Best Time to Drive from San Marcos to Ontario

Right now (7:36 pm PST): about 80 minutes via I-15 North, usually 79 at this time.

Only 28% 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 Ontario 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	81	92	98	94	89	86	87	87	88	90	88	89	90	89	81	78	77
Tue	79	93	102	95	88	85	85	86	87	88	93	100	96	87	81	80	77
Wed	79	93	99	92	89	85	85	85	87	89	93	102	97	86	80	78	77
Thu	80	92	99	92	87	85	85	86	88	91	95	109	108	93	86	79	77
Fri	78	83	91	89	86	87	88	89	92	104	124	130	118	98	91	84	81
Sat	77	77	78	79	81	84	85	85	85	87	86	84	84	83	83	83	78
Sun	77	77	77	78	79	81	84	84	84	82	80	80	80	80	81	79	76

About this drive

On weekdays the 82-mile drive from San Marcos to Ontario (via I-15 North) usually takes as little as 77 minutes and up to 135 minutes, when leaving around 3:30 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 5:30 am or after 7 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 88 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2 pm on Saturdays (87 minutes).

About 70 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 12 miles surface streets (14 to 33 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 Ontario 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 Ontario?

On weekdays, leave before 5:30 am or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 77 minutes then, versus up to 135 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 82-mile drive usually takes 77 to 135 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 88 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from San Marcos to Ontario?

Leaving around 3:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 135 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-15 North in Inland Empire (30 miles) · I-15 North in Orange County (21 miles) · I-15 North in San Diego (19 miles)

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

More drives

Ontario 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	81	92	98	94	89	86	87	87	88	90	88	89	90	89	81	78	77
Tue	79	93	102	95	88	85	85	86	87	88	93	100	96	87	81	80	77
Wed	79	93	99	92	89	85	85	85	87	89	93	102	97	86	80	78	77
Thu	80	92	99	92	87	85	85	86	88	91	95	109	108	93	86	79	77
Fri	78	83	91	89	86	87	88	89	92	104	124	130	118	98	91	84	81
Sat	77	77	78	79	81	84	85	85	85	87	86	84	84	83	83	83	78
Sun	77	77	77	78	79	81	84	84	84	82	80	80	80	80	81	79	76

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	81	92	98	94	89	86	87	87	88	90	88	89	90	89	81	78	77
Tue	79	93	102	95	88	85	85	86	87	88	93	100	96	87	81	80	77
Wed	79	93	99	92	89	85	85	85	87	89	93	102	97	86	80	78	77
Thu	80	92	99	92	87	85	85	86	88	91	95	109	108	93	86	79	77
Fri	78	83	91	89	86	87	88	89	92	104	124	130	118	98	91	84	81
Sat	77	77	78	79	81	84	85	85	85	87	86	84	84	83	83	83	78
Sun	77	77	77	78	79	81	84	84	84	82	80	80	80	80	81	79	76

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	81	92	98	94	89	86	87	87	88	90	88	89	90	89	81	78	77
Tue	79	93	102	95	88	85	85	86	87	88	93	100	96	87	81	80	77
Wed	79	93	99	92	89	85	85	85	87	89	93	102	97	86	80	78	77
Thu	80	92	99	92	87	85	85	86	88	91	95	109	108	93	86	79	77
Fri	78	83	91	89	86	87	88	89	92	104	124	130	118	98	91	84	81
Sat	77	77	78	79	81	84	85	85	85	87	86	84	84	83	83	83	78
Sun	77	77	77	78	79	81	84	84	84	82	80	80	80	80	81	79	76