Best Time to Drive from Santa Ana to Fallbrook

Right now (3:20 pm PST): about 118 minutes via I-5 South, usually 85 at this time.

Only 13% 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 Santa Ana to Fallbrook 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	69	76	85	83	82	76	74	75	74	74	74	76	78	77	71	70	70
Tue	70	79	87	85	84	80	76	76	75	74	76	77	81	79	72	71	70
Wed	69	77	86	85	85	80	76	75	75	74	76	78	81	79	72	71	70
Thu	70	78	85	82	84	81	78	76	76	75	77	79	81	79	72	71	70
Fri	70	77	83	83	82	78	81	84	86	89	92	94	87	78	73	72	70
Sat	70	70	72	75	82	86	90	88	89	85	85	84	78	76	72	72	70
Sun	70	70	69	70	73	76	79	80	78	78	77	75	76	74	73	73	70

About this drive

On weekdays the 71-mile drive from Santa Ana to Fallbrook (via I-5 South) usually takes as little as 69 minutes and up to 96 minutes, when leaving around 3:30 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 77 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 11 am on Saturdays (90 minutes).

About 53 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 19 miles surface streets (24 to 34 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Santa Ana to central Fallbrook 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 Santa Ana to Fallbrook?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 69 minutes then, versus up to 96 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Santa Ana to Fallbrook?

The 71-mile drive usually takes 69 to 96 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 77 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santa Ana to Fallbrook?

Leaving around 3:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 96 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in Orange County (39 miles) · I-5 South in San Diego (14 miles)

Orange County traffic right now · Orange County traffic tomorrow · San Diego traffic right now · San Diego traffic tomorrow

More drives

Fallbrook to Santa Ana (return trip) · Santa Ana to Los Angeles · Santa Ana to Santa Monica · Santa Ana to Pasadena · Santa Ana to Long Beach · Santa Ana to West Covina · Santa Ana to Burbank · Santa Ana to Glendale · Santa Ana to Santa Clarita · Santa Ana to Van Nuys · Santa Ana to Torrance · Santa Ana to LAX

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	69	76	85	83	82	76	74	75	74	74	74	76	78	77	71	70	70
Tue	70	79	87	85	84	80	76	76	75	74	76	77	81	79	72	71	70
Wed	69	77	86	85	85	80	76	75	75	74	76	78	81	79	72	71	70
Thu	70	78	85	82	84	81	78	76	76	75	77	79	81	79	72	71	70
Fri	70	77	83	83	82	78	81	84	86	89	92	94	87	78	73	72	70
Sat	70	70	72	75	82	86	90	88	89	85	85	84	78	76	72	72	70
Sun	70	70	69	70	73	76	79	80	78	78	77	75	76	74	73	73	70

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	69	76	85	83	82	76	74	75	74	74	74	76	78	77	71	70	70
Tue	70	79	87	85	84	80	76	76	75	74	76	77	81	79	72	71	70
Wed	69	77	86	85	85	80	76	75	75	74	76	78	81	79	72	71	70
Thu	70	78	85	82	84	81	78	76	76	75	77	79	81	79	72	71	70
Fri	70	77	83	83	82	78	81	84	86	89	92	94	87	78	73	72	70
Sat	70	70	72	75	82	86	90	88	89	85	85	84	78	76	72	72	70
Sun	70	70	69	70	73	76	79	80	78	78	77	75	76	74	73	73	70

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	69	76	85	83	82	76	74	75	74	74	74	76	78	77	71	70	70
Tue	70	79	87	85	84	80	76	76	75	74	76	77	81	79	72	71	70
Wed	69	77	86	85	85	80	76	75	75	74	76	78	81	79	72	71	70
Thu	70	78	85	82	84	81	78	76	76	75	77	79	81	79	72	71	70
Fri	70	77	83	83	82	78	81	84	86	89	92	94	87	78	73	72	70
Sat	70	70	72	75	82	86	90	88	89	85	85	84	78	76	72	72	70
Sun	70	70	69	70	73	76	79	80	78	78	77	75	76	74	73	73	70