Best Time to Drive from San Diego to Ontario

Right now (7:20 pm PST): about 125 minutes via I-15 North, usually 108 at this time.

Only 46% 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 Ontario 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	109	122	121	119	116	114	115	114	115	116	124	132	125	110	105	103	102
Tue	110	127	125	118	114	113	112	113	114	116	136	142	134	115	106	103	102
Wed	110	125	121	117	115	112	112	113	115	117	137	146	132	116	105	103	102
Thu	109	124	121	116	114	112	112	113	115	120	142	151	135	117	107	103	101
Fri	105	113	116	115	112	114	115	116	126	141	162	149	129	117	111	106	105
Sat	102	102	103	105	108	111	111	111	114	113	112	110	111	108	109	107	102
Sun	103	102	102	103	105	108	110	110	109	107	106	106	105	106	106	104	101

About this drive

On weekdays the 113-mile drive from San Diego to Ontario (via I-15 North) usually takes as little as 101 minutes and up to 162 minutes, when leaving around 3 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 5:30 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 116 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1 pm on Saturdays (114 minutes).

About 103 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 10 miles surface streets (8 to 14 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 Ontario 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 Ontario?

On weekdays, leave before 5:30 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 101 minutes then, versus up to 162 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 113-mile drive usually takes 101 to 162 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 116 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from San Diego to Ontario?

Leaving around 3 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 162 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-15 North in San Diego (43 miles) · I-15 North in Inland Empire (30 miles) · I-15 North in Orange County (21 miles) · SR-163 North in San Diego (9 miles)

San Diego traffic right now · San Diego traffic tomorrow · Inland Empire traffic right now · Inland Empire 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	109	122	121	119	116	114	115	114	115	116	124	132	125	110	105	103	102
Tue	110	127	125	118	114	113	112	113	114	116	136	142	134	115	106	103	102
Wed	110	125	121	117	115	112	112	113	115	117	137	146	132	116	105	103	102
Thu	109	124	121	116	114	112	112	113	115	120	142	151	135	117	107	103	101
Fri	105	113	116	115	112	114	115	116	126	141	162	149	129	117	111	106	105
Sat	102	102	103	105	108	111	111	111	114	113	112	110	111	108	109	107	102
Sun	103	102	102	103	105	108	110	110	109	107	106	106	105	106	106	104	101

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	109	122	121	119	116	114	115	114	115	116	124	132	125	110	105	103	102
Tue	110	127	125	118	114	113	112	113	114	116	136	142	134	115	106	103	102
Wed	110	125	121	117	115	112	112	113	115	117	137	146	132	116	105	103	102
Thu	109	124	121	116	114	112	112	113	115	120	142	151	135	117	107	103	101
Fri	105	113	116	115	112	114	115	116	126	141	162	149	129	117	111	106	105
Sat	102	102	103	105	108	111	111	111	114	113	112	110	111	108	109	107	102
Sun	103	102	102	103	105	108	110	110	109	107	106	106	105	106	106	104	101

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	109	122	121	119	116	114	115	114	115	116	124	132	125	110	105	103	102
Tue	110	127	125	118	114	113	112	113	114	116	136	142	134	115	106	103	102
Wed	110	125	121	117	115	112	112	113	115	117	137	146	132	116	105	103	102
Thu	109	124	121	116	114	112	112	113	115	120	142	151	135	117	107	103	101
Fri	105	113	116	115	112	114	115	116	126	141	162	149	129	117	111	106	105
Sat	102	102	103	105	108	111	111	111	114	113	112	110	111	108	109	107	102
Sun	103	102	102	103	105	108	110	110	109	107	106	106	105	106	106	104	101