Best Time to Drive from San Diego to Temecula

Right now (12:33 pm PDT): about 62 minutes via I-15 North, usually 62 at this time.

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 Temecula 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	60	65	61	66	63	62	62	61	62	63	76	90	82	61	59	59	58
Tue	59	65	64	71	66	62	61	61	61	63	87	95	88	67	60	59	58
Wed	59	65	64	68	67	62	61	62	62	64	93	102	89	71	60	59	58
Thu	59	65	64	70	67	62	61	62	62	67	97	106	93	73	61	59	58
Fri	58	60	60	64	62	61	62	62	65	83	101	94	79	63	60	59	58
Sat	58	59	59	59	59	59	61	62	69	68	70	62	60	60	60	60	60
Sun	59	59	59	59	59	59	60	60	59	59	60	60	59	59	60	60	58

About this drive

On weekdays the 59-mile drive from San Diego to Temecula (via I-15 North) usually takes as little as 58 minutes and up to 106 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 63 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3 pm on Saturdays (70 minutes).

About 46 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 13 miles surface streets (18 to 34 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 Temecula 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 Temecula?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 58 minutes then, versus up to 106 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 59-mile drive usually takes 58 to 106 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 63 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from San Diego to Temecula?

Leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 106 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-15 North in San Diego (33 miles) · SR-163 North in San Diego (9 miles) · I-15 North in Inland Empire (4 miles)

San Diego traffic right now · San Diego traffic tomorrow · Inland Empire traffic right now · Inland Empire traffic tomorrow

More drives

Temecula 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 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	60	65	61	66	63	62	62	61	62	63	76	90	82	61	59	59	58
Tue	59	65	64	71	66	62	61	61	61	63	87	95	88	67	60	59	58
Wed	59	65	64	68	67	62	61	62	62	64	93	102	89	71	60	59	58
Thu	59	65	64	70	67	62	61	62	62	67	97	106	93	73	61	59	58
Fri	58	60	60	64	62	61	62	62	65	83	101	94	79	63	60	59	58
Sat	58	59	59	59	59	59	61	62	69	68	70	62	60	60	60	60	60
Sun	59	59	59	59	59	59	60	60	59	59	60	60	59	59	60	60	58

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	60	65	61	66	63	62	62	61	62	63	76	90	82	61	59	59	58
Tue	59	65	64	71	66	62	61	61	61	63	87	95	88	67	60	59	58
Wed	59	65	64	68	67	62	61	62	62	64	93	102	89	71	60	59	58
Thu	59	65	64	70	67	62	61	62	62	67	97	106	93	73	61	59	58
Fri	58	60	60	64	62	61	62	62	65	83	101	94	79	63	60	59	58
Sat	58	59	59	59	59	59	61	62	69	68	70	62	60	60	60	60	60
Sun	59	59	59	59	59	59	60	60	59	59	60	60	59	59	60	60	58

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	60	65	61	66	63	62	62	61	62	63	76	90	82	61	59	59	58
Tue	59	65	64	71	66	62	61	61	61	63	87	95	88	67	60	59	58
Wed	59	65	64	68	67	62	61	62	62	64	93	102	89	71	60	59	58
Thu	59	65	64	70	67	62	61	62	62	67	97	106	93	73	61	59	58
Fri	58	60	60	64	62	61	62	62	65	83	101	94	79	63	60	59	58
Sat	58	59	59	59	59	59	61	62	69	68	70	62	60	60	60	60	60
Sun	59	59	59	59	59	59	60	60	59	59	60	60	59	59	60	60	58