Best Time to Drive from Westminster to Carlsbad

Right now (3:20 pm PST): about 100 minutes via I-5 South and SR-73 South, usually 70 at this time.

Only 15% 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 Westminster 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	54	56	60	66	63	58	58	58	58	58	58	58	57	56	56	56	56
Tue	55	56	61	71	68	59	58	58	57	57	58	58	57	57	55	56	55
Wed	54	56	61	63	66	61	59	59	57	58	59	58	58	57	56	56	55
Thu	54	56	60	67	66	60	59	58	58	59	60	60	58	58	56	56	55
Fri	55	56	58	61	59	60	64	68	71	74	76	78	69	61	58	57	55
Sat	55	55	55	56	63	68	72	72	73	69	68	68	62	58	56	56	55
Sun	55	55	55	55	56	59	64	64	63	65	62	60	58	57	57	57	55

About this drive

On weekdays the 62-mile drive from Westminster to Carlsbad (via I-5 South and SR-73 South) usually takes as little as 54 minutes and up to 78 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 7 am or after 5 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 60 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 10:30 am on Saturdays (73 minutes).

About 60 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 2 miles surface streets (3 to 5 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Westminster 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 Westminster to Carlsbad?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 5 pm. The drive usually takes about 54 minutes then, versus up to 78 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 62-mile drive usually takes 54 to 78 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 60 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Westminster to Carlsbad?

Leaving around 4 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 78 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in Orange County (19 miles) · SR-73 South in Orange County (17 miles) · I-5 South in San Diego (15 miles) · I-405 South in Orange County (8 miles)

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

More drives

Carlsbad to Westminster (return trip) · Westminster to Los Angeles · Westminster to Anaheim · Westminster to Santa Monica · Westminster to Long Beach · Westminster to Anaheim · Westminster to Riverside · Westminster to Santa Ana · Westminster to Irvine · Westminster to San Bernardino · Westminster to Fontana · Westminster 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	54	56	60	66	63	58	58	58	58	58	58	58	57	56	56	56	56
Tue	55	56	61	71	68	59	58	58	57	57	58	58	57	57	55	56	55
Wed	54	56	61	63	66	61	59	59	57	58	59	58	58	57	56	56	55
Thu	54	56	60	67	66	60	59	58	58	59	60	60	58	58	56	56	55
Fri	55	56	58	61	59	60	64	68	71	74	76	78	69	61	58	57	55
Sat	55	55	55	56	63	68	72	72	73	69	68	68	62	58	56	56	55
Sun	55	55	55	55	56	59	64	64	63	65	62	60	58	57	57	57	55

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	54	56	60	66	63	58	58	58	58	58	58	58	57	56	56	56	56
Tue	55	56	61	71	68	59	58	58	57	57	58	58	57	57	55	56	55
Wed	54	56	61	63	66	61	59	59	57	58	59	58	58	57	56	56	55
Thu	54	56	60	67	66	60	59	58	58	59	60	60	58	58	56	56	55
Fri	55	56	58	61	59	60	64	68	71	74	76	78	69	61	58	57	55
Sat	55	55	55	56	63	68	72	72	73	69	68	68	62	58	56	56	55
Sun	55	55	55	55	56	59	64	64	63	65	62	60	58	57	57	57	55

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	54	56	60	66	63	58	58	58	58	58	58	58	57	56	56	56	56
Tue	55	56	61	71	68	59	58	58	57	57	58	58	57	57	55	56	55
Wed	54	56	61	63	66	61	59	59	57	58	59	58	58	57	56	56	55
Thu	54	56	60	67	66	60	59	58	58	59	60	60	58	58	56	56	55
Fri	55	56	58	61	59	60	64	68	71	74	76	78	69	61	58	57	55
Sat	55	55	55	56	63	68	72	72	73	69	68	68	62	58	56	56	55
Sun	55	55	55	55	56	59	64	64	63	65	62	60	58	57	57	57	55