Best Time to Drive from SAN to Oceanside

Right now (8:32 am PDT): about 39 minutes via I-5 North, usually 38 at this time.

Only 52% 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.

On weekdays the 36-mile drive from SAN to Oceanside (via I-5 North) usually takes as little as 33 minutes and up to 60 minutes, when leaving around 3:30 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 8:30 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 38 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 11:30 am on Sundays (49 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: Oceanside to SAN

Freeway, about 34 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 2 miles: 3 to 7 minutes on weekdays, estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time (we don't have street sensors yet). Drive times are measured from San Diego International Airport (SAN) (Vera Cruz Avenue) to central Oceanside (Mission Avenue) along the route shown. Starting or ending elsewhere in a big city can add or save several minutes.

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	36	36	35	35	35	36	41	44	44	35	34	34	34
Tue	33	33	34	36	38	36	35	36	36	38	44	50	49	40	34	34	34
Wed	33	33	34	37	38	37	37	37	40	39	51	57	57	45	35	34	33
Thu	33	33	34	36	36	37	36	36	36	37	46	56	57	43	34	34	34
Fri	33	33	34	35	35	36	38	41	43	48	58	58	50	37	35	34	33
Sat	33	33	33	34	36	39	45	46	43	43	40	40	37	35	35	35	33
Sun	33	33	33	33	34	38	47	48	46	43	40	39	38	35	35	35	33

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 8:30 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 33 minutes then, versus up to 60 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 36-mile drive usually takes 33 to 60 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 38 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from SAN to Oceanside?

Leaving around 3:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 60 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

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	36	36	35	35	35	36	41	44	44	35	34	34	34
Tue	33	33	34	36	38	36	35	36	36	38	44	50	49	40	34	34	34
Wed	33	33	34	37	38	37	37	37	40	39	51	57	57	45	35	34	33
Thu	33	33	34	36	36	37	36	36	36	37	46	56	57	43	34	34	34
Fri	33	33	34	35	35	36	38	41	43	48	58	58	50	37	35	34	33
Sat	33	33	33	34	36	39	45	46	43	43	40	40	37	35	35	35	33
Sun	33	33	33	33	34	38	47	48	46	43	40	39	38	35	35	35	33

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	33	33	34	37	36	36	35	35	35	36	41	44	44	35	34	34	34
Tue	33	33	34	36	38	36	35	36	36	38	44	50	49	40	34	34	34
Wed	33	33	34	37	38	37	37	37	40	39	51	57	57	45	35	34	33
Thu	33	33	34	36	36	37	36	36	36	37	46	56	57	43	34	34	34
Fri	33	33	34	35	35	36	38	41	43	48	58	58	50	37	35	34	33
Sat	33	33	33	34	36	39	45	46	43	43	40	40	37	35	35	35	33
Sun	33	33	33	33	34	38	47	48	46	43	40	39	38	35	35	35	33

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	33	33	34	37	36	36	35	35	35	36	41	44	44	35	34	34	34
Tue	33	33	34	36	38	36	35	36	36	38	44	50	49	40	34	34	34
Wed	33	33	34	37	38	37	37	37	40	39	51	57	57	45	35	34	33
Thu	33	33	34	36	36	37	36	36	36	37	46	56	57	43	34	34	34
Fri	33	33	34	35	35	36	38	41	43	48	58	58	50	37	35	34	33
Sat	33	33	33	34	36	39	45	46	43	43	40	40	37	35	35	35	33
Sun	33	33	33	33	34	38	47	48	46	43	40	39	38	35	35	35	33