Best Time to Drive from Santee to San Clemente

Right now (12:51 am PST): about 55 minutes via I-5 North and SR-52 West.

Only 61% 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 Santee to San Clemente 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	55	56	58	64	61	60	59	59	59	59	63	71	70	60	57	57	56
Tue	56	57	60	63	63	60	59	59	59	59	68	80	80	67	57	57	56
Wed	56	57	59	63	63	61	60	60	60	61	71	83	83	68	58	57	56
Thu	56	57	59	63	61	60	60	60	59	61	72	83	85	70	58	57	56
Fri	56	57	59	60	59	60	60	61	64	68	77	80	70	61	58	57	55
Sat	56	56	56	57	58	60	64	64	62	61	61	61	59	58	58	58	56
Sun	56	56	56	56	57	60	67	68	68	65	62	61	60	58	58	58	55

About this drive

On weekdays the 63-mile drive from Santee to San Clemente (via I-5 North and SR-52 West) usually takes as little as 55 minutes and up to 86 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7:30 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 60 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12:30 pm on Sundays (69 minutes).

About 62 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 1.2 miles surface streets (1 to 2 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Santee to central San Clemente 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 Santee to San Clemente?

On weekdays, leave before 7:30 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 55 minutes then, versus up to 86 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Santee to San Clemente?

The 63-mile drive usually takes 55 to 86 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 60 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santee to San Clemente?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 86 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 North in San Diego (40 miles) · SR-52 West in San Diego (17 miles) · I-5 North in Orange County (3 miles) · I-805 North in San Diego (1.9 miles)

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

More drives

San Clemente to Santee (return trip) · Santee to San Diego · Santee to Chula Vista · Santee to Oceanside · Santee to Escondido · Santee to Carlsbad · Santee to Temecula · Santee to Murrieta · Santee to Vista · Santee to Mission Viejo · Santee to San Marcos · Santee to Menifee

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	55	56	58	64	61	60	59	59	59	59	63	71	70	60	57	57	56
Tue	56	57	60	63	63	60	59	59	59	59	68	80	80	67	57	57	56
Wed	56	57	59	63	63	61	60	60	60	61	71	83	83	68	58	57	56
Thu	56	57	59	63	61	60	60	60	59	61	72	83	85	70	58	57	56
Fri	56	57	59	60	59	60	60	61	64	68	77	80	70	61	58	57	55
Sat	56	56	56	57	58	60	64	64	62	61	61	61	59	58	58	58	56
Sun	56	56	56	56	57	60	67	68	68	65	62	61	60	58	58	58	55

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	55	56	58	64	61	60	59	59	59	59	63	71	70	60	57	57	56
Tue	56	57	60	63	63	60	59	59	59	59	68	80	80	67	57	57	56
Wed	56	57	59	63	63	61	60	60	60	61	71	83	83	68	58	57	56
Thu	56	57	59	63	61	60	60	60	59	61	72	83	85	70	58	57	56
Fri	56	57	59	60	59	60	60	61	64	68	77	80	70	61	58	57	55
Sat	56	56	56	57	58	60	64	64	62	61	61	61	59	58	58	58	56
Sun	56	56	56	56	57	60	67	68	68	65	62	61	60	58	58	58	55

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	55	56	58	64	61	60	59	59	59	59	63	71	70	60	57	57	56
Tue	56	57	60	63	63	60	59	59	59	59	68	80	80	67	57	57	56
Wed	56	57	59	63	63	61	60	60	60	61	71	83	83	68	58	57	56
Thu	56	57	59	63	61	60	60	60	59	61	72	83	85	70	58	57	56
Fri	56	57	59	60	59	60	60	61	64	68	77	80	70	61	58	57	55
Sat	56	56	56	57	58	60	64	64	62	61	61	61	59	58	58	58	56
Sun	56	56	56	56	57	60	67	68	68	65	62	61	60	58	58	58	55