Best Time to Drive from Santa Barbara to Santa Clarita

Right now (7:09 pm PDT): about 115 minutes via US-101 South, usually 92 at this time.

Only 17% 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 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	86	86	86	89	88	90	96	100	100	102	112	114	110	98	87	86	87
Tue	86	86	86	89	88	89	90	94	98	99	111	116	109	98	87	86	87
Wed	86	86	86	91	91	89	92	97	102	103	111	115	109	98	87	86	86
Thu	86	86	87	92	90	91	94	99	102	104	113	121	121	104	92	87	87
Fri	86	86	86	90	90	92	101	105	108	110	117	121	115	102	91	87	85
Sat	86	86	86	86	86	89	99	105	103	103	104	100	98	94	88	87	85
Sun	86	86	86	86	86	87	95	105	105	105	104	100	97	91	87	87	85

About this drive

On weekdays the 78-mile drive from Santa Barbara to Santa Clarita (via US-101 South) usually takes as little as 85 minutes and up to 122 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 11 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 100 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12:30 pm on Sundays (106 minutes).

About 40 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 38 miles surface streets (44 to 69 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 Santa Clarita 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 Santa Clarita?

On weekdays, leave before 11 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 85 minutes then, versus up to 122 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 78-mile drive usually takes 85 to 122 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 100 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santa Barbara to Santa Clarita?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 122 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

US-101 South in Los Angeles (12 miles) · I-5 South in Los Angeles (3 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Santa Clarita 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	86	86	86	89	88	90	96	100	100	102	112	114	110	98	87	86	87
Tue	86	86	86	89	88	89	90	94	98	99	111	116	109	98	87	86	87
Wed	86	86	86	91	91	89	92	97	102	103	111	115	109	98	87	86	86
Thu	86	86	87	92	90	91	94	99	102	104	113	121	121	104	92	87	87
Fri	86	86	86	90	90	92	101	105	108	110	117	121	115	102	91	87	85
Sat	86	86	86	86	86	89	99	105	103	103	104	100	98	94	88	87	85
Sun	86	86	86	86	86	87	95	105	105	105	104	100	97	91	87	87	85

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	86	86	86	89	88	90	96	100	100	102	112	114	110	98	87	86	87
Tue	86	86	86	89	88	89	90	94	98	99	111	116	109	98	87	86	87
Wed	86	86	86	91	91	89	92	97	102	103	111	115	109	98	87	86	86
Thu	86	86	87	92	90	91	94	99	102	104	113	121	121	104	92	87	87
Fri	86	86	86	90	90	92	101	105	108	110	117	121	115	102	91	87	85
Sat	86	86	86	86	86	89	99	105	103	103	104	100	98	94	88	87	85
Sun	86	86	86	86	86	87	95	105	105	105	104	100	97	91	87	87	85

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	86	86	86	89	88	90	96	100	100	102	112	114	110	98	87	86	87
Tue	86	86	86	89	88	89	90	94	98	99	111	116	109	98	87	86	87
Wed	86	86	86	91	91	89	92	97	102	103	111	115	109	98	87	86	86
Thu	86	86	87	92	90	91	94	99	102	104	113	121	121	104	92	87	87
Fri	86	86	86	90	90	92	101	105	108	110	117	121	115	102	91	87	85
Sat	86	86	86	86	86	89	99	105	103	103	104	100	98	94	88	87	85
Sun	86	86	86	86	86	87	95	105	105	105	104	100	97	91	87	87	85