San Ysidro border wait
Official CBP wait times for passenger vehicles and pedestrians, updated continuously.
Check San YsidroToday in the city
Commute & border waits
National City sits between two freeways, a trolley line and two border crossings. These are the live sources locals actually check.
Otay Mesa border wait
Often faster than San Ysidro in the morning, and the crossing for commercial traffic.
Check Otay MesaCaltrans I-5 & SR-54 conditions
Closures, construction and incidents on the freeways that box in National City.
Open QuickMapMTS Blue Line trolley
Real-time trolley arrivals for the 8th Street and 24th Street stations.
Trolley timesLocal timing tips
- Northbound I-5 backs up from about 6:30 to 8:30 am. Leaving before 6:15 usually saves 20 minutes.
- SR-54 east is the faster way to reach Plaza Bonita and the 805 during rush hour.
- Highland Avenue is slower than the freeway at peak but almost never stopped.
- Crossing the border before 6 am or after 8 pm generally beats a midday attempt.