Best Time to Drive from Vista to San Diego

Right now (6:24 pm PDT): about 55 minutes via I-5 South and SR-78 West, usually 39 at this time.

Only 62% 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.

On weekdays the 42-mile drive from Vista to San Diego (via I-5 South and SR-78 West) usually takes as little as 37 minutes and up to 62 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 41 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 11 am on Saturdays (43 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: San Diego to Vista

Freeway, about 40 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 1.9 miles: 2 to 4 minutes on weekdays, estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time (we don't have street sensors yet). Drive times are measured from central Vista to downtown San Diego along the route shown. Starting or ending elsewhere in a big city can add or save several minutes.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from Vista 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	38	39	41	47	43	42	41	41	41	41	45	50	44	39	38	39	38
Tue	37	39	42	52	49	42	41	41	41	42	51	62	57	44	39	39	38
Wed	37	39	42	52	47	41	41	40	41	44	52	60	60	43	39	38	38
Thu	37	39	42	52	48	42	41	41	40	42	53	59	56	42	39	39	38
Fri	37	39	42	43	40	41	41	41	41	46	52	52	48	41	39	39	38
Sat	38	38	38	39	39	41	43	41	42	41	41	42	41	41	39	40	38
Sun	38	38	38	38	39	40	40	42	41	41	40	40	40	39	39	40	38

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 San Diego?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 6:30 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 Vista to San Diego?

The 42-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 Vista to San Diego?

Leaving around 4 pm on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 62 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in San Diego (28 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

San Diego to Vista (return trip)

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	41	47	43	42	41	41	41	41	45	50	44	39	38	39	38
Tue	37	39	42	52	49	42	41	41	41	42	51	62	57	44	39	39	38
Wed	37	39	42	52	47	41	41	40	41	44	52	60	60	43	39	38	38
Thu	37	39	42	52	48	42	41	41	40	42	53	59	56	42	39	39	38
Fri	37	39	42	43	40	41	41	41	41	46	52	52	48	41	39	39	38
Sat	38	38	38	39	39	41	43	41	42	41	41	42	41	41	39	40	38
Sun	38	38	38	38	39	40	40	42	41	41	40	40	40	39	39	40	38

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	38	39	41	47	43	42	41	41	41	41	45	50	44	39	38	39	38
Tue	37	39	42	52	49	42	41	41	41	42	51	62	57	44	39	39	38
Wed	37	39	42	52	47	41	41	40	41	44	52	60	60	43	39	38	38
Thu	37	39	42	52	48	42	41	41	40	42	53	59	56	42	39	39	38
Fri	37	39	42	43	40	41	41	41	41	46	52	52	48	41	39	39	38
Sat	38	38	38	39	39	41	43	41	42	41	41	42	41	41	39	40	38
Sun	38	38	38	38	39	40	40	42	41	41	40	40	40	39	39	40	38

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	38	39	41	47	43	42	41	41	41	41	45	50	44	39	38	39	38
Tue	37	39	42	52	49	42	41	41	41	42	51	62	57	44	39	39	38
Wed	37	39	42	52	47	41	41	40	41	44	52	60	60	43	39	38	38
Thu	37	39	42	52	48	42	41	41	40	42	53	59	56	42	39	39	38
Fri	37	39	42	43	40	41	41	41	41	46	52	52	48	41	39	39	38
Sat	38	38	38	39	39	41	43	41	42	41	41	42	41	41	39	40	38
Sun	38	38	38	38	39	40	40	42	41	41	40	40	40	39	39	40	38