Best Time to Drive from Pasadena to Santa Barbara

Right now (10:35 pm PST): about 103 minutes via US-101 North.

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 Pasadena 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	103	111	117	132	133	134	125	120	121	129	129	139	123	113	104	103	102
Tue	103	112	120	136	140	130	123	118	116	123	137	150	132	117	105	103	102
Wed	103	113	123	133	138	129	124	123	120	126	144	149	134	121	111	103	103
Thu	103	114	123	137	139	134	131	127	125	136	147	151	136	122	109	106	104
Fri	102	108	115	124	131	135	150	143	155	162	156	153	138	125	120	106	102
Sat	102	102	103	105	110	123	134	138	135	139	134	128	127	114	112	104	102
Sun	101	102	102	103	104	113	119	124	131	126	124	118	112	111	107	104	102

About this drive

On weekdays the 98-mile drive from Pasadena to Santa Barbara (via US-101 North) usually takes as little as 102 minutes and up to 162 minutes, when leaving around 2 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 7 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 129 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12:30 pm on Saturdays (140 minutes).

About 72 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 26 miles surface streets (39 to 85 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from Old Pasadena (East Holly 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 Pasadena to Santa Barbara?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 102 minutes then, versus up to 162 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 98-mile drive usually takes 102 to 162 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 129 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Pasadena to Santa Barbara?

Leaving around 2 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 162 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

US-101 North in Los Angeles (46 miles) · SR-134 West in Los Angeles (13 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

Pasadena to Santa Barbara over Thanksgiving: when to leave →

More drives

Santa Barbara to Pasadena (return trip) · Pasadena to Santa Monica · Pasadena to Long Beach · Pasadena to West Covina · Pasadena to Burbank · Pasadena to Santa Clarita · Pasadena to Van Nuys · Pasadena to Torrance · Pasadena to Hollywood · Pasadena to Culver City · Pasadena to Whittier · Pasadena to Thousand Oaks

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	103	111	117	132	133	134	125	120	121	129	129	139	123	113	104	103	102
Tue	103	112	120	136	140	130	123	118	116	123	137	150	132	117	105	103	102
Wed	103	113	123	133	138	129	124	123	120	126	144	149	134	121	111	103	103
Thu	103	114	123	137	139	134	131	127	125	136	147	151	136	122	109	106	104
Fri	102	108	115	124	131	135	150	143	155	162	156	153	138	125	120	106	102
Sat	102	102	103	105	110	123	134	138	135	139	134	128	127	114	112	104	102
Sun	101	102	102	103	104	113	119	124	131	126	124	118	112	111	107	104	102

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	103	111	117	132	133	134	125	120	121	129	129	139	123	113	104	103	102
Tue	103	112	120	136	140	130	123	118	116	123	137	150	132	117	105	103	102
Wed	103	113	123	133	138	129	124	123	120	126	144	149	134	121	111	103	103
Thu	103	114	123	137	139	134	131	127	125	136	147	151	136	122	109	106	104
Fri	102	108	115	124	131	135	150	143	155	162	156	153	138	125	120	106	102
Sat	102	102	103	105	110	123	134	138	135	139	134	128	127	114	112	104	102
Sun	101	102	102	103	104	113	119	124	131	126	124	118	112	111	107	104	102

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	103	111	117	132	133	134	125	120	121	129	129	139	123	113	104	103	102
Tue	103	112	120	136	140	130	123	118	116	123	137	150	132	117	105	103	102
Wed	103	113	123	133	138	129	124	123	120	126	144	149	134	121	111	103	103
Thu	103	114	123	137	139	134	131	127	125	136	147	151	136	122	109	106	104
Fri	102	108	115	124	131	135	150	143	155	162	156	153	138	125	120	106	102
Sat	102	102	103	105	110	123	134	138	135	139	134	128	127	114	112	104	102
Sun	101	102	102	103	104	113	119	124	131	126	124	118	112	111	107	104	102