Best Time to Drive from SNA to Riverside

Right now (4:03 pm PDT): about 48 minutes via SR-91 East and SR-55 North, usually 48 at this time.

Only 22% 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 SNA to Riverside 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	39	39	44	45	43	43	44	45	48	54	63	65	65	57	45	43	39
Tue	39	40	47	49	45	45	44	45	48	57	66	72	66	56	47	44	40
Wed	39	41	47	49	46	45	44	47	51	58	63	68	68	63	54	46	41
Thu	39	41	46	47	45	43	44	45	48	56	66	70	69	57	55	44	40
Fri	38	40	42	45	43	44	45	49	56	63	72	72	69	55	48	44	40
Sat	39	40	40	41	41	42	43	43	43	45	47	48	48	47	44	44	40
Sun	39	40	39	39	41	41	42	42	42	42	41	42	41	41	41	43	39

About this drive

On weekdays the 43-mile drive from SNA to Riverside (via SR-91 East and SR-55 North) usually takes as little as 38 minutes and up to 74 minutes, when leaving around 3:30 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 7 am or after 9 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 49 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4:30 pm on Saturdays (51 minutes).

About 42 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 1.3 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 John Wayne Airport, Orange County (SNA) (Paularino Avenue) to central Riverside 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 SNA to Riverside?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 9 pm. The drive usually takes about 38 minutes then, versus up to 74 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from SNA to Riverside?

The 43-mile drive usually takes 38 to 74 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 49 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from SNA to Riverside?

Leaving around 3:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 74 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

SR-91 East in Orange County (27 miles) · SR-55 North in Orange County (12 miles) · SR-91 East in Inland Empire (3 miles)

Orange County traffic right now · Orange County traffic tomorrow · Inland Empire traffic right now · Inland Empire traffic tomorrow

More drives

Riverside to SNA (return trip) · SNA to Los Angeles · SNA to Santa Monica · SNA to Pasadena · SNA to Long Beach · SNA to West Covina · SNA to Burbank · SNA to Glendale · SNA to Santa Clarita · SNA to Van Nuys · SNA to Torrance · SNA 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	39	39	44	45	43	43	44	45	48	54	63	65	65	57	45	43	39
Tue	39	40	47	49	45	45	44	45	48	57	66	72	66	56	47	44	40
Wed	39	41	47	49	46	45	44	47	51	58	63	68	68	63	54	46	41
Thu	39	41	46	47	45	43	44	45	48	56	66	70	69	57	55	44	40
Fri	38	40	42	45	43	44	45	49	56	63	72	72	69	55	48	44	40
Sat	39	40	40	41	41	42	43	43	43	45	47	48	48	47	44	44	40
Sun	39	40	39	39	41	41	42	42	42	42	41	42	41	41	41	43	39

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	39	39	44	45	43	43	44	45	48	54	63	65	65	57	45	43	39
Tue	39	40	47	49	45	45	44	45	48	57	66	72	66	56	47	44	40
Wed	39	41	47	49	46	45	44	47	51	58	63	68	68	63	54	46	41
Thu	39	41	46	47	45	43	44	45	48	56	66	70	69	57	55	44	40
Fri	38	40	42	45	43	44	45	49	56	63	72	72	69	55	48	44	40
Sat	39	40	40	41	41	42	43	43	43	45	47	48	48	47	44	44	40
Sun	39	40	39	39	41	41	42	42	42	42	41	42	41	41	41	43	39

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	39	39	44	45	43	43	44	45	48	54	63	65	65	57	45	43	39
Tue	39	40	47	49	45	45	44	45	48	57	66	72	66	56	47	44	40
Wed	39	41	47	49	46	45	44	47	51	58	63	68	68	63	54	46	41
Thu	39	41	46	47	45	43	44	45	48	56	66	70	69	57	55	44	40
Fri	38	40	42	45	43	44	45	49	56	63	72	72	69	55	48	44	40
Sat	39	40	40	41	41	42	43	43	43	45	47	48	48	47	44	44	40
Sun	39	40	39	39	41	41	42	42	42	42	41	42	41	41	41	43	39