Best Time to Drive from Westminster to Escondido

Right now (6:03 pm PDT): about 85 minutes via I-5 South and SR-73 South, usually 89 at this time.

Only 45% 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 Escondido 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	73	77	85	85	80	75	77	79	79	78	78	76	74	73	73	73	72
Tue	73	80	89	86	85	77	76	77	76	76	79	81	77	77	74	75	73
Wed	73	79	90	86	84	78	78	80	76	82	84	83	77	76	74	74	73
Thu	74	80	89	84	84	80	80	77	79	85	90	85	77	78	75	76	72
Fri	74	77	81	81	78	89	92	98	107	110	112	107	102	89	82	74	73
Sat	73	72	73	82	105	114	118	119	117	115	113	115	98	87	77	74	72
Sun	73	73	73	73	75	93	99	97	95	95	92	87	80	76	75	75	73

About this drive

On weekdays the 79-mile drive from Westminster to Escondido (via I-5 South and SR-73 South) usually takes as little as 72 minutes and up to 112 minutes, when leaving around 3 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 6 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 83 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 10:30 am on Saturdays (123 minutes).

About 71 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 8 miles surface streets (6 to 18 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Westminster to central Escondido 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 Escondido?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 6 pm. The drive usually takes about 72 minutes then, versus up to 112 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 79-mile drive usually takes 72 to 112 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 83 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Westminster to Escondido?

Leaving around 3 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 112 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in Orange County (19 miles) · I-5 South in San Diego (17 miles) · SR-73 South in Orange County (17 miles) · SR-78 East in San Diego (10 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

Escondido 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	73	77	85	85	80	75	77	79	79	78	78	76	74	73	73	73	72
Tue	73	80	89	86	85	77	76	77	76	76	79	81	77	77	74	75	73
Wed	73	79	90	86	84	78	78	80	76	82	84	83	77	76	74	74	73
Thu	74	80	89	84	84	80	80	77	79	85	90	85	77	78	75	76	72
Fri	74	77	81	81	78	89	92	98	107	110	112	107	102	89	82	74	73
Sat	73	72	73	82	105	114	118	119	117	115	113	115	98	87	77	74	72
Sun	73	73	73	73	75	93	99	97	95	95	92	87	80	76	75	75	73

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	73	77	85	85	80	75	77	79	79	78	78	76	74	73	73	73	72
Tue	73	80	89	86	85	77	76	77	76	76	79	81	77	77	74	75	73
Wed	73	79	90	86	84	78	78	80	76	82	84	83	77	76	74	74	73
Thu	74	80	89	84	84	80	80	77	79	85	90	85	77	78	75	76	72
Fri	74	77	81	81	78	89	92	98	107	110	112	107	102	89	82	74	73
Sat	73	72	73	82	105	114	118	119	117	115	113	115	98	87	77	74	72
Sun	73	73	73	73	75	93	99	97	95	95	92	87	80	76	75	75	73

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	73	77	85	85	80	75	77	79	79	78	78	76	74	73	73	73	72
Tue	73	80	89	86	85	77	76	77	76	76	79	81	77	77	74	75	73
Wed	73	79	90	86	84	78	78	80	76	82	84	83	77	76	74	74	73
Thu	74	80	89	84	84	80	80	77	79	85	90	85	77	78	75	76	72
Fri	74	77	81	81	78	89	92	98	107	110	112	107	102	89	82	74	73
Sat	73	72	73	82	105	114	118	119	117	115	113	115	98	87	77	74	72
Sun	73	73	73	73	75	93	99	97	95	95	92	87	80	76	75	75	73