	64	64	66	68	74	83	85	78	77	74	73	70	67	67	68	64
Sun	64	64	64	65	66	71	83	87	85	82	77	74	72	68	68	68	64

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 Mission Viejo?

On weekdays, leave before 8 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 64 minutes then, versus up to 92 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from San Diego to Mission Viejo?

The 74-mile drive usually takes 64 to 92 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 71 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from San Diego to Mission Viejo?

Leaving around 3 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 92 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

Freeways on this drive

I-5 North in San Diego (55 miles) · I-5 North in Orange County (17 miles)

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

More drives

Mission Viejo to San Diego (return trip) · 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

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	64	65	68	71	70	69	69	69	68	69	73	77	76	67	66	66	65
Tue	64	65	68	70	73	70	69	70	70	71	77	83	80	71	66	66	66
Wed	64	65	68	72	74	71	71	71	73	73	84	90	89	76	67	66	64
Thu	64	65	67	70	71	71	70	70	70	71	81	90	89	75	67	67	65
Fri	64	65	66	68	69	70	71	74	77	82	92	90	80	68	67	67	64
Sat	64	64	64	66	68	74	83	85	78	77	74	73	70	67	67	68	64
Sun	64	64	64	65	66	71	83	87	85	82	77	74	72	68	68	68	64

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	64	65	68	71	70	69	69	69	68	69	73	77	76	67	66	66	65
Tue	64	65	68	70	73	70	69	70	70	71	77	83	80	71	66	66	66
Wed	64	65	68	72	74	71	71	71	73	73	84	90	89	76	67	66	64
Thu	64	65	67	70	71	71	70	70	70	71	81	90	89	75	67	67	65
Fri	64	65	66	68	69	70	71	74	77	82	92	90	80	68	67	67	64
Sat	64	64	64	66	68	74	83	85	78	77	74	73	70	67	67	68	64
Sun	64	64	64	65	66	71	83	87	85	82	77	74	72	68	68	68	64

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	64	65	68	71	70	69	69	69	68	69	73	77	76	67	66	66	65
Tue	64	65	68	70	73	70	69	70	70	71	77	83	80	71	66	66	66
Wed	64	65	68	72	74	71	71	71	73	73	84	90	89	76	67	66	64
Thu	64	65	67	70	71	71	70	70	70	71	81	90	89	75	67	67	65
Fri	64	65	66	68	69	70	71	74	77	82	92	90	80	68	67	67	64
Sat	64	64	64	66	68	74	83	85	78	77	74	73	70	67	67	68	64
Sun	64	64	64	65	66	71	83	87	85	82	77	74	72	68	68	68	64