Best Time to Drive from Whittier to Rancho Santa Margarita

Right now (12:50 am PST): about 43 minutes via I-5 South.

Only 42% 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 Rancho Santa Margarita 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	41	46	60	64	52	44	44	44	45	44	45	45	48	44	43	43	42
Tue	41	48	66	69	57	46	45	46	45	45	46	46	50	45	43	44	42
Wed	41	47	65	70	57	48	46	45	45	45	45	46	50	46	43	44	42
Thu	41	47	64	67	58	49	47	47	47	44	44	46	49	44	42	43	42
Fri	41	46	54	54	48	46	45	45	44	45	48	48	48	46	44	44	43
Sat	42	43	43	43	44	44	45	45	45	46	46	46	45	44	43	43	42
Sun	41	42	42	42	43	43	44	44	44	44	44	44	44	44	44	45	42

About this drive

On weekdays the 46-mile drive from Whittier to Rancho Santa Margarita (via I-5 South) usually takes as little as 41 minutes and up to 72 minutes, when leaving around 7:30 am on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 6 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 45 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3:30 pm on Saturdays (47 minutes).

About 43 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 3 miles surface streets (4 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 Rancho Santa Margarita 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 Rancho Santa Margarita?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 6 pm. The drive usually takes about 41 minutes then, versus up to 72 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Whittier to Rancho Santa Margarita?

The 46-mile drive usually takes 41 to 72 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 45 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Whittier to Rancho Santa Margarita?

Leaving around 7:30 am on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 72 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in Orange County (24 miles) · SR-241 South in Orange County (8 miles) · I-605 South in Los Angeles (7 miles) · SR-133 North in Orange County (3 miles)

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

More drives

Rancho Santa Margarita 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	41	46	60	64	52	44	44	44	45	44	45	45	48	44	43	43	42
Tue	41	48	66	69	57	46	45	46	45	45	46	46	50	45	43	44	42
Wed	41	47	65	70	57	48	46	45	45	45	45	46	50	46	43	44	42
Thu	41	47	64	67	58	49	47	47	47	44	44	46	49	44	42	43	42
Fri	41	46	54	54	48	46	45	45	44	45	48	48	48	46	44	44	43
Sat	42	43	43	43	44	44	45	45	45	46	46	46	45	44	43	43	42
Sun	41	42	42	42	43	43	44	44	44	44	44	44	44	44	44	45	42

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	41	46	60	64	52	44	44	44	45	44	45	45	48	44	43	43	42
Tue	41	48	66	69	57	46	45	46	45	45	46	46	50	45	43	44	42
Wed	41	47	65	70	57	48	46	45	45	45	45	46	50	46	43	44	42
Thu	41	47	64	67	58	49	47	47	47	44	44	46	49	44	42	43	42
Fri	41	46	54	54	48	46	45	45	44	45	48	48	48	46	44	44	43
Sat	42	43	43	43	44	44	45	45	45	46	46	46	45	44	43	43	42
Sun	41	42	42	42	43	43	44	44	44	44	44	44	44	44	44	45	42

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	41	46	60	64	52	44	44	44	45	44	45	45	48	44	43	43	42
Tue	41	48	66	69	57	46	45	46	45	45	46	46	50	45	43	44	42
Wed	41	47	65	70	57	48	46	45	45	45	45	46	50	46	43	44	42
Thu	41	47	64	67	58	49	47	47	47	44	44	46	49	44	42	43	42
Fri	41	46	54	54	48	46	45	45	44	45	48	48	48	46	44	44	43
Sat	42	43	43	43	44	44	45	45	45	46	46	46	45	44	43	43	42
Sun	41	42	42	42	43	43	44	44	44	44	44	44	44	44	44	45	42