Best Time to Drive from Temecula to Carlsbad

Right now (5:33 pm PDT): about 40 minutes via I-15 South and SR-76 West, usually 45 at this time.

Only 40% 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 Temecula to Carlsbad 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	37	48	50	41	38	39	39	39	39	39	40	41	42	38	37	37	37
Tue	37	46	56	42	38	38	38	38	38	38	40	43	41	40	38	38	37
Wed	37	46	58	42	38	39	39	39	38	39	42	43	42	39	38	38	37
Thu	37	46	56	42	38	39	40	40	39	41	44	46	47	43	40	38	37
Fri	37	40	40	38	38	42	44	47	49	56	61	58	59	51	45	38	37
Sat	37	37	37	37	41	47	56	58	61	56	55	53	49	41	38	38	37
Sun	37	37	37	38	38	50	67	67	64	62	55	53	49	40	38	38	37

About this drive

On weekdays the 34-mile drive from Temecula to Carlsbad (via I-15 South and SR-76 West) usually takes as little as 37 minutes and up to 62 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 7 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 41 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 11:30 am on Sundays (68 minutes).

About 20 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 14 miles surface streets (19 to 40 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Temecula to central Carlsbad 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 Temecula to Carlsbad?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 37 minutes then, versus up to 62 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Temecula to Carlsbad?

The 34-mile drive usually takes 37 to 62 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 41 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Temecula to Carlsbad?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 62 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

SR-76 West in San Diego (7 miles) · I-15 South in Inland Empire (7 miles) · I-15 South in San Diego (4 miles) · I-5 South in San Diego (3 miles)

Inland Empire traffic right now · Inland Empire traffic tomorrow · San Diego traffic right now · San Diego traffic tomorrow

More drives

Carlsbad to Temecula (return trip) · Temecula to Long Beach · Temecula to West Covina · Temecula to El Monte · Temecula to Downey · Temecula to Whittier · Temecula to Irvine · Temecula to Santa Ana · Temecula to Huntington Beach · Temecula to Riverside · Temecula to San Bernardino · Temecula to Ontario

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	37	48	50	41	38	39	39	39	39	39	40	41	42	38	37	37	37
Tue	37	46	56	42	38	38	38	38	38	38	40	43	41	40	38	38	37
Wed	37	46	58	42	38	39	39	39	38	39	42	43	42	39	38	38	37
Thu	37	46	56	42	38	39	40	40	39	41	44	46	47	43	40	38	37
Fri	37	40	40	38	38	42	44	47	49	56	61	58	59	51	45	38	37
Sat	37	37	37	37	41	47	56	58	61	56	55	53	49	41	38	38	37
Sun	37	37	37	38	38	50	67	67	64	62	55	53	49	40	38	38	37

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	37	48	50	41	38	39	39	39	39	39	40	41	42	38	37	37	37
Tue	37	46	56	42	38	38	38	38	38	38	40	43	41	40	38	38	37
Wed	37	46	58	42	38	39	39	39	38	39	42	43	42	39	38	38	37
Thu	37	46	56	42	38	39	40	40	39	41	44	46	47	43	40	38	37
Fri	37	40	40	38	38	42	44	47	49	56	61	58	59	51	45	38	37
Sat	37	37	37	37	41	47	56	58	61	56	55	53	49	41	38	38	37
Sun	37	37	37	38	38	50	67	67	64	62	55	53	49	40	38	38	37

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	37	48	50	41	38	39	39	39	39	39	40	41	42	38	37	37	37
Tue	37	46	56	42	38	38	38	38	38	38	40	43	41	40	38	38	37
Wed	37	46	58	42	38	39	39	39	38	39	42	43	42	39	38	38	37
Thu	37	46	56	42	38	39	40	40	39	41	44	46	47	43	40	38	37
Fri	37	40	40	38	38	42	44	47	49	56	61	58	59	51	45	38	37
Sat	37	37	37	37	41	47	56	58	61	56	55	53	49	41	38	38	37
Sun	37	37	37	38	38	50	67	67	64	62	55	53	49	40	38	38	37