Best Time to Drive from Santa Barbara to Pasadena

Right now (9:48 pm PDT): about 105 minutes via US-101 South, usually 102 at this time.

Only 20% 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 Pasadena 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	102	104	111	116	113	115	127	133	142	164	169	174	158	133	109	103	103
Tue	101	103	116	118	116	113	116	124	153	172	169	176	156	135	114	105	104
Wed	102	104	112	120	123	115	118	128	150	160	182	175	155	133	116	106	102
Thu	102	104	115	123	122	118	123	135	161	179	192	181	172	146	124	108	103
Fri	102	104	112	118	117	125	144	155	174	183	187	199	182	144	118	105	102
Sat	102	102	103	104	112	119	134	150	152	150	146	137	128	119	110	106	101
Sun	102	101	102	103	105	108	121	134	136	146	140	135	126	115	111	106	101

About this drive

On weekdays the 98-mile drive from Santa Barbara to Pasadena (via US-101 South) usually takes as little as 101 minutes and up to 199 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 7 am or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 147 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12:30 pm on Saturdays (157 minutes).

About 72 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 26 miles surface streets (38 to 76 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Santa Barbara (Anacapa Street) to Old Pasadena (East Holly 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 Santa Barbara to Pasadena?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 101 minutes then, versus up to 199 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 98-mile drive usually takes 101 to 199 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 147 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santa Barbara to Pasadena?

Leaving around 4 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 199 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

US-101 South in Los Angeles (46 miles) · SR-134 East in Los Angeles (12 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Pasadena to Santa Barbara (return trip) · Santa Barbara to LAX · Santa Barbara to Los Angeles · Santa Barbara to Santa Monica · 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 · Santa Barbara to Torrance

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	102	104	111	116	113	115	127	133	142	164	169	174	158	133	109	103	103
Tue	101	103	116	118	116	113	116	124	153	172	169	176	156	135	114	105	104
Wed	102	104	112	120	123	115	118	128	150	160	182	175	155	133	116	106	102
Thu	102	104	115	123	122	118	123	135	161	179	192	181	172	146	124	108	103
Fri	102	104	112	118	117	125	144	155	174	183	187	199	182	144	118	105	102
Sat	102	102	103	104	112	119	134	150	152	150	146	137	128	119	110	106	101
Sun	102	101	102	103	105	108	121	134	136	146	140	135	126	115	111	106	101

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	102	104	111	116	113	115	127	133	142	164	169	174	158	133	109	103	103
Tue	101	103	116	118	116	113	116	124	153	172	169	176	156	135	114	105	104
Wed	102	104	112	120	123	115	118	128	150	160	182	175	155	133	116	106	102
Thu	102	104	115	123	122	118	123	135	161	179	192	181	172	146	124	108	103
Fri	102	104	112	118	117	125	144	155	174	183	187	199	182	144	118	105	102
Sat	102	102	103	104	112	119	134	150	152	150	146	137	128	119	110	106	101
Sun	102	101	102	103	105	108	121	134	136	146	140	135	126	115	111	106	101

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	102	104	111	116	113	115	127	133	142	164	169	174	158	133	109	103	103
Tue	101	103	116	118	116	113	116	124	153	172	169	176	156	135	114	105	104
Wed	102	104	112	120	123	115	118	128	150	160	182	175	155	133	116	106	102
Thu	102	104	115	123	122	118	123	135	161	179	192	181	172	146	124	108	103
Fri	102	104	112	118	117	125	144	155	174	183	187	199	182	144	118	105	102
Sat	102	102	103	104	112	119	134	150	152	150	146	137	128	119	110	106	101
Sun	102	101	102	103	105	108	121	134	136	146	140	135	126	115	111	106	101