Best Time to Drive from Whittier to Mission Viejo

Right now (10:18 am PDT): about 42 minutes via I-5 South, usually 43 at this time.

None 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 Mission Viejo 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	37	42	56	62	53	43	42	40	41	41	45	44	47	40	38	38	38
Tue	37	45	65	76	54	46	42	42	41	41	46	51	57	47	40	39	38
Wed	37	44	62	67	56	44	42	41	41	41	47	54	62	48	40	39	38
Thu	37	43	63	65	53	48	43	43	43	42	55	65	64	46	39	38	38
Fri	37	43	50	48	44	42	43	41	45	50	61	58	65	58	46	39	38
Sat	38	39	39	40	40	40	42	42	42	45	45	45	50	41	38	39	38
Sun	37	38	38	38	39	39	40	40	40	40	41	40	40	40	40	41	38

About this drive

On weekdays the 37-mile drive from Whittier to Mission Viejo (via I-5 South) usually takes as little as 37 minutes and up to 76 minutes, when leaving around 8 am on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 42 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 5 pm on Saturdays (50 minutes).

About 30 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 7 miles surface streets (12 to 34 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Whittier (Painter Avenue) to central Mission Viejo (Chrisanta Drive) 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 Mission Viejo?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 37 minutes then, versus up to 76 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Whittier to Mission Viejo?

The 37-mile drive usually takes 37 to 76 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 42 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Whittier to Mission Viejo?

Leaving around 8 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 76 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in Orange County (30 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow · Orange County traffic right now · Orange County traffic tomorrow

More drives

Mission Viejo 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	37	42	56	62	53	43	42	40	41	41	45	44	47	40	38	38	38
Tue	37	45	65	76	54	46	42	42	41	41	46	51	57	47	40	39	38
Wed	37	44	62	67	56	44	42	41	41	41	47	54	62	48	40	39	38
Thu	37	43	63	65	53	48	43	43	43	42	55	65	64	46	39	38	38
Fri	37	43	50	48	44	42	43	41	45	50	61	58	65	58	46	39	38
Sat	38	39	39	40	40	40	42	42	42	45	45	45	50	41	38	39	38
Sun	37	38	38	38	39	39	40	40	40	40	41	40	40	40	40	41	38

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	37	42	56	62	53	43	42	40	41	41	45	44	47	40	38	38	38
Tue	37	45	65	76	54	46	42	42	41	41	46	51	57	47	40	39	38
Wed	37	44	62	67	56	44	42	41	41	41	47	54	62	48	40	39	38
Thu	37	43	63	65	53	48	43	43	43	42	55	65	64	46	39	38	38
Fri	37	43	50	48	44	42	43	41	45	50	61	58	65	58	46	39	38
Sat	38	39	39	40	40	40	42	42	42	45	45	45	50	41	38	39	38
Sun	37	38	38	38	39	39	40	40	40	40	41	40	40	40	40	41	38

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	37	42	56	62	53	43	42	40	41	41	45	44	47	40	38	38	38
Tue	37	45	65	76	54	46	42	42	41	41	46	51	57	47	40	39	38
Wed	37	44	62	67	56	44	42	41	41	41	47	54	62	48	40	39	38
Thu	37	43	63	65	53	48	43	43	43	42	55	65	64	46	39	38	38
Fri	37	43	50	48	44	42	43	41	45	50	61	58	65	58	46	39	38
Sat	38	39	39	40	40	40	42	42	42	45	45	45	50	41	38	39	38
Sun	37	38	38	38	39	39	40	40	40	40	41	40	40	40	40	41	38