Best Time to Drive from Whittier to Carlsbad

Right now (5:51 pm PDT): about 78 minutes via I-5 South, usually 76 at this time.

Only 14% 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 Whittier 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	71	78	91	95	85	76	76	77	77	76	76	78	81	74	73	74	72
Tue	72	81	98	101	89	79	78	79	78	77	78	79	83	76	73	75	73
Wed	71	81	97	101	90	81	79	78	77	78	80	80	83	77	74	74	72
Thu	71	80	98	99	92	84	82	81	82	79	83	82	84	77	74	74	73
Fri	72	79	86	87	84	84	88	93	98	101	103	100	93	82	77	75	73
Sat	72	73	74	79	89	97	96	94	98	92	91	90	80	76	74	74	73
Sun	72	72	72	73	75	81	85	84	83	83	82	81	78	76	76	77	73

About this drive

On weekdays the 81-mile drive from Whittier to Carlsbad (via I-5 South) usually takes as little as 71 minutes and up to 105 minutes, when leaving around 3:30 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 6 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 82 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1 pm on Saturdays (98 minutes).

About 77 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 4 miles surface streets (5 to 10 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Whittier 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 Whittier to Carlsbad?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 6 pm. The drive usually takes about 71 minutes then, versus up to 105 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 81-mile drive usually takes 71 to 105 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 82 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Whittier to Carlsbad?

Leaving around 3:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 105 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in Orange County (54 miles) · I-5 South in San Diego (15 miles) · I-605 South in Los Angeles (7 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow · San Diego traffic right now · San Diego traffic tomorrow

More drives

Carlsbad to Whittier (return trip) · Whittier to Santa Monica · Whittier to Long Beach · Whittier to West Covina · Whittier to Burbank · Whittier to Santa Clarita · Whittier to Van Nuys · Whittier to Torrance · Whittier to LAX · Whittier to Culver City · Whittier to Thousand Oaks · Whittier to Oxnard

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	71	78	91	95	85	76	76	77	77	76	76	78	81	74	73	74	72
Tue	72	81	98	101	89	79	78	79	78	77	78	79	83	76	73	75	73
Wed	71	81	97	101	90	81	79	78	77	78	80	80	83	77	74	74	72
Thu	71	80	98	99	92	84	82	81	82	79	83	82	84	77	74	74	73
Fri	72	79	86	87	84	84	88	93	98	101	103	100	93	82	77	75	73
Sat	72	73	74	79	89	97	96	94	98	92	91	90	80	76	74	74	73
Sun	72	72	72	73	75	81	85	84	83	83	82	81	78	76	76	77	73

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	71	78	91	95	85	76	76	77	77	76	76	78	81	74	73	74	72
Tue	72	81	98	101	89	79	78	79	78	77	78	79	83	76	73	75	73
Wed	71	81	97	101	90	81	79	78	77	78	80	80	83	77	74	74	72
Thu	71	80	98	99	92	84	82	81	82	79	83	82	84	77	74	74	73
Fri	72	79	86	87	84	84	88	93	98	101	103	100	93	82	77	75	73
Sat	72	73	74	79	89	97	96	94	98	92	91	90	80	76	74	74	73
Sun	72	72	72	73	75	81	85	84	83	83	82	81	78	76	76	77	73

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	71	78	91	95	85	76	76	77	77	76	76	78	81	74	73	74	72
Tue	72	81	98	101	89	79	78	79	78	77	78	79	83	76	73	75	73
Wed	71	81	97	101	90	81	79	78	77	78	80	80	83	77	74	74	72
Thu	71	80	98	99	92	84	82	81	82	79	83	82	84	77	74	74	73
Fri	72	79	86	87	84	84	88	93	98	101	103	100	93	82	77	75	73
Sat	72	73	74	79	89	97	96	94	98	92	91	90	80	76	74	74	73
Sun	72	72	72	73	75	81	85	84	83	83	82	81	78	76	76	77	73