Best Time to Drive from Downey to Thousand Oaks

Right now (11:21 am PST): about 65 minutes via US-101 North and I-5 North, usually 102 at this time.

Only 3% 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 Thousand Oaks 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	49	80	120	125	118	103	99	98	105	126	140	130	108	88	75	55	50
Tue	48	83	117	130	130	115	96	97	108	142	144	125	101	90	79	59	50
Wed	48	83	113	120	128	114	106	104	111	134	135	124	101	89	83	64	51
Thu	48	74	108	123	120	107	99	104	126	149	146	128	103	86	91	76	52
Fri	49	63	100	114	107	102	104	125	142	145	135	125	106	98	100	79	55
Sat	50	51	51	62	71	107	113	129	138	135	140	136	126	123	113	84	56
Sun	51	50	50	50	53	73	96	113	121	123	125	116	110	109	99	83	58

About this drive

On weekdays the 54-mile drive from Downey to Thousand Oaks (via US-101 North and I-5 North) usually takes as little as 48 minutes and up to 149 minutes, when leaving around 2:30 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 115 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3 pm on Saturdays (140 minutes).

About 50 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 4 miles surface streets (5 to 11 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 Thousand Oaks 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 Thousand Oaks?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 9 pm. The drive usually takes about 48 minutes then, versus up to 149 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Downey to Thousand Oaks?

The 54-mile drive usually takes 48 to 149 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 115 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Downey to Thousand Oaks?

Leaving around 2:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 149 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

US-101 North in Los Angeles (27 miles) · I-5 North in Los Angeles (12 miles) · SR-134 West in Los Angeles (6 miles) · I-710 North in Los Angeles (4 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

Downey to Thousand Oaks over Thanksgiving: when to leave →

More drives

Thousand Oaks 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	49	80	120	125	118	103	99	98	105	126	140	130	108	88	75	55	50
Tue	48	83	117	130	130	115	96	97	108	142	144	125	101	90	79	59	50
Wed	48	83	113	120	128	114	106	104	111	134	135	124	101	89	83	64	51
Thu	48	74	108	123	120	107	99	104	126	149	146	128	103	86	91	76	52
Fri	49	63	100	114	107	102	104	125	142	145	135	125	106	98	100	79	55
Sat	50	51	51	62	71	107	113	129	138	135	140	136	126	123	113	84	56
Sun	51	50	50	50	53	73	96	113	121	123	125	116	110	109	99	83	58

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	49	80	120	125	118	103	99	98	105	126	140	130	108	88	75	55	50
Tue	48	83	117	130	130	115	96	97	108	142	144	125	101	90	79	59	50
Wed	48	83	113	120	128	114	106	104	111	134	135	124	101	89	83	64	51
Thu	48	74	108	123	120	107	99	104	126	149	146	128	103	86	91	76	52
Fri	49	63	100	114	107	102	104	125	142	145	135	125	106	98	100	79	55
Sat	50	51	51	62	71	107	113	129	138	135	140	136	126	123	113	84	56
Sun	51	50	50	50	53	73	96	113	121	123	125	116	110	109	99	83	58

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	49	80	120	125	118	103	99	98	105	126	140	130	108	88	75	55	50
Tue	48	83	117	130	130	115	96	97	108	142	144	125	101	90	79	59	50
Wed	48	83	113	120	128	114	106	104	111	134	135	124	101	89	83	64	51
Thu	48	74	108	123	120	107	99	104	126	149	146	128	103	86	91	76	52
Fri	49	63	100	114	107	102	104	125	142	145	135	125	106	98	100	79	55
Sat	50	51	51	62	71	107	113	129	138	135	140	136	126	123	113	84	56
Sun	51	50	50	50	53	73	96	113	121	123	125	116	110	109	99	83	58