Best Time to Drive from Santa Barbara to Simi Valley

Right now (3:20 pm PST): about 94 minutes via US-101 South, usually 92 at this time.

Only 21% 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 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	84	85	85	85	87	89	90	91	98	105	102	93	84	84	84
Tue	83	83	85	85	85	85	85	87	88	89	97	103	101	92	84	83	84
Wed	83	83	84	86	86	85	86	88	90	91	96	102	100	91	85	84	84
Thu	83	83	85	86	86	86	87	89	91	91	97	107	106	96	87	84	84
Fri	83	83	84	85	86	87	91	93	95	96	100	107	105	93	86	84	83
Sat	83	83	83	83	84	84	87	91	91	90	90	90	89	86	84	84	83
Sun	83	83	83	83	83	84	87	92	94	96	95	92	90	86	84	84	83

About this drive

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 108 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 2 pm or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 90 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2:30 pm on Sundays (96 minutes).

About 20 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 40 miles surface streets (65 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 central Simi Valley (3rd 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 Simi Valley?

On weekdays, leave before 2 pm or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 83 minutes then, versus up to 108 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 108 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 90 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santa Barbara to Simi Valley?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 108 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

US-101 South in Los Angeles (6 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

Santa Barbara to Simi Valley over Thanksgiving: when to leave →

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 · 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	83	83	84	85	85	85	87	89	90	91	98	105	102	93	84	84	84
Tue	83	83	85	85	85	85	85	87	88	89	97	103	101	92	84	83	84
Wed	83	83	84	86	86	85	86	88	90	91	96	102	100	91	85	84	84
Thu	83	83	85	86	86	86	87	89	91	91	97	107	106	96	87	84	84
Fri	83	83	84	85	86	87	91	93	95	96	100	107	105	93	86	84	83
Sat	83	83	83	83	84	84	87	91	91	90	90	90	89	86	84	84	83
Sun	83	83	83	83	83	84	87	92	94	96	95	92	90	86	84	84	83

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	83	83	84	85	85	85	87	89	90	91	98	105	102	93	84	84	84
Tue	83	83	85	85	85	85	85	87	88	89	97	103	101	92	84	83	84
Wed	83	83	84	86	86	85	86	88	90	91	96	102	100	91	85	84	84
Thu	83	83	85	86	86	86	87	89	91	91	97	107	106	96	87	84	84
Fri	83	83	84	85	86	87	91	93	95	96	100	107	105	93	86	84	83
Sat	83	83	83	83	84	84	87	91	91	90	90	90	89	86	84	84	83
Sun	83	83	83	83	83	84	87	92	94	96	95	92	90	86	84	84	83

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	83	83	84	85	85	85	87	89	90	91	98	105	102	93	84	84	84
Tue	83	83	85	85	85	85	85	87	88	89	97	103	101	92	84	83	84
Wed	83	83	84	86	86	85	86	88	90	91	96	102	100	91	85	84	84
Thu	83	83	85	86	86	86	87	89	91	91	97	107	106	96	87	84	84
Fri	83	83	84	85	86	87	91	93	95	96	100	107	105	93	86	84	83
Sat	83	83	83	83	84	84	87	91	91	90	90	90	89	86	84	84	83
Sun	83	83	83	83	83	84	87	92	94	96	95	92	90	86	84	84	83