Best Time to Drive from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara

Right now (9:48 pm PDT): about 101 minutes via US-101 North, usually 99 at this time.

Only 18% 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	122	127	130	130	130	144	144	145	134	114	105	105	101
Tue	99	109	122	119	114	123	123	122	125	145	158	162	146	122	110	104	100
Wed	99	110	126	120	113	121	134	128	129	139	158	160	143	123	107	106	101
Thu	99	112	122	119	116	125	134	131	138	149	206	190	159	131	111	109	103
Fri	99	109	118	117	123	134	146	148	153	180	200	177	149	123	112	108	101
Sat	100	102	103	107	116	136	150	151	143	148	146	148	133	113	111	108	101
Sun	99	100	99	101	106	125	146	141	135	133	128	127	116	111	110	111	105

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 am or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 137 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12 pm on Saturdays (151 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 101 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 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 137 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

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	122	127	130	130	130	144	144	145	134	114	105	105	101
Tue	99	109	122	119	114	123	123	122	125	145	158	162	146	122	110	104	100
Wed	99	110	126	120	113	121	134	128	129	139	158	160	143	123	107	106	101
Thu	99	112	122	119	116	125	134	131	138	149	206	190	159	131	111	109	103
Fri	99	109	118	117	123	134	146	148	153	180	200	177	149	123	112	108	101
Sat	100	102	103	107	116	136	150	151	143	148	146	148	133	113	111	108	101
Sun	99	100	99	101	106	125	146	141	135	133	128	127	116	111	110	111	105

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	99	109	119	113	122	127	130	130	130	144	144	145	134	114	105	105	101
Tue	99	109	122	119	114	123	123	122	125	145	158	162	146	122	110	104	100
Wed	99	110	126	120	113	121	134	128	129	139	158	160	143	123	107	106	101
Thu	99	112	122	119	116	125	134	131	138	149	206	190	159	131	111	109	103
Fri	99	109	118	117	123	134	146	148	153	180	200	177	149	123	112	108	101
Sat	100	102	103	107	116	136	150	151	143	148	146	148	133	113	111	108	101
Sun	99	100	99	101	106	125	146	141	135	133	128	127	116	111	110	111	105

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	99	109	119	113	122	127	130	130	130	144	144	145	134	114	105	105	101
Tue	99	109	122	119	114	123	123	122	125	145	158	162	146	122	110	104	100
Wed	99	110	126	120	113	121	134	128	129	139	158	160	143	123	107	106	101
Thu	99	112	122	119	116	125	134	131	138	149	206	190	159	131	111	109	103
Fri	99	109	118	117	123	134	146	148	153	180	200	177	149	123	112	108	101
Sat	100	102	103	107	116	136	150	151	143	148	146	148	133	113	111	108	101
Sun	99	100	99	101	106	125	146	141	135	133	128	127	116	111	110	111	105