Best Time to Drive from Santa Barbara to Valencia

Right now (10:35 pm PST): about 84 minutes via US-101 South.

Only 18% 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 Valencia 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	78	78	79	79	79	79	81	82	82	84	87	91	89	83	79	78	79
Tue	78	78	78	79	79	79	80	80	81	82	87	91	90	84	79	78	79
Wed	78	78	78	80	80	79	80	81	82	83	86	89	89	83	79	78	78
Thu	78	78	79	80	80	80	80	81	83	83	87	94	92	88	82	79	79
Fri	78	78	78	80	79	80	83	85	86	87	88	93	91	84	80	79	78
Sat	78	78	78	78	78	79	81	82	83	83	83	82	82	81	79	79	78
Sun	78	78	78	78	78	79	81	83	84	83	84	83	81	80	79	79	78

About this drive

On weekdays the 72-mile drive from Santa Barbara to Valencia (via US-101 South) usually takes as little as 78 minutes and up to 94 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 3 pm or after 6 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 82 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3:30 pm on Sundays (84 minutes).

About 36 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 35 miles surface streets (39 to 41 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 Valencia 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 Valencia?

On weekdays, leave before 3 pm or after 6 pm. The drive usually takes about 78 minutes then, versus up to 94 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 72-mile drive usually takes 78 to 94 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 82 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santa Barbara to Valencia?

Leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 94 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

US-101 South in Los Angeles (12 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

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 · 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	78	78	79	79	79	79	81	82	82	84	87	91	89	83	79	78	79
Tue	78	78	78	79	79	79	80	80	81	82	87	91	90	84	79	78	79
Wed	78	78	78	80	80	79	80	81	82	83	86	89	89	83	79	78	78
Thu	78	78	79	80	80	80	80	81	83	83	87	94	92	88	82	79	79
Fri	78	78	78	80	79	80	83	85	86	87	88	93	91	84	80	79	78
Sat	78	78	78	78	78	79	81	82	83	83	83	82	82	81	79	79	78
Sun	78	78	78	78	78	79	81	83	84	83	84	83	81	80	79	79	78

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	78	78	79	79	79	79	81	82	82	84	87	91	89	83	79	78	79
Tue	78	78	78	79	79	79	80	80	81	82	87	91	90	84	79	78	79
Wed	78	78	78	80	80	79	80	81	82	83	86	89	89	83	79	78	78
Thu	78	78	79	80	80	80	80	81	83	83	87	94	92	88	82	79	79
Fri	78	78	78	80	79	80	83	85	86	87	88	93	91	84	80	79	78
Sat	78	78	78	78	78	79	81	82	83	83	83	82	82	81	79	79	78
Sun	78	78	78	78	78	79	81	83	84	83	84	83	81	80	79	79	78

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	78	78	79	79	79	79	81	82	82	84	87	91	89	83	79	78	79
Tue	78	78	78	79	79	79	80	80	81	82	87	91	90	84	79	78	79
Wed	78	78	78	80	80	79	80	81	82	83	86	89	89	83	79	78	78
Thu	78	78	79	80	80	80	80	81	83	83	87	94	92	88	82	79	79
Fri	78	78	78	80	79	80	83	85	86	87	88	93	91	84	80	79	78
Sat	78	78	78	78	78	79	81	82	83	83	83	82	82	81	79	79	78
Sun	78	78	78	78	78	79	81	83	84	83	84	83	81	80	79	79	78