Traffic Predict
Best Time to Drive from SAN to Chula Vista
Right now (7:48 pm PDT): about 16 minutes via I-5 South, usually 16 at this time.
Only 27% 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
| Leave | 5am | 6am | 7am | 8am | 9am | 10am | 11am | 12pm | 1pm | 2pm | 3pm | 4pm | 5pm | 6pm | 7pm | 8pm | 9pm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon | 15 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 25 | 29 | 24 | 17 | 15 | 16 | 15 |
| Tue | 15 | 15 | 16 | 19 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 27 | 31 | 28 | 21 | 16 | 15 | 15 |
| Wed | 15 | 15 | 16 | 19 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 27 | 31 | 30 | 22 | 16 | 15 | 15 |
| Thu | 15 | 15 | 16 | 19 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 27 | 31 | 29 | 22 | 16 | 15 | 15 |
| Fri | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 26 | 25 | 22 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 15 |
| Sat | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 15 |
| Sun | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 15 |
About this drive
On weekdays the 12-mile drive from SAN to Chula Vista (via I-5 South) usually takes as little as 15 minutes and up to 31 minutes, when leaving around 3:30 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7:30 am or after 7 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 16 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4:30 pm on Saturdays (16 minutes).
About 8 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 4 miles surface streets (8 to 12 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from San Diego International Airport (SAN) (Vera Cruz Avenue) to central Chula Vista (F Street) 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 to Chula Vista?
On weekdays, leave before 7:30 am or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 15 minutes then, versus up to 31 minutes at the worst times.
How long does it take to drive from SAN to Chula Vista?
The 12-mile drive usually takes 15 to 31 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 16 minutes midday.
When is traffic worst from SAN to Chula Vista?
Leaving around 3:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 31 minutes.
Freeways on this drive
I-5 South in San Diego (8 miles)
San Diego traffic right now · San Diego traffic tomorrow
More drives
Chula Vista to SAN (return trip) · SAN to Escondido · SAN to Oceanside · SAN to El Cajon · SAN to Carlsbad · SAN to La Jolla