Traffic Predict

Best Time to Drive from SAN to El Cajon

Right now (5:50 pm PST): about 28 minutes via I-8 East, usually 19 at this time.

Only 67% 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.

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Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from SAN to El Cajon by day and time you leave (local time)
Leave5am6am7am8am9am10am11am12pm1pm2pm3pm4pm5pm6pm7pm8pm9pm
Mon1818182019191919191924322820181818
Tue1818192119191919191928343123191918
Wed1818192119191919191929343226191818
Thu1818192119191919192028343124191818
Fri1818181919191919192029292419191918
Sat1818181818181819191919191919191918
Sun1818171818181919191919191919191918

About this drive

On weekdays the 17-mile drive from SAN to El Cajon (via I-8 East) usually takes as little as 18 minutes and up to 34 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7:30 am or after 7 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 19 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12:30 pm on Saturdays (20 minutes).

About 14 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 3 miles surface streets (5 to 8 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 El Cajon (South Magnolia Avenue) 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 El Cajon?

On weekdays, leave before 7:30 am or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 18 minutes then, versus up to 34 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from SAN to El Cajon?

The 17-mile drive usually takes 18 to 34 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 19 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from SAN to El Cajon?

Leaving around 4 pm on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 34 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-8 East in San Diego (13 miles) · I-5 North in San Diego (1 mile)

San Diego traffic right now · San Diego traffic tomorrow

More drives

El Cajon to SAN (return trip) · SAN to Escondido · SAN to Oceanside · SAN to Chula Vista · SAN to Carlsbad · SAN to La Jolla

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