Best Time to Drive from Encino to Santa Ana

Right now (8:50 pm PST): about 51 minutes via I-5 South and US-101 South, usually 48 at this time.

Only 24% 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 Encino to Santa Ana 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	46	53	65	63	55	53	55	58	61	65	84	96	90	77	63	52	47
Tue	45	54	72	69	56	54	56	57	59	68	96	102	93	82	69	55	46
Wed	45	53	74	68	58	54	55	55	57	65	73	85	85	72	65	56	47
Thu	45	53	70	68	56	56	59	59	63	71	95	108	101	83	66	56	48
Fri	45	51	62	61	56	55	58	62	67	86	102	101	101	85	67	57	47
Sat	46	47	48	50	52	54	57	59	63	67	70	66	66	60	57	56	48
Sun	46	46	46	47	48	52	54	58	58	61	62	67	63	62	58	58	49

About this drive

On weekdays the 51-mile drive from Encino to Santa Ana (via I-5 South and US-101 South) usually takes as little as 45 minutes and up to 108 minutes, when leaving around 4 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 61 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3 pm on Saturdays (70 minutes).

About 48 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 3 miles surface streets (3 to 7 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Encino to central Santa Ana 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 Encino to Santa Ana?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 9 pm. The drive usually takes about 45 minutes then, versus up to 108 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Encino to Santa Ana?

The 51-mile drive usually takes 45 to 108 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 61 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Encino to Santa Ana?

Leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 108 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

US-101 South in Los Angeles (20 miles) · I-5 South in Orange County (15 miles) · I-5 South in Los Angeles (13 miles)

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

More drives

Santa Ana to Encino (return trip) · Encino to Los Angeles · Encino to Riverside · Encino to Irvine · Encino to San Bernardino · Encino to Fontana · Encino to Oxnard · Encino to Rancho Cucamonga · Encino to Hollywood · Encino to Corona · Encino to Lancaster · Encino to Valencia

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	46	53	65	63	55	53	55	58	61	65	84	96	90	77	63	52	47
Tue	45	54	72	69	56	54	56	57	59	68	96	102	93	82	69	55	46
Wed	45	53	74	68	58	54	55	55	57	65	73	85	85	72	65	56	47
Thu	45	53	70	68	56	56	59	59	63	71	95	108	101	83	66	56	48
Fri	45	51	62	61	56	55	58	62	67	86	102	101	101	85	67	57	47
Sat	46	47	48	50	52	54	57	59	63	67	70	66	66	60	57	56	48
Sun	46	46	46	47	48	52	54	58	58	61	62	67	63	62	58	58	49

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	46	53	65	63	55	53	55	58	61	65	84	96	90	77	63	52	47
Tue	45	54	72	69	56	54	56	57	59	68	96	102	93	82	69	55	46
Wed	45	53	74	68	58	54	55	55	57	65	73	85	85	72	65	56	47
Thu	45	53	70	68	56	56	59	59	63	71	95	108	101	83	66	56	48
Fri	45	51	62	61	56	55	58	62	67	86	102	101	101	85	67	57	47
Sat	46	47	48	50	52	54	57	59	63	67	70	66	66	60	57	56	48
Sun	46	46	46	47	48	52	54	58	58	61	62	67	63	62	58	58	49

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	46	53	65	63	55	53	55	58	61	65	84	96	90	77	63	52	47
Tue	45	54	72	69	56	54	56	57	59	68	96	102	93	82	69	55	46
Wed	45	53	74	68	58	54	55	55	57	65	73	85	85	72	65	56	47
Thu	45	53	70	68	56	56	59	59	63	71	95	108	101	83	66	56	48
Fri	45	51	62	61	56	55	58	62	67	86	102	101	101	85	67	57	47
Sat	46	47	48	50	52	54	57	59	63	67	70	66	66	60	57	56	48
Sun	46	46	46	47	48	52	54	58	58	61	62	67	63	62	58	58	49