Best Time to Drive from LAX to Santa Barbara

Right now (10:35 pm PST): about 104 minutes via US-101 North and I-405 North.

Only 17% 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 LAX to Santa Barbara 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	105	119	118	117	116	120	122	121	126	141	152	151	140	120	109	105	103
Tue	105	126	126	122	122	123	124	124	129	150	162	160	147	128	115	107	103
Wed	105	127	128	125	123	122	125	125	132	153	164	166	155	137	118	114	105
Thu	105	127	127	123	123	124	127	127	131	150	161	167	153	134	119	114	105
Fri	105	125	122	122	126	130	136	135	147	167	163	153	137	121	116	111	104
Sat	104	104	106	108	118	133	134	131	132	128	126	127	123	118	117	112	105
Sun	103	103	104	105	107	117	123	127	128	125	124	118	114	113	111	108	104

About this drive

On weekdays the 96-mile drive from LAX to Santa Barbara (via US-101 North and I-405 North) usually takes as little as 103 minutes and up to 168 minutes, when leaving around 3:30 pm on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 5:30 am or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 133 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 11 am on Saturdays (134 minutes).

About 67 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 29 miles surface streets (44 to 65 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to central Santa Barbara (Anacapa 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 LAX to Santa Barbara?

On weekdays, leave before 5:30 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 103 minutes then, versus up to 168 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from LAX to Santa Barbara?

The 96-mile drive usually takes 103 to 168 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 133 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from LAX to Santa Barbara?

Leaving around 3:30 pm on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 168 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

US-101 North in Los Angeles (42 miles) · I-405 North in Los Angeles (13 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

LAX to Santa Barbara over Thanksgiving: when to leave →

More drives

Santa Barbara to LAX (return trip) · LAX to Los Angeles · LAX to Pasadena · LAX to Long Beach · LAX to West Covina · LAX to Burbank · LAX to Glendale · LAX to Santa Clarita · LAX to Van Nuys · LAX to El Monte · LAX to Downey · LAX to Whittier

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	105	119	118	117	116	120	122	121	126	141	152	151	140	120	109	105	103
Tue	105	126	126	122	122	123	124	124	129	150	162	160	147	128	115	107	103
Wed	105	127	128	125	123	122	125	125	132	153	164	166	155	137	118	114	105
Thu	105	127	127	123	123	124	127	127	131	150	161	167	153	134	119	114	105
Fri	105	125	122	122	126	130	136	135	147	167	163	153	137	121	116	111	104
Sat	104	104	106	108	118	133	134	131	132	128	126	127	123	118	117	112	105
Sun	103	103	104	105	107	117	123	127	128	125	124	118	114	113	111	108	104

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	105	119	118	117	116	120	122	121	126	141	152	151	140	120	109	105	103
Tue	105	126	126	122	122	123	124	124	129	150	162	160	147	128	115	107	103
Wed	105	127	128	125	123	122	125	125	132	153	164	166	155	137	118	114	105
Thu	105	127	127	123	123	124	127	127	131	150	161	167	153	134	119	114	105
Fri	105	125	122	122	126	130	136	135	147	167	163	153	137	121	116	111	104
Sat	104	104	106	108	118	133	134	131	132	128	126	127	123	118	117	112	105
Sun	103	103	104	105	107	117	123	127	128	125	124	118	114	113	111	108	104

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	105	119	118	117	116	120	122	121	126	141	152	151	140	120	109	105	103
Tue	105	126	126	122	122	123	124	124	129	150	162	160	147	128	115	107	103
Wed	105	127	128	125	123	122	125	125	132	153	164	166	155	137	118	114	105
Thu	105	127	127	123	123	124	127	127	131	150	161	167	153	134	119	114	105
Fri	105	125	122	122	126	130	136	135	147	167	163	153	137	121	116	111	104
Sat	104	104	106	108	118	133	134	131	132	128	126	127	123	118	117	112	105
Sun	103	103	104	105	107	117	123	127	128	125	124	118	114	113	111	108	104