Best Time to Drive from Santa Ana to Rancho Penasquitos

Right now (6:18 pm PDT): about 81 minutes via I-5 South, usually 76 at this time.

Only 37% 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 Rancho Penasquitos 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	72	76	90	84	82	77	77	77	77	77	80	81	80	78	73	73	73
Tue	73	78	95	92	85	80	78	78	78	79	83	85	84	80	74	74	73
Wed	72	76	95	91	84	81	78	79	78	81	85	86	85	79	74	74	73
Thu	72	77	94	89	84	83	80	78	78	82	88	88	85	79	76	75	72
Fri	72	76	84	82	82	83	87	92	97	106	108	106	95	82	77	74	73
Sat	73	73	74	79	94	99	103	107	104	100	101	102	88	84	76	75	73
Sun	72	73	73	73	75	80	86	85	84	84	82	80	77	75	76	76	72

About this drive

On weekdays the 82-mile drive from Santa Ana to Rancho Penasquitos (via I-5 South) usually takes as little as 72 minutes and up to 108 minutes, when leaving around 3 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 82 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 10:30 am on Saturdays (108 minutes).

About 80 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 2 miles surface streets (2 to 5 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 Rancho Penasquitos 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 Rancho Penasquitos?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 72 minutes then, versus up to 108 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Santa Ana to Rancho Penasquitos?

The 82-mile drive usually takes 72 to 108 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 82 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santa Ana to Rancho Penasquitos?

Leaving around 3 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 108 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in Orange County (39 miles) · I-5 South in San Diego (34 miles) · SR-56 East in San Diego (8 miles)

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

More drives

Rancho Penasquitos 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	72	76	90	84	82	77	77	77	77	77	80	81	80	78	73	73	73
Tue	73	78	95	92	85	80	78	78	78	79	83	85	84	80	74	74	73
Wed	72	76	95	91	84	81	78	79	78	81	85	86	85	79	74	74	73
Thu	72	77	94	89	84	83	80	78	78	82	88	88	85	79	76	75	72
Fri	72	76	84	82	82	83	87	92	97	106	108	106	95	82	77	74	73
Sat	73	73	74	79	94	99	103	107	104	100	101	102	88	84	76	75	73
Sun	72	73	73	73	75	80	86	85	84	84	82	80	77	75	76	76	72

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	72	76	90	84	82	77	77	77	77	77	80	81	80	78	73	73	73
Tue	73	78	95	92	85	80	78	78	78	79	83	85	84	80	74	74	73
Wed	72	76	95	91	84	81	78	79	78	81	85	86	85	79	74	74	73
Thu	72	77	94	89	84	83	80	78	78	82	88	88	85	79	76	75	72
Fri	72	76	84	82	82	83	87	92	97	106	108	106	95	82	77	74	73
Sat	73	73	74	79	94	99	103	107	104	100	101	102	88	84	76	75	73
Sun	72	73	73	73	75	80	86	85	84	84	82	80	77	75	76	76	72

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	72	76	90	84	82	77	77	77	77	77	80	81	80	78	73	73	73
Tue	73	78	95	92	85	80	78	78	78	79	83	85	84	80	74	74	73
Wed	72	76	95	91	84	81	78	79	78	81	85	86	85	79	74	74	73
Thu	72	77	94	89	84	83	80	78	78	82	88	88	85	79	76	75	72
Fri	72	76	84	82	82	83	87	92	97	106	108	106	95	82	77	74	73
Sat	73	73	74	79	94	99	103	107	104	100	101	102	88	84	76	75	73
Sun	72	73	73	73	75	80	86	85	84	84	82	80	77	75	76	76	72