Best Time to Drive from Santee to Vista

Right now (7:04 pm PDT): about 39 minutes via I-15 North and SR-52 West and SR-78 West, usually 39 at this time.

Only 50% 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 Vista 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	38	39	71	61	43	41	41	41	41	41	46	52	50	40	39	39	38
Tue	38	40	69	75	46	42	41	41	41	41	50	56	56	44	39	38	38
Wed	38	39	81	69	46	42	42	41	41	42	52	61	57	46	39	39	39
Thu	38	40	78	75	44	41	41	41	41	42	50	56	55	43	39	39	38
Fri	38	40	65	54	41	41	41	41	42	46	53	53	45	41	40	39	38
Sat	38	38	39	39	39	40	40	40	41	40	40	40	39	39	39	39	38
Sun	38	38	38	38	38	39	39	40	40	39	39	39	39	39	39	39	38

About this drive

On weekdays the 43-mile drive from Santee to Vista (via I-15 North and SR-52 West and SR-78 West) usually takes as little as 38 minutes and up to 88 minutes, when leaving around 7:30 am on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 41 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1:30 pm on Saturdays (42 minutes).

About 41 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 2 miles surface streets (3 to 6 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Santee to central Vista 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 Vista?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 38 minutes then, versus up to 88 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Santee to Vista?

The 43-mile drive usually takes 38 to 88 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 41 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santee to Vista?

Leaving around 7:30 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 88 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-15 North in San Diego (19 miles) · SR-52 West in San Diego (11 miles) · SR-78 West in San Diego (10 miles)

San Diego traffic right now · San Diego traffic tomorrow

More drives

Vista 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

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	38	39	71	61	43	41	41	41	41	41	46	52	50	40	39	39	38
Tue	38	40	69	75	46	42	41	41	41	41	50	56	56	44	39	38	38
Wed	38	39	81	69	46	42	42	41	41	42	52	61	57	46	39	39	39
Thu	38	40	78	75	44	41	41	41	41	42	50	56	55	43	39	39	38
Fri	38	40	65	54	41	41	41	41	42	46	53	53	45	41	40	39	38
Sat	38	38	39	39	39	40	40	40	41	40	40	40	39	39	39	39	38
Sun	38	38	38	38	38	39	39	40	40	39	39	39	39	39	39	39	38

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	38	39	71	61	43	41	41	41	41	41	46	52	50	40	39	39	38
Tue	38	40	69	75	46	42	41	41	41	41	50	56	56	44	39	38	38
Wed	38	39	81	69	46	42	42	41	41	42	52	61	57	46	39	39	39
Thu	38	40	78	75	44	41	41	41	41	42	50	56	55	43	39	39	38
Fri	38	40	65	54	41	41	41	41	42	46	53	53	45	41	40	39	38
Sat	38	38	39	39	39	40	40	40	41	40	40	40	39	39	39	39	38
Sun	38	38	38	38	38	39	39	40	40	39	39	39	39	39	39	39	38

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	38	39	71	61	43	41	41	41	41	41	46	52	50	40	39	39	38
Tue	38	40	69	75	46	42	41	41	41	41	50	56	56	44	39	38	38
Wed	38	39	81	69	46	42	42	41	41	42	52	61	57	46	39	39	39
Thu	38	40	78	75	44	41	41	41	41	42	50	56	55	43	39	39	38
Fri	38	40	65	54	41	41	41	41	42	46	53	53	45	41	40	39	38
Sat	38	38	39	39	39	40	40	40	41	40	40	40	39	39	39	39	38
Sun	38	38	38	38	38	39	39	40	40	39	39	39	39	39	39	39	38