Best Time to Drive from San Juan Capistrano to Los Angeles

Right now (6:24 pm PDT): about 67 minutes via I-5 North, usually 58 at this time.

Only 6% 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 55-mile drive from San Juan Capistrano to Los Angeles (via I-5 North) usually takes as little as 48 minutes and up to 73 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 5:30 am or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 60 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4:30 pm on Saturdays (64 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: Los Angeles to San Juan Capistrano

Freeway, about 54 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 1.1 miles: 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 central San Juan Capistrano to Downtown LA (City Hall) 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 Juan Capistrano to Los Angeles 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	50	57	63	67	61	57	57	57	59	61	65	66	65	59	52	50	48
Tue	49	59	67	70	64	59	58	58	59	61	66	69	69	62	54	50	49
Wed	50	59	67	70	65	60	59	59	60	63	69	72	71	64	56	53	50
Thu	50	59	67	67	63	60	60	59	60	62	67	71	69	62	55	51	49
Fri	49	56	59	60	58	59	60	62	64	69	73	72	72	65	56	52	49
Sat	48	49	50	52	54	57	60	61	62	62	63	64	62	59	56	53	49
Sun	48	49	49	50	52	55	58	59	61	60	59	59	59	58	57	56	49

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 Los Angeles?

On weekdays, leave before 5:30 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 48 minutes then, versus up to 73 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from San Juan Capistrano to Los Angeles?

The 55-mile drive usually takes 48 to 73 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 60 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from San Juan Capistrano to Los Angeles?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 73 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

Freeways on this drive

I-5 North in Orange County (43 miles) · I-5 North in Los Angeles (11 miles)

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

More drives

Los Angeles to San Juan Capistrano (return trip)

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	50	57	63	67	61	57	57	57	59	61	65	66	65	59	52	50	48
Tue	49	59	67	70	64	59	58	58	59	61	66	69	69	62	54	50	49
Wed	50	59	67	70	65	60	59	59	60	63	69	72	71	64	56	53	50
Thu	50	59	67	67	63	60	60	59	60	62	67	71	69	62	55	51	49
Fri	49	56	59	60	58	59	60	62	64	69	73	72	72	65	56	52	49
Sat	48	49	50	52	54	57	60	61	62	62	63	64	62	59	56	53	49
Sun	48	49	49	50	52	55	58	59	61	60	59	59	59	58	57	56	49

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	50	57	63	67	61	57	57	57	59	61	65	66	65	59	52	50	48
Tue	49	59	67	70	64	59	58	58	59	61	66	69	69	62	54	50	49
Wed	50	59	67	70	65	60	59	59	60	63	69	72	71	64	56	53	50
Thu	50	59	67	67	63	60	60	59	60	62	67	71	69	62	55	51	49
Fri	49	56	59	60	58	59	60	62	64	69	73	72	72	65	56	52	49
Sat	48	49	50	52	54	57	60	61	62	62	63	64	62	59	56	53	49
Sun	48	49	49	50	52	55	58	59	61	60	59	59	59	58	57	56	49

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	50	57	63	67	61	57	57	57	59	61	65	66	65	59	52	50	48
Tue	49	59	67	70	64	59	58	58	59	61	66	69	69	62	54	50	49
Wed	50	59	67	70	65	60	59	59	60	63	69	72	71	64	56	53	50
Thu	50	59	67	67	63	60	60	59	60	62	67	71	69	62	55	51	49
Fri	49	56	59	60	58	59	60	62	64	69	73	72	72	65	56	52	49
Sat	48	49	50	52	54	57	60	61	62	62	63	64	62	59	56	53	49
Sun	48	49	49	50	52	55	58	59	61	60	59	59	59	58	57	56	49