Best Time to Drive from South Pasadena to San Diego

Right now (3:20 pm PST): about 161 minutes via I-5 South, usually 141 at this time.

Only 30% 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 South Pasadena to San Diego 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	111	128	142	137	125	121	123	123	127	129	144	150	145	135	122	114	112
Tue	112	132	156	147	130	123	123	124	128	140	156	159	152	140	129	118	111
Wed	111	130	154	145	131	123	122	122	127	138	145	148	140	129	124	117	112
Thu	111	129	150	144	131	126	127	127	134	145	161	155	151	141	128	116	113
Fri	111	123	133	133	129	129	132	140	151	163	169	161	152	145	127	118	113
Sat	111	113	115	122	133	139	141	140	138	140	142	134	129	125	120	118	114
Sun	111	111	111	113	116	124	127	129	129	130	129	126	125	124	124	119	113

About this drive

On weekdays the 127-mile drive from South Pasadena to San Diego (via I-5 South) usually takes as little as 111 minutes and up to 169 minutes, when leaving around 3 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 131 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3 pm on Saturdays (142 minutes).

About 125 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 1.5 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 South Pasadena to downtown San Diego 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 South Pasadena to San Diego?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 111 minutes then, versus up to 169 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from South Pasadena to San Diego?

The 127-mile drive usually takes 111 to 169 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 131 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from South Pasadena to San Diego?

Leaving around 3 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 169 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in Orange County (53 miles) · I-5 South in San Diego (47 miles) · I-5 South in Los Angeles (17 miles) · I-110 South in Los Angeles (6 miles) · I-805 South in San Diego (3 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow · San Diego traffic right now · San Diego traffic tomorrow

More drives

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	111	128	142	137	125	121	123	123	127	129	144	150	145	135	122	114	112
Tue	112	132	156	147	130	123	123	124	128	140	156	159	152	140	129	118	111
Wed	111	130	154	145	131	123	122	122	127	138	145	148	140	129	124	117	112
Thu	111	129	150	144	131	126	127	127	134	145	161	155	151	141	128	116	113
Fri	111	123	133	133	129	129	132	140	151	163	169	161	152	145	127	118	113
Sat	111	113	115	122	133	139	141	140	138	140	142	134	129	125	120	118	114
Sun	111	111	111	113	116	124	127	129	129	130	129	126	125	124	124	119	113

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	111	128	142	137	125	121	123	123	127	129	144	150	145	135	122	114	112
Tue	112	132	156	147	130	123	123	124	128	140	156	159	152	140	129	118	111
Wed	111	130	154	145	131	123	122	122	127	138	145	148	140	129	124	117	112
Thu	111	129	150	144	131	126	127	127	134	145	161	155	151	141	128	116	113
Fri	111	123	133	133	129	129	132	140	151	163	169	161	152	145	127	118	113
Sat	111	113	115	122	133	139	141	140	138	140	142	134	129	125	120	118	114
Sun	111	111	111	113	116	124	127	129	129	130	129	126	125	124	124	119	113

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	111	128	142	137	125	121	123	123	127	129	144	150	145	135	122	114	112
Tue	112	132	156	147	130	123	123	124	128	140	156	159	152	140	129	118	111
Wed	111	130	154	145	131	123	122	122	127	138	145	148	140	129	124	117	112
Thu	111	129	150	144	131	126	127	127	134	145	161	155	151	141	128	116	113
Fri	111	123	133	133	129	129	132	140	151	163	169	161	152	145	127	118	113
Sat	111	113	115	122	133	139	141	140	138	140	142	134	129	125	120	118	114
Sun	111	111	111	113	116	124	127	129	129	130	129	126	125	124	124	119	113