Best Time to Drive from Pasadena to Simi Valley

Right now (7:48 pm PDT): about 44 minutes via SR-118 West and I-5 North, usually 42 at this time.

Only 12% 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 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	41	41	43	46	51	50	47	47	45	46	48	55	58	49	44	42	40
Tue	41	41	43	47	54	52	48	46	45	45	48	60	64	51	45	44	42
Wed	40	42	42	46	51	50	48	47	46	45	49	64	66	53	47	44	41
Thu	41	43	43	48	51	51	48	47	45	47	52	67	67	53	46	44	41
Fri	40	43	44	46	48	47	48	47	47	47	50	56	51	47	45	44	41
Sat	40	40	41	41	42	43	45	46	45	47	47	45	45	45	46	44	42
Sun	40	40	40	40	40	41	41	42	43	44	44	45	44	45	46	46	42

About this drive

On weekdays the 43-mile drive from Pasadena to Simi Valley (via SR-118 West and I-5 North) usually takes as little as 40 minutes and up to 69 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7:30 am or after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 46 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2 pm on Saturdays (47 minutes).

About 40 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 3 miles surface streets (4 to 7 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 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 Pasadena to Simi Valley?

On weekdays, leave before 7:30 am or after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 40 minutes then, versus up to 69 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 43-mile drive usually takes 40 to 69 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 46 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Pasadena to Simi Valley?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 69 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

SR-118 West in Los Angeles (20 miles) · I-5 North in Los Angeles (13 miles) · SR-134 West in Los Angeles (7 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Simi Valley 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	41	41	43	46	51	50	47	47	45	46	48	55	58	49	44	42	40
Tue	41	41	43	47	54	52	48	46	45	45	48	60	64	51	45	44	42
Wed	40	42	42	46	51	50	48	47	46	45	49	64	66	53	47	44	41
Thu	41	43	43	48	51	51	48	47	45	47	52	67	67	53	46	44	41
Fri	40	43	44	46	48	47	48	47	47	47	50	56	51	47	45	44	41
Sat	40	40	41	41	42	43	45	46	45	47	47	45	45	45	46	44	42
Sun	40	40	40	40	40	41	41	42	43	44	44	45	44	45	46	46	42

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	41	41	43	46	51	50	47	47	45	46	48	55	58	49	44	42	40
Tue	41	41	43	47	54	52	48	46	45	45	48	60	64	51	45	44	42
Wed	40	42	42	46	51	50	48	47	46	45	49	64	66	53	47	44	41
Thu	41	43	43	48	51	51	48	47	45	47	52	67	67	53	46	44	41
Fri	40	43	44	46	48	47	48	47	47	47	50	56	51	47	45	44	41
Sat	40	40	41	41	42	43	45	46	45	47	47	45	45	45	46	44	42
Sun	40	40	40	40	40	41	41	42	43	44	44	45	44	45	46	46	42

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	41	41	43	46	51	50	47	47	45	46	48	55	58	49	44	42	40
Tue	41	41	43	47	54	52	48	46	45	45	48	60	64	51	45	44	42
Wed	40	42	42	46	51	50	48	47	46	45	49	64	66	53	47	44	41
Thu	41	43	43	48	51	51	48	47	45	47	52	67	67	53	46	44	41
Fri	40	43	44	46	48	47	48	47	47	47	50	56	51	47	45	44	41
Sat	40	40	41	41	42	43	45	46	45	47	47	45	45	45	46	44	42
Sun	40	40	40	40	40	41	41	42	43	44	44	45	44	45	46	46	42