Best Time to Drive from Santa Ana to Simi Valley

Right now (5:03 pm PDT): about 96 minutes via I-5 North and SR-118 West, usually 95 at this time.

None 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 74-mile drive from Santa Ana to Simi Valley (via I-5 North and SR-118 West) usually takes as little as 67 minutes and up to 101 minutes, when leaving around 7:30 am on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 82 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1:30 pm on Saturdays (86 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: Simi Valley to Santa Ana

Freeway, about 70 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 3 miles: 5 to 8 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 Simi Valley (3rd Street) 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 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	67	80	95	99	92	84	81	80	80	84	90	92	90	82	71	68	67
Tue	67	83	99	101	94	85	81	79	79	81	89	95	95	85	75	69	67
Wed	67	82	98	99	95	87	81	79	80	83	92	96	94	87	76	71	67
Thu	68	82	98	99	94	87	83	81	80	84	92	98	95	87	77	71	67
Fri	67	79	90	93	90	86	85	85	87	91	99	98	95	89	78	72	68
Sat	67	68	69	70	75	78	82	84	85	85	85	84	82	79	76	72	68
Sun	67	67	67	67	69	73	77	79	82	83	83	80	78	77	76	76	69

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 Simi Valley?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 67 minutes then, versus up to 101 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Santa Ana to Simi Valley?

The 74-mile drive usually takes 67 to 101 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 82 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santa Ana to Simi Valley?

Leaving around 7:30 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 101 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

More drives

Simi Valley 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 Santa Clarita · Santa Ana to Van Nuys · Santa Ana to Torrance · Santa Ana to LAX

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	67	80	95	99	92	84	81	80	80	84	90	92	90	82	71	68	67
Tue	67	83	99	101	94	85	81	79	79	81	89	95	95	85	75	69	67
Wed	67	82	98	99	95	87	81	79	80	83	92	96	94	87	76	71	67
Thu	68	82	98	99	94	87	83	81	80	84	92	98	95	87	77	71	67
Fri	67	79	90	93	90	86	85	85	87	91	99	98	95	89	78	72	68
Sat	67	68	69	70	75	78	82	84	85	85	85	84	82	79	76	72	68
Sun	67	67	67	67	69	73	77	79	82	83	83	80	78	77	76	76	69

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	67	80	95	99	92	84	81	80	80	84	90	92	90	82	71	68	67
Tue	67	83	99	101	94	85	81	79	79	81	89	95	95	85	75	69	67
Wed	67	82	98	99	95	87	81	79	80	83	92	96	94	87	76	71	67
Thu	68	82	98	99	94	87	83	81	80	84	92	98	95	87	77	71	67
Fri	67	79	90	93	90	86	85	85	87	91	99	98	95	89	78	72	68
Sat	67	68	69	70	75	78	82	84	85	85	85	84	82	79	76	72	68
Sun	67	67	67	67	69	73	77	79	82	83	83	80	78	77	76	76	69

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	67	80	95	99	92	84	81	80	80	84	90	92	90	82	71	68	67
Tue	67	83	99	101	94	85	81	79	79	81	89	95	95	85	75	69	67
Wed	67	82	98	99	95	87	81	79	80	83	92	96	94	87	76	71	67
Thu	68	82	98	99	94	87	83	81	80	84	92	98	95	87	77	71	67
Fri	67	79	90	93	90	86	85	85	87	91	99	98	95	89	78	72	68
Sat	67	68	69	70	75	78	82	84	85	85	85	84	82	79	76	72	68
Sun	67	67	67	67	69	73	77	79	82	83	83	80	78	77	76	76	69