Best Time to Drive from San Diego to Riverside

Right now (11:03 pm PDT): about 96 minutes via I-15 North and I-215 North.

Only 56% 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	101	113	115	115	109	107	110	114	115	114	128	137	123	103	99	98	97
Tue	102	122	123	119	112	109	109	111	112	120	147	148	132	108	101	98	96
Wed	104	125	120	115	111	108	108	112	114	124	147	152	135	112	100	97	95
Thu	104	123	119	120	113	109	110	111	114	126	160	155	137	116	104	98	96
Fri	101	111	110	115	110	111	115	117	125	148	166	153	133	112	103	99	98
Sat	96	97	98	101	104	105	105	105	112	113	111	106	102	99	99	98	96
Sun	96	96	97	98	100	102	104	103	102	100	100	100	99	99	101	97	95

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 166 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 2 pm on Saturdays (113 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 44 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 166 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 166 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 116 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from San Diego to Riverside?

Leaving around 3 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 166 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

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	101	113	115	115	109	107	110	114	115	114	128	137	123	103	99	98	97
Tue	102	122	123	119	112	109	109	111	112	120	147	148	132	108	101	98	96
Wed	104	125	120	115	111	108	108	112	114	124	147	152	135	112	100	97	95
Thu	104	123	119	120	113	109	110	111	114	126	160	155	137	116	104	98	96
Fri	101	111	110	115	110	111	115	117	125	148	166	153	133	112	103	99	98
Sat	96	97	98	101	104	105	105	105	112	113	111	106	102	99	99	98	96
Sun	96	96	97	98	100	102	104	103	102	100	100	100	99	99	101	97	95

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	101	113	115	115	109	107	110	114	115	114	128	137	123	103	99	98	97
Tue	102	122	123	119	112	109	109	111	112	120	147	148	132	108	101	98	96
Wed	104	125	120	115	111	108	108	112	114	124	147	152	135	112	100	97	95
Thu	104	123	119	120	113	109	110	111	114	126	160	155	137	116	104	98	96
Fri	101	111	110	115	110	111	115	117	125	148	166	153	133	112	103	99	98
Sat	96	97	98	101	104	105	105	105	112	113	111	106	102	99	99	98	96
Sun	96	96	97	98	100	102	104	103	102	100	100	100	99	99	101	97	95

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	101	113	115	115	109	107	110	114	115	114	128	137	123	103	99	98	97
Tue	102	122	123	119	112	109	109	111	112	120	147	148	132	108	101	98	96
Wed	104	125	120	115	111	108	108	112	114	124	147	152	135	112	100	97	95
Thu	104	123	119	120	113	109	110	111	114	126	160	155	137	116	104	98	96
Fri	101	111	110	115	110	111	115	117	125	148	166	153	133	112	103	99	98
Sat	96	97	98	101	104	105	105	105	112	113	111	106	102	99	99	98	96
Sun	96	96	97	98	100	102	104	103	102	100	100	100	99	99	101	97	95