Best Time to Drive from Westminster to Carlsbad

Right now (5:51 pm PDT): about 57 minutes via I-5 South and SR-73 South, usually 57 at this time.

Only 18% 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	55	56	57	65	62	57	57	58	58	58	57	58	57	56	55	55	55
Tue	55	56	59	66	66	58	58	58	58	57	58	58	57	57	56	56	55
Wed	55	56	58	63	65	59	58	58	57	59	59	59	57	57	56	56	55
Thu	55	56	58	64	65	60	59	58	59	59	61	61	59	58	56	56	55
Fri	55	56	57	62	60	61	66	70	75	81	82	80	71	61	58	56	55
Sat	55	55	55	57	66	73	75	73	76	70	69	73	62	58	56	56	55
Sun	55	55	55	55	56	59	67	63	64	66	61	61	59	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 55 minutes and up to 82 minutes, when leaving around 3 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 8 am or after 5 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 61 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 10:30 am on Saturdays (77 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 8 am or after 5 pm. The drive usually takes about 55 minutes then, versus up to 82 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 62-mile drive usually takes 55 to 82 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 61 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Westminster to Carlsbad?

Leaving around 3 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 82 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	55	56	57	65	62	57	57	58	58	58	57	58	57	56	55	55	55
Tue	55	56	59	66	66	58	58	58	58	57	58	58	57	57	56	56	55
Wed	55	56	58	63	65	59	58	58	57	59	59	59	57	57	56	56	55
Thu	55	56	58	64	65	60	59	58	59	59	61	61	59	58	56	56	55
Fri	55	56	57	62	60	61	66	70	75	81	82	80	71	61	58	56	55
Sat	55	55	55	57	66	73	75	73	76	70	69	73	62	58	56	56	55
Sun	55	55	55	55	56	59	67	63	64	66	61	61	59	57	57	57	55

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	55	56	57	65	62	57	57	58	58	58	57	58	57	56	55	55	55
Tue	55	56	59	66	66	58	58	58	58	57	58	58	57	57	56	56	55
Wed	55	56	58	63	65	59	58	58	57	59	59	59	57	57	56	56	55
Thu	55	56	58	64	65	60	59	58	59	59	61	61	59	58	56	56	55
Fri	55	56	57	62	60	61	66	70	75	81	82	80	71	61	58	56	55
Sat	55	55	55	57	66	73	75	73	76	70	69	73	62	58	56	56	55
Sun	55	55	55	55	56	59	67	63	64	66	61	61	59	57	57	57	55

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	55	56	57	65	62	57	57	58	58	58	57	58	57	56	55	55	55
Tue	55	56	59	66	66	58	58	58	58	57	58	58	57	57	56	56	55
Wed	55	56	58	63	65	59	58	58	57	59	59	59	57	57	56	56	55
Thu	55	56	58	64	65	60	59	58	59	59	61	61	59	58	56	56	55
Fri	55	56	57	62	60	61	66	70	75	81	82	80	71	61	58	56	55
Sat	55	55	55	57	66	73	75	73	76	70	69	73	62	58	56	56	55
Sun	55	55	55	55	56	59	67	63	64	66	61	61	59	57	57	57	55