Best Time to Drive from Santa Ana to Santa Clarita

Right now (8:32 am PDT): about 90 minutes via I-5 North, usually 90 at this time.

Only 10% 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.

On weekdays the 65-mile drive from Santa Ana to Santa Clarita (via I-5 North) usually takes as little as 61 minutes and up to 100 minutes, when leaving around 3:30 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 76 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1:30 pm on Saturdays (81 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: Santa Clarita to Santa Ana

Freeway, about 59 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 6 miles: 9 to 13 minutes on weekdays, estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time (we don't have street sensors yet). Drive times are measured from central Santa Ana (Main Street) to central Santa Clarita (Newhall Avenue) along the route shown. Starting or ending elsewhere in a big city can add or save several minutes.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from Santa Ana to Santa Clarita 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	61	73	86	91	85	78	75	74	74	78	85	88	86	78	67	63	61
Tue	61	76	90	93	87	79	74	73	73	76	84	89	90	81	70	63	62
Wed	61	75	89	92	88	80	75	74	74	77	86	92	89	83	72	66	61
Thu	61	75	90	92	88	81	77	75	74	79	87	94	90	81	71	65	61
Fri	61	72	83	86	84	81	80	80	83	89	98	99	94	85	73	66	62
Sat	61	63	64	65	70	75	79	81	81	81	80	79	77	73	69	66	62
Sun	60	60	61	61	63	68	72	75	78	79	79	76	75	73	73	72	62

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 Santa Ana to Santa Clarita?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 61 minutes then, versus up to 100 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Santa Ana to Santa Clarita?

The 65-mile drive usually takes 61 to 100 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 76 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santa Ana to Santa Clarita?

Leaving around 3:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 100 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

Freeways on this drive

I-5 North in Los Angeles (40 miles) · I-5 North in Orange County (19 miles)

Orange County traffic right now · Orange County traffic tomorrow · Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Santa Clarita to Santa Ana (return trip) · Santa Ana to Los Angeles · Santa Ana to Santa Monica · Santa Ana to Pasadena · Santa Ana to Long Beach · Santa Ana to West Covina · Santa Ana to Burbank · Santa Ana to Glendale · Santa Ana to Van Nuys · Santa Ana to Torrance · Santa Ana to LAX · Santa Ana to Hollywood

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	61	73	86	91	85	78	75	74	74	78	85	88	86	78	67	63	61
Tue	61	76	90	93	87	79	74	73	73	76	84	89	90	81	70	63	62
Wed	61	75	89	92	88	80	75	74	74	77	86	92	89	83	72	66	61
Thu	61	75	90	92	88	81	77	75	74	79	87	94	90	81	71	65	61
Fri	61	72	83	86	84	81	80	80	83	89	98	99	94	85	73	66	62
Sat	61	63	64	65	70	75	79	81	81	81	80	79	77	73	69	66	62
Sun	60	60	61	61	63	68	72	75	78	79	79	76	75	73	73	72	62

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	61	73	86	91	85	78	75	74	74	78	85	88	86	78	67	63	61
Tue	61	76	90	93	87	79	74	73	73	76	84	89	90	81	70	63	62
Wed	61	75	89	92	88	80	75	74	74	77	86	92	89	83	72	66	61
Thu	61	75	90	92	88	81	77	75	74	79	87	94	90	81	71	65	61
Fri	61	72	83	86	84	81	80	80	83	89	98	99	94	85	73	66	62
Sat	61	63	64	65	70	75	79	81	81	81	80	79	77	73	69	66	62
Sun	60	60	61	61	63	68	72	75	78	79	79	76	75	73	73	72	62

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	61	73	86	91	85	78	75	74	74	78	85	88	86	78	67	63	61
Tue	61	76	90	93	87	79	74	73	73	76	84	89	90	81	70	63	62
Wed	61	75	89	92	88	80	75	74	74	77	86	92	89	83	72	66	61
Thu	61	75	90	92	88	81	77	75	74	79	87	94	90	81	71	65	61
Fri	61	72	83	86	84	81	80	80	83	89	98	99	94	85	73	66	62
Sat	61	63	64	65	70	75	79	81	81	81	80	79	77	73	69	66	62
Sun	60	60	61	61	63	68	72	75	78	79	79	76	75	73	73	72	62