Best Time to Drive from San Diego to Riverside

Right now (11:50 pm PST): about 97 minutes via I-15 North and I-215 North.

Only 38% 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 Riverside 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	104	120	121	119	113	110	114	116	117	117	132	136	124	103	98	96	95
Tue	105	125	128	122	113	109	111	114	116	126	148	152	136	109	98	96	95
Wed	105	128	126	118	114	109	110	114	118	126	147	152	136	112	98	96	95
Thu	104	123	123	122	115	113	114	116	118	128	157	155	136	114	100	96	95
Fri	102	114	116	117	113	114	114	122	126	143	161	151	129	110	101	98	96
Sat	95	95	96	98	103	106	105	106	109	110	108	108	105	101	100	97	95
Sun	95	95	95	96	98	103	110	109	107	103	101	101	101	102	99	97	94

About this drive

On weekdays the 99-mile drive from San Diego to Riverside (via I-15 North and I-215 North) usually takes as little as 95 minutes and up to 161 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 119 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 11:30 am on Sundays (112 minutes).

About 84 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 14 miles surface streets (21 to 41 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from downtown San Diego (East Broadway) to central Riverside 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 Riverside?

On weekdays, leave before 5:30 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 95 minutes then, versus up to 161 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 99-mile drive usually takes 95 to 161 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 119 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from San Diego to Riverside?

Leaving around 3 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 161 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-215 North in Inland Empire (33 miles) · I-15 North in San Diego (33 miles) · I-15 North in Inland Empire (10 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

San Diego to Riverside over Thanksgiving: when to leave →

More drives

Riverside 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 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	104	120	121	119	113	110	114	116	117	117	132	136	124	103	98	96	95
Tue	105	125	128	122	113	109	111	114	116	126	148	152	136	109	98	96	95
Wed	105	128	126	118	114	109	110	114	118	126	147	152	136	112	98	96	95
Thu	104	123	123	122	115	113	114	116	118	128	157	155	136	114	100	96	95
Fri	102	114	116	117	113	114	114	122	126	143	161	151	129	110	101	98	96
Sat	95	95	96	98	103	106	105	106	109	110	108	108	105	101	100	97	95
Sun	95	95	95	96	98	103	110	109	107	103	101	101	101	102	99	97	94

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	104	120	121	119	113	110	114	116	117	117	132	136	124	103	98	96	95
Tue	105	125	128	122	113	109	111	114	116	126	148	152	136	109	98	96	95
Wed	105	128	126	118	114	109	110	114	118	126	147	152	136	112	98	96	95
Thu	104	123	123	122	115	113	114	116	118	128	157	155	136	114	100	96	95
Fri	102	114	116	117	113	114	114	122	126	143	161	151	129	110	101	98	96
Sat	95	95	96	98	103	106	105	106	109	110	108	108	105	101	100	97	95
Sun	95	95	95	96	98	103	110	109	107	103	101	101	101	102	99	97	94

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	104	120	121	119	113	110	114	116	117	117	132	136	124	103	98	96	95
Tue	105	125	128	122	113	109	111	114	116	126	148	152	136	109	98	96	95
Wed	105	128	126	118	114	109	110	114	118	126	147	152	136	112	98	96	95
Thu	104	123	123	122	115	113	114	116	118	128	157	155	136	114	100	96	95
Fri	102	114	116	117	113	114	114	122	126	143	161	151	129	110	101	98	96
Sat	95	95	96	98	103	106	105	106	109	110	108	108	105	101	100	97	95
Sun	95	95	95	96	98	103	110	109	107	103	101	101	101	102	99	97	94