Best Time to Drive from Santa Barbara to Santa Maria

Right now (6:06 pm PDT): about 87 minutes via US-101 North, usually 88 at this time.

Only 24% 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 Maria 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	81	82	82	85	85	83	85	88	89	92	97	99	97	88	83	83	82
Tue	82	82	82	84	83	83	84	85	88	88	98	101	98	87	82	82	82
Wed	81	82	82	86	84	84	85	88	91	91	98	100	97	88	83	82	82
Thu	82	82	82	85	85	84	86	89	91	91	100	108	111	93	84	82	82
Fri	82	82	82	85	84	83	90	93	96	98	104	108	105	92	84	82	82
Sat	82	82	82	82	82	84	87	92	91	90	91	88	87	84	82	82	82
Sun	82	82	82	82	82	82	85	93	94	93	91	89	87	83	82	82	82

About this drive

On weekdays the 76-mile drive from Santa Barbara to Santa Maria (via US-101 North) usually takes as little as 81 minutes and up to 112 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 12:30 pm or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 89 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12:30 pm on Sundays (95 minutes).

About 29 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 47 miles surface streets (44 to 70 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 Maria 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 Maria?

On weekdays, leave before 12:30 pm or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 81 minutes then, versus up to 112 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 76-mile drive usually takes 81 to 112 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 89 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santa Barbara to Santa Maria?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 112 minutes.

More drives

Santa Maria 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	81	82	82	85	85	83	85	88	89	92	97	99	97	88	83	83	82
Tue	82	82	82	84	83	83	84	85	88	88	98	101	98	87	82	82	82
Wed	81	82	82	86	84	84	85	88	91	91	98	100	97	88	83	82	82
Thu	82	82	82	85	85	84	86	89	91	91	100	108	111	93	84	82	82
Fri	82	82	82	85	84	83	90	93	96	98	104	108	105	92	84	82	82
Sat	82	82	82	82	82	84	87	92	91	90	91	88	87	84	82	82	82
Sun	82	82	82	82	82	82	85	93	94	93	91	89	87	83	82	82	82

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	81	82	82	85	85	83	85	88	89	92	97	99	97	88	83	83	82
Tue	82	82	82	84	83	83	84	85	88	88	98	101	98	87	82	82	82
Wed	81	82	82	86	84	84	85	88	91	91	98	100	97	88	83	82	82
Thu	82	82	82	85	85	84	86	89	91	91	100	108	111	93	84	82	82
Fri	82	82	82	85	84	83	90	93	96	98	104	108	105	92	84	82	82
Sat	82	82	82	82	82	84	87	92	91	90	91	88	87	84	82	82	82
Sun	82	82	82	82	82	82	85	93	94	93	91	89	87	83	82	82	82

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	81	82	82	85	85	83	85	88	89	92	97	99	97	88	83	83	82
Tue	82	82	82	84	83	83	84	85	88	88	98	101	98	87	82	82	82
Wed	81	82	82	86	84	84	85	88	91	91	98	100	97	88	83	82	82
Thu	82	82	82	85	85	84	86	89	91	91	100	108	111	93	84	82	82
Fri	82	82	82	85	84	83	90	93	96	98	104	108	105	92	84	82	82
Sat	82	82	82	82	82	84	87	92	91	90	91	88	87	84	82	82	82
Sun	82	82	82	82	82	82	85	93	94	93	91	89	87	83	82	82	82