Best Time to Drive from San Diego to San Clemente

Right now (8:05 pm PDT): about 53 minutes via I-5 North, usually 53 at this time.

Only 62% 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 San Clemente 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	51	52	53	56	57	55	55	55	54	55	58	65	63	54	53	53	52
Tue	51	52	53	56	59	56	55	55	55	55	63	72	71	60	53	53	52
Wed	51	52	53	56	59	56	56	55	55	57	65	75	74	61	54	53	52
Thu	51	52	53	56	57	57	56	55	55	57	67	75	77	63	54	53	52
Fri	51	52	53	55	55	55	55	57	59	63	70	72	63	56	54	54	52
Sat	51	51	52	52	54	56	60	61	60	59	58	57	55	54	54	54	52
Sun	52	52	52	52	53	56	63	63	64	62	59	57	56	54	55	55	52

About this drive

On weekdays the 59-mile drive from San Diego to San Clemente (via I-5 North) usually takes as little as 51 minutes and up to 77 minutes, when leaving around 5 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 8:30 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 56 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12:30 pm on Sundays (65 minutes).

About 58 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 1 mile surface streets (1 to 2 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 San Clemente 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 San Clemente?

On weekdays, leave before 8:30 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 51 minutes then, versus up to 77 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 59-mile drive usually takes 51 to 77 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 56 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from San Diego to San Clemente?

Leaving around 5 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 77 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 North in San Diego (55 miles) · I-5 North in Orange County (3 miles)

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

More drives

San Clemente 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	51	52	53	56	57	55	55	55	54	55	58	65	63	54	53	53	52
Tue	51	52	53	56	59	56	55	55	55	55	63	72	71	60	53	53	52
Wed	51	52	53	56	59	56	56	55	55	57	65	75	74	61	54	53	52
Thu	51	52	53	56	57	57	56	55	55	57	67	75	77	63	54	53	52
Fri	51	52	53	55	55	55	55	57	59	63	70	72	63	56	54	54	52
Sat	51	51	52	52	54	56	60	61	60	59	58	57	55	54	54	54	52
Sun	52	52	52	52	53	56	63	63	64	62	59	57	56	54	55	55	52

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	51	52	53	56	57	55	55	55	54	55	58	65	63	54	53	53	52
Tue	51	52	53	56	59	56	55	55	55	55	63	72	71	60	53	53	52
Wed	51	52	53	56	59	56	56	55	55	57	65	75	74	61	54	53	52
Thu	51	52	53	56	57	57	56	55	55	57	67	75	77	63	54	53	52
Fri	51	52	53	55	55	55	55	57	59	63	70	72	63	56	54	54	52
Sat	51	51	52	52	54	56	60	61	60	59	58	57	55	54	54	54	52
Sun	52	52	52	52	53	56	63	63	64	62	59	57	56	54	55	55	52

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	51	52	53	56	57	55	55	55	54	55	58	65	63	54	53	53	52
Tue	51	52	53	56	59	56	55	55	55	55	63	72	71	60	53	53	52
Wed	51	52	53	56	59	56	56	55	55	57	65	75	74	61	54	53	52
Thu	51	52	53	56	57	57	56	55	55	57	67	75	77	63	54	53	52
Fri	51	52	53	55	55	55	55	57	59	63	70	72	63	56	54	54	52
Sat	51	51	52	52	54	56	60	61	60	59	58	57	55	54	54	54	52
Sun	52	52	52	52	53	56	63	63	64	62	59	57	56	54	55	55	52