Best Time to Drive from Vista to Chula Vista

Right now (5:47 pm PDT): about 84 minutes via I-5 South and SR-78 West, usually 54 at this time.

Only 55% 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 Vista to Chula 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	46	48	50	62	52	51	50	50	50	53	66	61	56	48	48	48	47
Tue	46	48	52	77	68	52	51	51	51	57	69	74	69	54	48	48	47
Wed	46	48	51	80	61	50	50	50	50	58	71	72	70	53	49	48	47
Thu	46	48	50	78	61	53	51	51	50	58	71	75	70	52	48	48	47
Fri	46	47	49	51	49	50	50	50	50	60	68	64	58	52	49	48	47
Sat	47	47	47	48	48	51	52	51	54	50	50	51	50	50	49	49	47
Sun	47	47	47	47	48	48	49	50	50	50	49	49	49	49	49	49	47

About this drive

On weekdays the 52-mile drive from Vista to Chula Vista (via I-5 South and SR-78 West) usually takes as little as 46 minutes and up to 80 minutes, when leaving around 8 am on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7:30 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 51 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1 pm on Saturdays (54 minutes).

About 49 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 3 miles surface streets (4 to 6 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Vista to central Chula 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 Vista to Chula Vista?

On weekdays, leave before 7:30 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 46 minutes then, versus up to 80 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 52-mile drive usually takes 46 to 80 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 51 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Vista to Chula Vista?

Leaving around 8 am on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 80 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in San Diego (36 miles) · SR-78 West in San Diego (10 miles) · I-805 South in San Diego (3 miles)

San Diego traffic right now · San Diego traffic tomorrow

More drives

Chula Vista to Vista (return trip) · Vista to San Diego · Vista to Long Beach · Vista to Anaheim · Vista to Riverside · Vista to Santa Ana · Vista to Santa Monica · Vista to Irvine · Vista to San Bernardino · Vista to Fontana

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	46	48	50	62	52	51	50	50	50	53	66	61	56	48	48	48	47
Tue	46	48	52	77	68	52	51	51	51	57	69	74	69	54	48	48	47
Wed	46	48	51	80	61	50	50	50	50	58	71	72	70	53	49	48	47
Thu	46	48	50	78	61	53	51	51	50	58	71	75	70	52	48	48	47
Fri	46	47	49	51	49	50	50	50	50	60	68	64	58	52	49	48	47
Sat	47	47	47	48	48	51	52	51	54	50	50	51	50	50	49	49	47
Sun	47	47	47	47	48	48	49	50	50	50	49	49	49	49	49	49	47

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	46	48	50	62	52	51	50	50	50	53	66	61	56	48	48	48	47
Tue	46	48	52	77	68	52	51	51	51	57	69	74	69	54	48	48	47
Wed	46	48	51	80	61	50	50	50	50	58	71	72	70	53	49	48	47
Thu	46	48	50	78	61	53	51	51	50	58	71	75	70	52	48	48	47
Fri	46	47	49	51	49	50	50	50	50	60	68	64	58	52	49	48	47
Sat	47	47	47	48	48	51	52	51	54	50	50	51	50	50	49	49	47
Sun	47	47	47	47	48	48	49	50	50	50	49	49	49	49	49	49	47

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	46	48	50	62	52	51	50	50	50	53	66	61	56	48	48	48	47
Tue	46	48	52	77	68	52	51	51	51	57	69	74	69	54	48	48	47
Wed	46	48	51	80	61	50	50	50	50	58	71	72	70	53	49	48	47
Thu	46	48	50	78	61	53	51	51	50	58	71	75	70	52	48	48	47
Fri	46	47	49	51	49	50	50	50	50	60	68	64	58	52	49	48	47
Sat	47	47	47	48	48	51	52	51	54	50	50	51	50	50	49	49	47
Sun	47	47	47	47	48	48	49	50	50	50	49	49	49	49	49	49	47