Best Time to Drive from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara

Right now (10:50 pm PST): about 101 minutes via US-101 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 Los Angeles 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	99	109	119	113	117	122	128	128	128	142	142	143	132	117	107	107	101
Tue	99	109	121	118	113	120	121	123	125	143	158	161	147	125	112	105	100
Wed	100	109	127	120	113	119	129	126	128	137	154	160	144	123	107	105	100
Thu	99	111	123	120	114	121	132	129	135	148	190	190	157	129	112	109	103
Fri	99	106	119	117	123	134	144	147	150	173	202	175	151	124	113	109	102
Sat	100	101	102	106	113	131	144	146	141	138	141	143	132	114	112	111	102
Sun	99	100	99	101	105	122	142	140	134	133	128	127	117	112	111	110	104

About this drive

On weekdays the 95-mile drive from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara (via US-101 North) usually takes as little as 99 minutes and up to 209 minutes, when leaving around 2:30 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 135 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12 pm on Saturdays (146 minutes).

About 70 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 25 miles surface streets (38 to 96 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from Downtown LA (City Hall) (West 1st Street) 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 Los Angeles to Santa Barbara?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 99 minutes then, versus up to 209 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara?

The 95-mile drive usually takes 99 to 209 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 135 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara?

Leaving around 2:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 209 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

US-101 North in Los Angeles (58 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

Los Angeles to Santa Barbara over Thanksgiving: when to leave →

More drives

Santa Barbara to Los Angeles (return trip) · Los Angeles to Santa Monica · Los Angeles to Long Beach · Los Angeles to West Covina · Los Angeles to Burbank · Los Angeles to Glendale · Los Angeles to Santa Clarita · Los Angeles to Van Nuys · Los Angeles to Torrance · Los Angeles to Hollywood · Los Angeles to Culver City · Los Angeles to El Monte

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	99	109	119	113	117	122	128	128	128	142	142	143	132	117	107	107	101
Tue	99	109	121	118	113	120	121	123	125	143	158	161	147	125	112	105	100
Wed	100	109	127	120	113	119	129	126	128	137	154	160	144	123	107	105	100
Thu	99	111	123	120	114	121	132	129	135	148	190	190	157	129	112	109	103
Fri	99	106	119	117	123	134	144	147	150	173	202	175	151	124	113	109	102
Sat	100	101	102	106	113	131	144	146	141	138	141	143	132	114	112	111	102
Sun	99	100	99	101	105	122	142	140	134	133	128	127	117	112	111	110	104

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	99	109	119	113	117	122	128	128	128	142	142	143	132	117	107	107	101
Tue	99	109	121	118	113	120	121	123	125	143	158	161	147	125	112	105	100
Wed	100	109	127	120	113	119	129	126	128	137	154	160	144	123	107	105	100
Thu	99	111	123	120	114	121	132	129	135	148	190	190	157	129	112	109	103
Fri	99	106	119	117	123	134	144	147	150	173	202	175	151	124	113	109	102
Sat	100	101	102	106	113	131	144	146	141	138	141	143	132	114	112	111	102
Sun	99	100	99	101	105	122	142	140	134	133	128	127	117	112	111	110	104

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	99	109	119	113	117	122	128	128	128	142	142	143	132	117	107	107	101
Tue	99	109	121	118	113	120	121	123	125	143	158	161	147	125	112	105	100
Wed	100	109	127	120	113	119	129	126	128	137	154	160	144	123	107	105	100
Thu	99	111	123	120	114	121	132	129	135	148	190	190	157	129	112	109	103
Fri	99	106	119	117	123	134	144	147	150	173	202	175	151	124	113	109	102
Sat	100	101	102	106	113	131	144	146	141	138	141	143	132	114	112	111	102
Sun	99	100	99	101	105	122	142	140	134	133	128	127	117	112	111	110	104