Best Time to Drive from SAN to Oceanside

Right now (2:33 pm PDT): about 39 minutes via I-5 North, usually 44 at this time.

Only 48% 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 to Oceanside 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	33	33	34	37	37	36	35	35	35	35	39	44	43	35	34	34	34
Tue	33	33	34	36	38	36	35	35	35	36	43	50	49	40	34	34	34
Wed	33	33	34	36	38	37	36	36	36	37	45	54	55	42	35	34	33
Thu	33	33	34	36	37	37	37	36	36	37	48	59	58	43	35	34	34
Fri	33	33	34	35	35	36	37	39	41	46	53	54	47	38	36	34	33
Sat	33	33	33	34	35	38	43	43	45	44	42	41	39	36	35	35	34
Sun	33	33	33	33	34	38	45	46	44	42	39	39	37	35	35	35	34

About this drive

On weekdays the 36-mile drive from SAN to Oceanside (via I-5 North) usually takes as little as 33 minutes and up to 59 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 8 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 37 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1:30 pm on Saturdays (47 minutes).

About 34 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 2 miles surface streets (3 to 7 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 Oceanside (Mission 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 Oceanside?

On weekdays, leave before 8 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 33 minutes then, versus up to 59 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from SAN to Oceanside?

The 36-mile drive usually takes 33 to 59 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 37 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from SAN to Oceanside?

Leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 59 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 North in San Diego (34 miles)

San Diego traffic right now · San Diego traffic tomorrow

More drives

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

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	33	33	34	37	37	36	35	35	35	35	39	44	43	35	34	34	34
Tue	33	33	34	36	38	36	35	35	35	36	43	50	49	40	34	34	34
Wed	33	33	34	36	38	37	36	36	36	37	45	54	55	42	35	34	33
Thu	33	33	34	36	37	37	37	36	36	37	48	59	58	43	35	34	34
Fri	33	33	34	35	35	36	37	39	41	46	53	54	47	38	36	34	33
Sat	33	33	33	34	35	38	43	43	45	44	42	41	39	36	35	35	34
Sun	33	33	33	33	34	38	45	46	44	42	39	39	37	35	35	35	34

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	33	33	34	37	37	36	35	35	35	35	39	44	43	35	34	34	34
Tue	33	33	34	36	38	36	35	35	35	36	43	50	49	40	34	34	34
Wed	33	33	34	36	38	37	36	36	36	37	45	54	55	42	35	34	33
Thu	33	33	34	36	37	37	37	36	36	37	48	59	58	43	35	34	34
Fri	33	33	34	35	35	36	37	39	41	46	53	54	47	38	36	34	33
Sat	33	33	33	34	35	38	43	43	45	44	42	41	39	36	35	35	34
Sun	33	33	33	33	34	38	45	46	44	42	39	39	37	35	35	35	34

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	33	33	34	37	37	36	35	35	35	35	39	44	43	35	34	34	34
Tue	33	33	34	36	38	36	35	35	35	36	43	50	49	40	34	34	34
Wed	33	33	34	36	38	37	36	36	36	37	45	54	55	42	35	34	33
Thu	33	33	34	36	37	37	37	36	36	37	48	59	58	43	35	34	34
Fri	33	33	34	35	35	36	37	39	41	46	53	54	47	38	36	34	33
Sat	33	33	33	34	35	38	43	43	45	44	42	41	39	36	35	35	34
Sun	33	33	33	33	34	38	45	46	44	42	39	39	37	35	35	35	34