Best Time to Drive from LAX to Simi Valley

Right now (3:20 pm PST): about 61 minutes via I-405 North and SR-118 West, usually 60 at this time.

Only 2% 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 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	43	49	50	52	51	52	52	53	57	76	109	118	106	79	53	46	44
Tue	44	51	56	58	58	57	57	57	61	82	119	128	111	84	60	47	44
Wed	43	51	56	59	58	57	58	58	65	82	120	133	121	95	64	49	45
Thu	45	55	56	60	57	56	57	59	62	74	109	127	113	86	62	50	45
Fri	43	56	58	62	57	59	56	59	67	88	109	113	96	72	53	48	45
Sat	44	44	45	46	51	58	59	59	60	59	59	62	60	53	54	50	45
Sun	43	43	44	44	45	50	53	56	57	57	57	54	53	52	51	48	45

About this drive

On weekdays the 45-mile drive from LAX to Simi Valley (via I-405 North and SR-118 West) usually takes as little as 43 minutes and up to 133 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 8:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 63 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4 pm on Saturdays (62 minutes).

About 39 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 5 miles surface streets (9 to 15 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 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 LAX to Simi Valley?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 43 minutes then, versus up to 133 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 45-mile drive usually takes 43 to 133 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 63 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from LAX to Simi Valley?

Leaving around 4 pm on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 133 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-405 North in Los Angeles (21 miles) · SR-118 West in Los Angeles (18 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

LAX to Simi Valley over Thanksgiving: when to leave →

More drives

Simi Valley 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	43	49	50	52	51	52	52	53	57	76	109	118	106	79	53	46	44
Tue	44	51	56	58	58	57	57	57	61	82	119	128	111	84	60	47	44
Wed	43	51	56	59	58	57	58	58	65	82	120	133	121	95	64	49	45
Thu	45	55	56	60	57	56	57	59	62	74	109	127	113	86	62	50	45
Fri	43	56	58	62	57	59	56	59	67	88	109	113	96	72	53	48	45
Sat	44	44	45	46	51	58	59	59	60	59	59	62	60	53	54	50	45
Sun	43	43	44	44	45	50	53	56	57	57	57	54	53	52	51	48	45

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	43	49	50	52	51	52	52	53	57	76	109	118	106	79	53	46	44
Tue	44	51	56	58	58	57	57	57	61	82	119	128	111	84	60	47	44
Wed	43	51	56	59	58	57	58	58	65	82	120	133	121	95	64	49	45
Thu	45	55	56	60	57	56	57	59	62	74	109	127	113	86	62	50	45
Fri	43	56	58	62	57	59	56	59	67	88	109	113	96	72	53	48	45
Sat	44	44	45	46	51	58	59	59	60	59	59	62	60	53	54	50	45
Sun	43	43	44	44	45	50	53	56	57	57	57	54	53	52	51	48	45

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	43	49	50	52	51	52	52	53	57	76	109	118	106	79	53	46	44
Tue	44	51	56	58	58	57	57	57	61	82	119	128	111	84	60	47	44
Wed	43	51	56	59	58	57	58	58	65	82	120	133	121	95	64	49	45
Thu	45	55	56	60	57	56	57	59	62	74	109	127	113	86	62	50	45
Fri	43	56	58	62	57	59	56	59	67	88	109	113	96	72	53	48	45
Sat	44	44	45	46	51	58	59	59	60	59	59	62	60	53	54	50	45
Sun	43	43	44	44	45	50	53	56	57	57	57	54	53	52	51	48	45