Best Time to Drive from Santa Barbara to Northridge

Right now (7:05 pm PDT): about 76 minutes via US-101 South, usually 73 at this time.

Only 23% 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 Santa Barbara to Northridge 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	70	71	72	74	75	75	77	80	79	80	90	96	94	79	72	72	71
Tue	70	72	72	74	74	74	75	76	77	78	87	94	91	80	72	71	72
Wed	70	71	72	74	75	75	76	77	79	80	84	92	90	77	73	72	71
Thu	71	71	72	75	75	75	76	78	78	78	86	98	96	82	75	72	71
Fri	71	71	72	74	75	77	80	81	83	85	88	98	94	80	74	72	71
Sat	70	71	71	71	72	73	76	80	81	78	83	80	77	74	73	73	70
Sun	70	71	70	70	72	73	78	83	88	91	90	84	80	75	74	73	70

About this drive

On weekdays the 78-mile drive from Santa Barbara to Northridge (via US-101 South) usually takes as little as 70 minutes and up to 99 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 11:30 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 79 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2:30 pm on Sundays (93 minutes).

About 72 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 6 miles surface streets (7 to 10 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Santa Barbara to central Northridge 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 Santa Barbara to Northridge?

On weekdays, leave before 11:30 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 70 minutes then, versus up to 99 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 78-mile drive usually takes 70 to 99 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 79 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santa Barbara to Northridge?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 99 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

US-101 South in Los Angeles (48 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Northridge to Santa Barbara (return trip) · Santa Barbara to LAX · Santa Barbara to Los Angeles · Santa Barbara to Santa Monica · Santa Barbara to Pasadena · Santa Barbara to Van Nuys · Santa Barbara to Irvine · Santa Barbara to Thousand Oaks · Santa Barbara to Oxnard · Santa Barbara to Ventura · Santa Barbara to Simi Valley · Santa Barbara to Porter Ranch

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	70	71	72	74	75	75	77	80	79	80	90	96	94	79	72	72	71
Tue	70	72	72	74	74	74	75	76	77	78	87	94	91	80	72	71	72
Wed	70	71	72	74	75	75	76	77	79	80	84	92	90	77	73	72	71
Thu	71	71	72	75	75	75	76	78	78	78	86	98	96	82	75	72	71
Fri	71	71	72	74	75	77	80	81	83	85	88	98	94	80	74	72	71
Sat	70	71	71	71	72	73	76	80	81	78	83	80	77	74	73	73	70
Sun	70	71	70	70	72	73	78	83	88	91	90	84	80	75	74	73	70

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	70	71	72	74	75	75	77	80	79	80	90	96	94	79	72	72	71
Tue	70	72	72	74	74	74	75	76	77	78	87	94	91	80	72	71	72
Wed	70	71	72	74	75	75	76	77	79	80	84	92	90	77	73	72	71
Thu	71	71	72	75	75	75	76	78	78	78	86	98	96	82	75	72	71
Fri	71	71	72	74	75	77	80	81	83	85	88	98	94	80	74	72	71
Sat	70	71	71	71	72	73	76	80	81	78	83	80	77	74	73	73	70
Sun	70	71	70	70	72	73	78	83	88	91	90	84	80	75	74	73	70

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	70	71	72	74	75	75	77	80	79	80	90	96	94	79	72	72	71
Tue	70	72	72	74	74	74	75	76	77	78	87	94	91	80	72	71	72
Wed	70	71	72	74	75	75	76	77	79	80	84	92	90	77	73	72	71
Thu	71	71	72	75	75	75	76	78	78	78	86	98	96	82	75	72	71
Fri	71	71	72	74	75	77	80	81	83	85	88	98	94	80	74	72	71
Sat	70	71	71	71	72	73	76	80	81	78	83	80	77	74	73	73	70
Sun	70	71	70	70	72	73	78	83	88	91	90	84	80	75	74	73	70