Best Time to Drive from Santa Barbara to Van Nuys

Right now (1:05 pm PST): about 137 minutes via US-101 South, usually 108 at this time.

Only 19% 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 Van Nuys 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	90	90	91	93	94	94	97	101	101	103	112	118	112	99	91	90	91
Tue	89	90	91	93	94	93	94	96	98	99	110	117	113	100	92	90	91
Wed	90	90	91	95	96	94	96	98	101	102	109	116	111	99	92	90	90
Thu	90	90	91	95	95	94	96	99	101	102	110	122	120	105	96	91	91
Fri	90	90	90	94	95	96	103	105	108	109	114	123	116	102	94	91	90
Sat	90	90	89	90	91	92	97	102	101	100	102	100	98	95	91	91	90
Sun	90	89	89	89	90	91	96	104	108	108	106	102	99	94	92	91	89

About this drive

On weekdays the 81-mile drive from Santa Barbara to Van Nuys (via US-101 South) usually takes as little as 89 minutes and up to 123 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 11:30 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 100 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1:30 pm on Sundays (109 minutes).

About 52 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 29 miles surface streets (44 to 61 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 Van Nuys (Haynes 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 Van Nuys?

On weekdays, leave before 11:30 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 89 minutes then, versus up to 123 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Santa Barbara to Van Nuys?

The 81-mile drive usually takes 89 to 123 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 100 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santa Barbara to Van Nuys?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 123 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

US-101 South in Los Angeles (38 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

Santa Barbara to Van Nuys over Thanksgiving: when to leave →

More drives

Van Nuys 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 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	90	90	91	93	94	94	97	101	101	103	112	118	112	99	91	90	91
Tue	89	90	91	93	94	93	94	96	98	99	110	117	113	100	92	90	91
Wed	90	90	91	95	96	94	96	98	101	102	109	116	111	99	92	90	90
Thu	90	90	91	95	95	94	96	99	101	102	110	122	120	105	96	91	91
Fri	90	90	90	94	95	96	103	105	108	109	114	123	116	102	94	91	90
Sat	90	90	89	90	91	92	97	102	101	100	102	100	98	95	91	91	90
Sun	90	89	89	89	90	91	96	104	108	108	106	102	99	94	92	91	89

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	90	90	91	93	94	94	97	101	101	103	112	118	112	99	91	90	91
Tue	89	90	91	93	94	93	94	96	98	99	110	117	113	100	92	90	91
Wed	90	90	91	95	96	94	96	98	101	102	109	116	111	99	92	90	90
Thu	90	90	91	95	95	94	96	99	101	102	110	122	120	105	96	91	91
Fri	90	90	90	94	95	96	103	105	108	109	114	123	116	102	94	91	90
Sat	90	90	89	90	91	92	97	102	101	100	102	100	98	95	91	91	90
Sun	90	89	89	89	90	91	96	104	108	108	106	102	99	94	92	91	89

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	90	90	91	93	94	94	97	101	101	103	112	118	112	99	91	90	91
Tue	89	90	91	93	94	93	94	96	98	99	110	117	113	100	92	90	91
Wed	90	90	91	95	96	94	96	98	101	102	109	116	111	99	92	90	90
Thu	90	90	91	95	95	94	96	99	101	102	110	122	120	105	96	91	91
Fri	90	90	90	94	95	96	103	105	108	109	114	123	116	102	94	91	90
Sat	90	90	89	90	91	92	97	102	101	100	102	100	98	95	91	91	90
Sun	90	89	89	89	90	91	96	104	108	108	106	102	99	94	92	91	89