Best Time to Drive from Santa Ana to Valencia

Right now (6:17 pm PDT): about 81 minutes via I-5 North, usually 76 at this time.

Only 14% 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 Valencia 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	63	76	85	89	90	83	81	80	86	84	89	91	88	81	71	66	64
Tue	62	76	86	92	89	84	79	79	78	81	89	99	99	84	77	69	66
Wed	62	75	83	87	90	82	79	78	77	79	86	92	94	84	76	67	63
Thu	62	75	89	92	90	86	85	82	82	90	108	113	101	91	82	72	64
Fri	63	75	80	84	89	91	90	93	94	93	102	100	97	93	81	75	65
Sat	64	65	67	68	76	91	96	89	92	88	86	87	83	80	81	74	65
Sun	63	63	63	64	66	76	89	104	108	111	100	85	79	79	79	75	65

About this drive

On weekdays the 71-mile drive from Santa Ana to Valencia (via I-5 North) usually takes as little as 62 minutes and up to 115 minutes, when leaving around 3:30 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 8:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 83 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2 pm on Sundays (111 minutes).

About 69 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 2 miles surface streets (2 to 4 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 Valencia 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 Valencia?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 62 minutes then, versus up to 115 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 71-mile drive usually takes 62 to 115 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 83 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santa Ana to Valencia?

Leaving around 3:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 115 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 North in Los Angeles (49 miles) · I-5 North in Orange County (20 miles)

Orange County traffic right now · Orange County traffic tomorrow · Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Valencia 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	63	76	85	89	90	83	81	80	86	84	89	91	88	81	71	66	64
Tue	62	76	86	92	89	84	79	79	78	81	89	99	99	84	77	69	66
Wed	62	75	83	87	90	82	79	78	77	79	86	92	94	84	76	67	63
Thu	62	75	89	92	90	86	85	82	82	90	108	113	101	91	82	72	64
Fri	63	75	80	84	89	91	90	93	94	93	102	100	97	93	81	75	65
Sat	64	65	67	68	76	91	96	89	92	88	86	87	83	80	81	74	65
Sun	63	63	63	64	66	76	89	104	108	111	100	85	79	79	79	75	65

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	63	76	85	89	90	83	81	80	86	84	89	91	88	81	71	66	64
Tue	62	76	86	92	89	84	79	79	78	81	89	99	99	84	77	69	66
Wed	62	75	83	87	90	82	79	78	77	79	86	92	94	84	76	67	63
Thu	62	75	89	92	90	86	85	82	82	90	108	113	101	91	82	72	64
Fri	63	75	80	84	89	91	90	93	94	93	102	100	97	93	81	75	65
Sat	64	65	67	68	76	91	96	89	92	88	86	87	83	80	81	74	65
Sun	63	63	63	64	66	76	89	104	108	111	100	85	79	79	79	75	65

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	63	76	85	89	90	83	81	80	86	84	89	91	88	81	71	66	64
Tue	62	76	86	92	89	84	79	79	78	81	89	99	99	84	77	69	66
Wed	62	75	83	87	90	82	79	78	77	79	86	92	94	84	76	67	63
Thu	62	75	89	92	90	86	85	82	82	90	108	113	101	91	82	72	64
Fri	63	75	80	84	89	91	90	93	94	93	102	100	97	93	81	75	65
Sat	64	65	67	68	76	91	96	89	92	88	86	87	83	80	81	74	65
Sun	63	63	63	64	66	76	89	104	108	111	100	85	79	79	79	75	65