Best Time to Drive from Los Angeles to Santa Paula

Right now (9:19 am PDT): about 77 minutes via I-5 North and US-101 North, usually 74 at this time.

Only 1% 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 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	69	73	72	71	75	76	81	80	80	86	88	90	96	94	77	74	72
Tue	69	71	72	77	72	79	76	73	74	83	89	110	136	131	97	81	74
Wed	69	71	71	70	69	73	81	73	73	75	104	103	110	99	78	71	68
Thu	68	70	74	84	81	83	88	85	89	92	156	194	151	120	95	84	70
Fri	69	72	72	71	73	102	96	122	114	151	190	174	148	132	101	84	74
Sat	71	70	73	71	73	90	118	130	115	119	115	132	116	86	78	80	70
Sun	69	69	69	69	69	77	114	139	159	159	139	101	83	85	81	77	73

About this drive

On weekdays the 65-mile drive from Los Angeles to Santa Paula (via I-5 North and US-101 North) usually takes as little as 68 minutes and up to 194 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 8 am or after 9 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 87 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2:30 pm on Sundays (161 minutes).

About 38 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 27 miles surface streets (36 to 116 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from Downtown LA (City Hall) 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 Los Angeles to Santa Paula?

On weekdays, leave before 8 am or after 9 pm. The drive usually takes about 68 minutes then, versus up to 194 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 65-mile drive usually takes 68 to 194 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 87 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Los Angeles to Santa Paula?

Leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 194 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 North in Los Angeles (19 miles) · US-101 North in Los Angeles (12 miles) · SR-170 North in Los Angeles (6 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Santa Paula 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	69	73	72	71	75	76	81	80	80	86	88	90	96	94	77	74	72
Tue	69	71	72	77	72	79	76	73	74	83	89	110	136	131	97	81	74
Wed	69	71	71	70	69	73	81	73	73	75	104	103	110	99	78	71	68
Thu	68	70	74	84	81	83	88	85	89	92	156	194	151	120	95	84	70
Fri	69	72	72	71	73	102	96	122	114	151	190	174	148	132	101	84	74
Sat	71	70	73	71	73	90	118	130	115	119	115	132	116	86	78	80	70
Sun	69	69	69	69	69	77	114	139	159	159	139	101	83	85	81	77	73

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	69	73	72	71	75	76	81	80	80	86	88	90	96	94	77	74	72
Tue	69	71	72	77	72	79	76	73	74	83	89	110	136	131	97	81	74
Wed	69	71	71	70	69	73	81	73	73	75	104	103	110	99	78	71	68
Thu	68	70	74	84	81	83	88	85	89	92	156	194	151	120	95	84	70
Fri	69	72	72	71	73	102	96	122	114	151	190	174	148	132	101	84	74
Sat	71	70	73	71	73	90	118	130	115	119	115	132	116	86	78	80	70
Sun	69	69	69	69	69	77	114	139	159	159	139	101	83	85	81	77	73

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	69	73	72	71	75	76	81	80	80	86	88	90	96	94	77	74	72
Tue	69	71	72	77	72	79	76	73	74	83	89	110	136	131	97	81	74
Wed	69	71	71	70	69	73	81	73	73	75	104	103	110	99	78	71	68
Thu	68	70	74	84	81	83	88	85	89	92	156	194	151	120	95	84	70
Fri	69	72	72	71	73	102	96	122	114	151	190	174	148	132	101	84	74
Sat	71	70	73	71	73	90	118	130	115	119	115	132	116	86	78	80	70
Sun	69	69	69	69	69	77	114	139	159	159	139	101	83	85	81	77	73