Best Time to Drive from Downey to Simi Valley

Right now (3:20 pm PST): about 65 minutes via I-5 North and SR-118 West, usually 74 at this time.

Only 5% 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 Downey to Simi Valley 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	51	60	77	82	81	77	73	72	73	73	78	86	84	72	65	57	52
Tue	51	62	76	84	84	82	73	71	67	72	77	90	84	71	66	57	52
Wed	50	62	76	81	83	81	74	72	71	73	79	90	86	71	67	59	52
Thu	51	60	76	79	83	78	73	73	73	75	81	93	90	75	69	63	52
Fri	51	61	73	79	78	73	73	74	74	74	76	79	74	69	69	64	52
Sat	51	52	53	55	59	67	70	68	72	73	73	74	72	73	74	67	55
Sun	51	51	51	51	52	55	62	67	70	72	75	77	75	76	74	67	57

About this drive

On weekdays the 54-mile drive from Downey to Simi Valley (via I-5 North and SR-118 West) usually takes as little as 50 minutes and up to 95 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 9 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 72 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3:30 pm on Sundays (77 minutes).

About 50 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 4 miles surface streets (7 to 14 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Downey (Downey Avenue) to central Simi Valley (3rd Street) 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 Downey to Simi Valley?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 9 pm. The drive usually takes about 50 minutes then, versus up to 95 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Downey to Simi Valley?

The 54-mile drive usually takes 50 to 95 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 72 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Downey to Simi Valley?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 95 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 North in Los Angeles (24 miles) · SR-118 West in Los Angeles (20 miles) · I-710 North in Los Angeles (4 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

Downey to Simi Valley over Thanksgiving: when to leave →

More drives

Simi Valley to Downey (return trip) · Downey to Los Angeles · Downey to Santa Monica · Downey to Long Beach · Downey to West Covina · Downey to Burbank · Downey to Glendale · Downey to Santa Clarita · Downey to Van Nuys · Downey to LAX · Downey to Hollywood · Downey to Culver City

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	51	60	77	82	81	77	73	72	73	73	78	86	84	72	65	57	52
Tue	51	62	76	84	84	82	73	71	67	72	77	90	84	71	66	57	52
Wed	50	62	76	81	83	81	74	72	71	73	79	90	86	71	67	59	52
Thu	51	60	76	79	83	78	73	73	73	75	81	93	90	75	69	63	52
Fri	51	61	73	79	78	73	73	74	74	74	76	79	74	69	69	64	52
Sat	51	52	53	55	59	67	70	68	72	73	73	74	72	73	74	67	55
Sun	51	51	51	51	52	55	62	67	70	72	75	77	75	76	74	67	57

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	51	60	77	82	81	77	73	72	73	73	78	86	84	72	65	57	52
Tue	51	62	76	84	84	82	73	71	67	72	77	90	84	71	66	57	52
Wed	50	62	76	81	83	81	74	72	71	73	79	90	86	71	67	59	52
Thu	51	60	76	79	83	78	73	73	73	75	81	93	90	75	69	63	52
Fri	51	61	73	79	78	73	73	74	74	74	76	79	74	69	69	64	52
Sat	51	52	53	55	59	67	70	68	72	73	73	74	72	73	74	67	55
Sun	51	51	51	51	52	55	62	67	70	72	75	77	75	76	74	67	57

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	51	60	77	82	81	77	73	72	73	73	78	86	84	72	65	57	52
Tue	51	62	76	84	84	82	73	71	67	72	77	90	84	71	66	57	52
Wed	50	62	76	81	83	81	74	72	71	73	79	90	86	71	67	59	52
Thu	51	60	76	79	83	78	73	73	73	75	81	93	90	75	69	63	52
Fri	51	61	73	79	78	73	73	74	74	74	76	79	74	69	69	64	52
Sat	51	52	53	55	59	67	70	68	72	73	73	74	72	73	74	67	55
Sun	51	51	51	51	52	55	62	67	70	72	75	77	75	76	74	67	57