Best Time to Drive from SNA to Riverside

Right now (5:50 pm PST): about 68 minutes via SR-91 East and SR-55 North, usually 58 at this time.

Only 35% 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	38	39	44	46	44	43	43	45	47	53	62	67	67	58	48	43	39
Tue	39	40	47	50	46	44	44	45	48	57	67	72	70	61	53	44	40
Wed	38	40	47	50	46	45	44	46	50	57	64	68	69	63	52	46	41
Thu	39	41	47	48	45	44	44	45	48	55	65	71	70	61	53	45	40
Fri	38	40	42	45	43	44	45	49	56	63	73	72	70	58	49	45	40
Sat	38	39	40	41	41	42	43	44	43	46	48	49	49	47	46	44	40
Sun	39	39	40	39	41	41	42	42	42	42	42	42	41	42	42	44	40

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 75 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays. 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 (50 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 75 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 43-mile drive usually takes 38 to 75 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 49 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from SNA to Riverside?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 75 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

SNA to Riverside over Thanksgiving: when to leave →

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	38	39	44	46	44	43	43	45	47	53	62	67	67	58	48	43	39
Tue	39	40	47	50	46	44	44	45	48	57	67	72	70	61	53	44	40
Wed	38	40	47	50	46	45	44	46	50	57	64	68	69	63	52	46	41
Thu	39	41	47	48	45	44	44	45	48	55	65	71	70	61	53	45	40
Fri	38	40	42	45	43	44	45	49	56	63	73	72	70	58	49	45	40
Sat	38	39	40	41	41	42	43	44	43	46	48	49	49	47	46	44	40
Sun	39	39	40	39	41	41	42	42	42	42	42	42	41	42	42	44	40

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	38	39	44	46	44	43	43	45	47	53	62	67	67	58	48	43	39
Tue	39	40	47	50	46	44	44	45	48	57	67	72	70	61	53	44	40
Wed	38	40	47	50	46	45	44	46	50	57	64	68	69	63	52	46	41
Thu	39	41	47	48	45	44	44	45	48	55	65	71	70	61	53	45	40
Fri	38	40	42	45	43	44	45	49	56	63	73	72	70	58	49	45	40
Sat	38	39	40	41	41	42	43	44	43	46	48	49	49	47	46	44	40
Sun	39	39	40	39	41	41	42	42	42	42	42	42	41	42	42	44	40

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	38	39	44	46	44	43	43	45	47	53	62	67	67	58	48	43	39
Tue	39	40	47	50	46	44	44	45	48	57	67	72	70	61	53	44	40
Wed	38	40	47	50	46	45	44	46	50	57	64	68	69	63	52	46	41
Thu	39	41	47	48	45	44	44	45	48	55	65	71	70	61	53	45	40
Fri	38	40	42	45	43	44	45	49	56	63	73	72	70	58	49	45	40
Sat	38	39	40	41	41	42	43	44	43	46	48	49	49	47	46	44	40
Sun	39	39	40	39	41	41	42	42	42	42	42	42	41	42	42	44	40