Best Time to Drive from San Juan Capistrano to Long Beach

Right now (12:33 am PDT): about 39 minutes via SR-73 North and I-405 North.

Only 35% 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 Juan Capistrano to Long Beach 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	38	39	40	39	41	40	41	41	42	42	43	46	46	43	41	41	39
Tue	38	39	40	40	41	42	42	42	42	42	43	49	49	43	40	40	39
Wed	38	39	40	42	43	44	45	44	44	44	46	53	54	47	46	47	39
Thu	38	40	40	41	42	42	42	42	42	42	43	49	47	43	41	41	39
Fri	38	39	40	41	40	40	40	41	41	41	43	46	44	41	40	40	39
Sat	39	39	39	39	40	40	40	40	40	41	41	41	40	40	40	40	39
Sun	39	39	39	39	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	38

About this drive

On weekdays the 40-mile drive from San Juan Capistrano to Long Beach (via SR-73 North and I-405 North) usually takes as little as 38 minutes and up to 55 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 1 pm or after 7 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 42 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2:30 pm on Saturdays (41 minutes).

About 35 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 6 miles surface streets (8 to 10 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central San Juan Capistrano to downtown Long Beach 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 Juan Capistrano to Long Beach?

On weekdays, leave before 1 pm or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 38 minutes then, versus up to 55 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from San Juan Capistrano to Long Beach?

The 40-mile drive usually takes 38 to 55 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 42 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from San Juan Capistrano to Long Beach?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 55 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

SR-73 North in Orange County (18 miles) · I-405 North in Orange County (12 miles) · I-5 North in Orange County (3 miles) · SR-22 West in Orange County (1.6 miles)

Orange County traffic right now · Orange County traffic tomorrow · Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Long Beach to San Juan Capistrano (return trip) · San Juan Capistrano to Los Angeles · San Juan Capistrano to San Diego

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	38	39	40	39	41	40	41	41	42	42	43	46	46	43	41	41	39
Tue	38	39	40	40	41	42	42	42	42	42	43	49	49	43	40	40	39
Wed	38	39	40	42	43	44	45	44	44	44	46	53	54	47	46	47	39
Thu	38	40	40	41	42	42	42	42	42	42	43	49	47	43	41	41	39
Fri	38	39	40	41	40	40	40	41	41	41	43	46	44	41	40	40	39
Sat	39	39	39	39	40	40	40	40	40	41	41	41	40	40	40	40	39
Sun	39	39	39	39	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	38

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	38	39	40	39	41	40	41	41	42	42	43	46	46	43	41	41	39
Tue	38	39	40	40	41	42	42	42	42	42	43	49	49	43	40	40	39
Wed	38	39	40	42	43	44	45	44	44	44	46	53	54	47	46	47	39
Thu	38	40	40	41	42	42	42	42	42	42	43	49	47	43	41	41	39
Fri	38	39	40	41	40	40	40	41	41	41	43	46	44	41	40	40	39
Sat	39	39	39	39	40	40	40	40	40	41	41	41	40	40	40	40	39
Sun	39	39	39	39	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	38

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	38	39	40	39	41	40	41	41	42	42	43	46	46	43	41	41	39
Tue	38	39	40	40	41	42	42	42	42	42	43	49	49	43	40	40	39
Wed	38	39	40	42	43	44	45	44	44	44	46	53	54	47	46	47	39
Thu	38	40	40	41	42	42	42	42	42	42	43	49	47	43	41	41	39
Fri	38	39	40	41	40	40	40	41	41	41	43	46	44	41	40	40	39
Sat	39	39	39	39	40	40	40	40	40	41	41	41	40	40	40	40	39
Sun	39	39	39	39	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	38