Best Time to Drive from Irvine to Santa Paula

Right now (5:20 pm PST): about 147 minutes via I-5 North, usually 150 at this time.

Only 25% 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 Irvine to Santa Paula 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	109	140	149	153	148	141	140	141	146	150	161	163	154	141	121	112	109
Tue	110	139	151	155	153	142	136	134	140	148	166	176	167	152	128	114	109
Wed	109	134	143	147	149	140	135	135	142	149	166	171	164	154	132	112	107
Thu	110	136	153	156	151	144	145	143	144	157	182	187	173	155	142	116	107
Fri	109	132	138	143	149	147	151	156	157	161	171	167	164	158	138	118	108
Sat	106	109	112	116	130	148	148	145	150	147	146	146	143	144	137	117	110
Sun	105	106	106	106	112	131	155	173	175	176	156	146	151	149	140	121	108

About this drive

On weekdays the 109-mile drive from Irvine to Santa Paula (via I-5 North) usually takes as little as 107 minutes and up to 187 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 5:30 am or after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 145 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1:30 pm on Sundays (180 minutes).

About 82 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 27 miles surface streets (32 to 61 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Irvine to central Santa Paula 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 Irvine to Santa Paula?

On weekdays, leave before 5:30 am or after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 107 minutes then, versus up to 187 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Irvine to Santa Paula?

The 109-mile drive usually takes 107 to 187 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 145 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Irvine to Santa Paula?

Leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 187 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 North in Los Angeles (48 miles) · I-5 North in Orange County (22 miles) · I-405 North in Orange County (5 miles) · SR-55 North in Orange County (4 miles) · I-405 South in Orange County (2 miles)

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

More drives

Irvine to Los Angeles · Irvine to Santa Monica · Irvine to Pasadena · Irvine to Long Beach · Irvine to West Covina · Irvine to Burbank · Irvine to Glendale · Irvine to Santa Clarita · Irvine to Van Nuys · Irvine to Torrance · Irvine to LAX · Irvine to Hollywood

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	109	140	149	153	148	141	140	141	146	150	161	163	154	141	121	112	109
Tue	110	139	151	155	153	142	136	134	140	148	166	176	167	152	128	114	109
Wed	109	134	143	147	149	140	135	135	142	149	166	171	164	154	132	112	107
Thu	110	136	153	156	151	144	145	143	144	157	182	187	173	155	142	116	107
Fri	109	132	138	143	149	147	151	156	157	161	171	167	164	158	138	118	108
Sat	106	109	112	116	130	148	148	145	150	147	146	146	143	144	137	117	110
Sun	105	106	106	106	112	131	155	173	175	176	156	146	151	149	140	121	108

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	109	140	149	153	148	141	140	141	146	150	161	163	154	141	121	112	109
Tue	110	139	151	155	153	142	136	134	140	148	166	176	167	152	128	114	109
Wed	109	134	143	147	149	140	135	135	142	149	166	171	164	154	132	112	107
Thu	110	136	153	156	151	144	145	143	144	157	182	187	173	155	142	116	107
Fri	109	132	138	143	149	147	151	156	157	161	171	167	164	158	138	118	108
Sat	106	109	112	116	130	148	148	145	150	147	146	146	143	144	137	117	110
Sun	105	106	106	106	112	131	155	173	175	176	156	146	151	149	140	121	108

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	109	140	149	153	148	141	140	141	146	150	161	163	154	141	121	112	109
Tue	110	139	151	155	153	142	136	134	140	148	166	176	167	152	128	114	109
Wed	109	134	143	147	149	140	135	135	142	149	166	171	164	154	132	112	107
Thu	110	136	153	156	151	144	145	143	144	157	182	187	173	155	142	116	107
Fri	109	132	138	143	149	147	151	156	157	161	171	167	164	158	138	118	108
Sat	106	109	112	116	130	148	148	145	150	147	146	146	143	144	137	117	110
Sun	105	106	106	106	112	131	155	173	175	176	156	146	151	149	140	121	108