Best Time to Drive from Vista to Mission Viejo

Right now (3:20 pm PST): about 43 minutes via I-5 North, usually 46 at this time.

Only 29% 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 Mission Viejo 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	40	41	41	42	42	43	43	43	42	42	41	41	41	41	41	40
Tue	40	40	42	42	42	43	43	43	42	42	42	41	41	41	41	41	40
Wed	39	40	44	42	42	44	43	43	42	42	42	42	41	41	42	41	40
Thu	39	41	43	42	42	43	44	43	43	42	42	42	42	42	42	42	40
Fri	39	41	42	43	43	44	43	45	45	47	46	46	46	43	42	42	40
Sat	40	40	40	40	41	43	48	50	48	48	47	46	44	43	41	42	40
Sun	40	40	40	40	41	42	46	50	51	51	49	47	46	43	42	42	40

About this drive

On weekdays the 45-mile drive from Vista to Mission Viejo (via I-5 North) usually takes as little as 39 minutes and up to 47 minutes, when leaving around 8:30 am on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 7:30 am or after 2:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 43 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2 pm on Sundays (51 minutes).

About 43 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 1.7 miles surface streets (about 2 minutes), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Vista to central Mission Viejo 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 Mission Viejo?

On weekdays, leave before 7:30 am or after 2:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 39 minutes then, versus up to 47 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Vista to Mission Viejo?

The 45-mile drive usually takes 39 to 47 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 43 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Vista to Mission Viejo?

Leaving around 8:30 am on Fridays is usually slowest, about 47 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 North in San Diego (20 miles) · I-5 North in Orange County (17 miles) · SR-78 West in San Diego (7 miles)

San Diego traffic right now · San Diego traffic tomorrow · Orange County traffic right now · Orange County traffic tomorrow

More drives

Mission Viejo 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 Chula Vista · Vista to Irvine · Vista to San Bernardino · Vista to Fontana · Vista to Moreno Valley

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	40	41	41	42	42	43	43	43	42	42	41	41	41	41	41	40
Tue	40	40	42	42	42	43	43	43	42	42	42	41	41	41	41	41	40
Wed	39	40	44	42	42	44	43	43	42	42	42	42	41	41	42	41	40
Thu	39	41	43	42	42	43	44	43	43	42	42	42	42	42	42	42	40
Fri	39	41	42	43	43	44	43	45	45	47	46	46	46	43	42	42	40
Sat	40	40	40	40	41	43	48	50	48	48	47	46	44	43	41	42	40
Sun	40	40	40	40	41	42	46	50	51	51	49	47	46	43	42	42	40

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	39	40	41	41	42	42	43	43	43	42	42	41	41	41	41	41	40
Tue	40	40	42	42	42	43	43	43	42	42	42	41	41	41	41	41	40
Wed	39	40	44	42	42	44	43	43	42	42	42	42	41	41	42	41	40
Thu	39	41	43	42	42	43	44	43	43	42	42	42	42	42	42	42	40
Fri	39	41	42	43	43	44	43	45	45	47	46	46	46	43	42	42	40
Sat	40	40	40	40	41	43	48	50	48	48	47	46	44	43	41	42	40
Sun	40	40	40	40	41	42	46	50	51	51	49	47	46	43	42	42	40

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	39	40	41	41	42	42	43	43	43	42	42	41	41	41	41	41	40
Tue	40	40	42	42	42	43	43	43	42	42	42	41	41	41	41	41	40
Wed	39	40	44	42	42	44	43	43	42	42	42	42	41	41	42	41	40
Thu	39	41	43	42	42	43	44	43	43	42	42	42	42	42	42	42	40
Fri	39	41	42	43	43	44	43	45	45	47	46	46	46	43	42	42	40
Sat	40	40	40	40	41	43	48	50	48	48	47	46	44	43	41	42	40
Sun	40	40	40	40	41	42	46	50	51	51	49	47	46	43	42	42	40