Best Time to Drive from Santa Barbara to Simi Valley

Right now (5:03 pm PDT): about 115 minutes via US-101 South, usually 114 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.

On weekdays the 61-mile drive from Santa Barbara to Simi Valley (via US-101 South) usually takes as little as 83 minutes and up to 122 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 8 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 91 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3 pm on Sundays (96 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: Simi Valley to Santa Barbara

Freeway, about 20 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 40 miles: 65 to 90 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 Barbara (Anacapa 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 Barbara 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	83	83	87	89	85	86	88	91	91	93	101	109	105	92	84	84	83
Tue	83	83	88	92	87	86	86	88	89	90	101	115	114	95	84	83	84
Wed	83	84	90	97	88	86	87	90	92	93	103	116	113	95	84	84	83
Thu	83	83	89	94	88	87	90	91	92	94	104	120	118	96	85	84	84
Fri	83	83	85	87	87	88	92	94	96	99	107	122	112	94	85	84	83
Sat	83	83	83	83	84	84	89	92	93	92	92	91	89	87	84	84	83
Sun	83	83	83	83	83	84	88	93	94	94	96	93	91	87	84	84	83

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 Simi Valley?

On weekdays, leave before 8 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 83 minutes then, versus up to 122 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 61-mile drive usually takes 83 to 122 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 91 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santa Barbara to Simi Valley?

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

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

More drives

Simi Valley 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 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	83	83	87	89	85	86	88	91	91	93	101	109	105	92	84	84	83
Tue	83	83	88	92	87	86	86	88	89	90	101	115	114	95	84	83	84
Wed	83	84	90	97	88	86	87	90	92	93	103	116	113	95	84	84	83
Thu	83	83	89	94	88	87	90	91	92	94	104	120	118	96	85	84	84
Fri	83	83	85	87	87	88	92	94	96	99	107	122	112	94	85	84	83
Sat	83	83	83	83	84	84	89	92	93	92	92	91	89	87	84	84	83
Sun	83	83	83	83	83	84	88	93	94	94	96	93	91	87	84	84	83

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	83	83	87	89	85	86	88	91	91	93	101	109	105	92	84	84	83
Tue	83	83	88	92	87	86	86	88	89	90	101	115	114	95	84	83	84
Wed	83	84	90	97	88	86	87	90	92	93	103	116	113	95	84	84	83
Thu	83	83	89	94	88	87	90	91	92	94	104	120	118	96	85	84	84
Fri	83	83	85	87	87	88	92	94	96	99	107	122	112	94	85	84	83
Sat	83	83	83	83	84	84	89	92	93	92	92	91	89	87	84	84	83
Sun	83	83	83	83	83	84	88	93	94	94	96	93	91	87	84	84	83

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	83	83	87	89	85	86	88	91	91	93	101	109	105	92	84	84	83
Tue	83	83	88	92	87	86	86	88	89	90	101	115	114	95	84	83	84
Wed	83	84	90	97	88	86	87	90	92	93	103	116	113	95	84	84	83
Thu	83	83	89	94	88	87	90	91	92	94	104	120	118	96	85	84	84
Fri	83	83	85	87	87	88	92	94	96	99	107	122	112	94	85	84	83
Sat	83	83	83	83	84	84	89	92	93	92	92	91	89	87	84	84	83
Sun	83	83	83	83	83	84	88	93	94	94	96	93	91	87	84	84	83