Best Time to Drive from Santa Barbara to Thousand Oaks

Right now (3:20 pm PST): about 96 minutes via US-101 South, usually 93 at this time.

Only 25% 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.

About this drive

On weekdays the 56-mile drive from Santa Barbara to Thousand Oaks (via US-101 South) usually takes as little as 66 minutes and up to 132 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 8 am or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 92 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1:30 pm on Sundays (105 minutes).

About 31 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 26 miles surface streets (39 to 94 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 Thousand Oaks 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 Thousand Oaks?

On weekdays, leave before 8 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 66 minutes then, versus up to 132 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Santa Barbara to Thousand Oaks?

The 56-mile drive usually takes 66 to 132 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 92 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santa Barbara to Thousand Oaks?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 132 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

US-101 South in Los Angeles (17 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

Santa Barbara to Thousand Oaks over Thanksgiving: when to leave →

More drives

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