Best Time to Drive from San Marcos to Brea

Right now (12:51 am PST): about 69 minutes via I-5 North.

Only 54% 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 Marcos to Brea 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	69	71	78	78	75	77	78	80	80	81	82	82	82	77	73	71	70
Tue	70	71	81	79	78	79	79	80	80	82	83	83	84	80	74	72	70
Wed	69	72	82	78	78	80	79	79	78	81	83	84	84	81	76	72	69
Thu	69	72	80	78	78	80	80	80	80	81	83	84	84	81	76	72	70
Fri	70	72	77	79	78	80	80	81	83	88	87	87	86	81	77	73	69
Sat	69	70	70	72	75	78	84	87	83	83	82	82	80	79	75	73	69
Sun	70	70	70	71	72	76	81	85	86	88	84	83	82	79	75	73	69

About this drive

On weekdays the 79-mile drive from San Marcos to Brea (via I-5 North) usually takes as little as 69 minutes and up to 88 minutes, when leaving around 2 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 7 am or after 7 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 80 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2 pm on Sundays (88 minutes).

About 72 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 6 miles surface streets (3 to 4 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central San Marcos to central Brea 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 Marcos to Brea?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 69 minutes then, versus up to 88 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from San Marcos to Brea?

The 79-mile drive usually takes 69 to 88 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 80 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from San Marcos to Brea?

Leaving around 2 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 88 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 North in Orange County (35 miles) · I-5 North in San Diego (20 miles) · SR-78 West in San Diego (9 miles) · SR-57 North in Orange County (9 miles)

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

More drives

Brea to San Marcos (return trip) · San Marcos to San Diego · San Marcos to Anaheim · San Marcos to Riverside · San Marcos to Santa Ana · San Marcos to Chula Vista · San Marcos to Irvine · San Marcos to San Bernardino · San Marcos to Fontana · San Marcos to Moreno Valley · San Marcos to Huntington Beach · San Marcos to Oceanside

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	69	71	78	78	75	77	78	80	80	81	82	82	82	77	73	71	70
Tue	70	71	81	79	78	79	79	80	80	82	83	83	84	80	74	72	70
Wed	69	72	82	78	78	80	79	79	78	81	83	84	84	81	76	72	69
Thu	69	72	80	78	78	80	80	80	80	81	83	84	84	81	76	72	70
Fri	70	72	77	79	78	80	80	81	83	88	87	87	86	81	77	73	69
Sat	69	70	70	72	75	78	84	87	83	83	82	82	80	79	75	73	69
Sun	70	70	70	71	72	76	81	85	86	88	84	83	82	79	75	73	69

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	69	71	78	78	75	77	78	80	80	81	82	82	82	77	73	71	70
Tue	70	71	81	79	78	79	79	80	80	82	83	83	84	80	74	72	70
Wed	69	72	82	78	78	80	79	79	78	81	83	84	84	81	76	72	69
Thu	69	72	80	78	78	80	80	80	80	81	83	84	84	81	76	72	70
Fri	70	72	77	79	78	80	80	81	83	88	87	87	86	81	77	73	69
Sat	69	70	70	72	75	78	84	87	83	83	82	82	80	79	75	73	69
Sun	70	70	70	71	72	76	81	85	86	88	84	83	82	79	75	73	69

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	69	71	78	78	75	77	78	80	80	81	82	82	82	77	73	71	70
Tue	70	71	81	79	78	79	79	80	80	82	83	83	84	80	74	72	70
Wed	69	72	82	78	78	80	79	79	78	81	83	84	84	81	76	72	69
Thu	69	72	80	78	78	80	80	80	80	81	83	84	84	81	76	72	70
Fri	70	72	77	79	78	80	80	81	83	88	87	87	86	81	77	73	69
Sat	69	70	70	72	75	78	84	87	83	83	82	82	80	79	75	73	69
Sun	70	70	70	71	72	76	81	85	86	88	84	83	82	79	75	73	69