Best Time to Drive from San Diego to San Clemente

Right now (6:24 pm PDT): about 61 minutes via I-5 North, usually 53 at this time.

Only 64% 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 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 4:30 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 57 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 11:30 am on Sundays (70 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: San Clemente to San Diego

Freeway, about 58 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 1 mile: 1 to 2 minutes on weekdays, 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 San Clemente 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 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	56	55	55	55	54	55	60	64	63	54	53	53	52
Tue	51	52	53	56	59	56	55	56	55	57	63	70	68	58	53	53	53
Wed	51	52	53	57	59	56	56	56	59	58	70	77	76	63	54	53	52
Thu	51	52	53	56	56	56	55	55	55	56	66	77	75	62	54	53	53
Fri	51	52	53	55	55	55	56	59	61	66	76	76	66	55	54	54	51
Sat	51	51	52	53	54	58	65	67	62	61	58	57	55	54	54	55	52
Sun	51	51	51	52	53	57	68	70	68	64	59	58	57	54	54	55	52

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 57 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from San Diego to San Clemente?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 77 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 (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	56	55	55	55	54	55	60	64	63	54	53	53	52
Tue	51	52	53	56	59	56	55	56	55	57	63	70	68	58	53	53	53
Wed	51	52	53	57	59	56	56	56	59	58	70	77	76	63	54	53	52
Thu	51	52	53	56	56	56	55	55	55	56	66	77	75	62	54	53	53
Fri	51	52	53	55	55	55	56	59	61	66	76	76	66	55	54	54	51
Sat	51	51	52	53	54	58	65	67	62	61	58	57	55	54	54	55	52
Sun	51	51	51	52	53	57	68	70	68	64	59	58	57	54	54	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	56	55	55	55	54	55	60	64	63	54	53	53	52
Tue	51	52	53	56	59	56	55	56	55	57	63	70	68	58	53	53	53
Wed	51	52	53	57	59	56	56	56	59	58	70	77	76	63	54	53	52
Thu	51	52	53	56	56	56	55	55	55	56	66	77	75	62	54	53	53
Fri	51	52	53	55	55	55	56	59	61	66	76	76	66	55	54	54	51
Sat	51	51	52	53	54	58	65	67	62	61	58	57	55	54	54	55	52
Sun	51	51	51	52	53	57	68	70	68	64	59	58	57	54	54	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	56	55	55	55	54	55	60	64	63	54	53	53	52
Tue	51	52	53	56	59	56	55	56	55	57	63	70	68	58	53	53	53
Wed	51	52	53	57	59	56	56	56	59	58	70	77	76	63	54	53	52
Thu	51	52	53	56	56	56	55	55	55	56	66	77	75	62	54	53	53
Fri	51	52	53	55	55	55	56	59	61	66	76	76	66	55	54	54	51
Sat	51	51	52	53	54	58	65	67	62	61	58	57	55	54	54	55	52
Sun	51	51	51	52	53	57	68	70	68	64	59	58	57	54	54	55	52