Best Time to Drive from Santa Barbara to Ventura

Right now (11:31 am PDT): about 44 minutes via US-101 South, usually 49 at this time.

On weekdays the 32-mile drive from Santa Barbara to Ventura (via US-101 South) usually takes as little as 43 minutes and up to 68 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 11 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 50 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2 pm on Sundays (58 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: Ventura to Santa Barbara

Freeway, about 14 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 18 miles: 30 to 45 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 Ventura 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 Ventura 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	43	43	43	44	43	44	47	51	51	52	60	63	60	51	43	43	43
Tue	43	43	43	44	44	44	44	47	48	49	58	63	60	52	43	43	43
Wed	43	43	43	45	45	44	46	49	52	53	59	63	62	51	43	43	43
Thu	43	43	43	45	45	45	48	50	51	51	57	67	66	53	44	43	43
Fri	43	43	43	45	44	46	51	54	55	59	60	68	65	54	45	43	43
Sat	43	43	43	43	43	44	49	52	52	52	52	50	48	45	43	43	43
Sun	43	43	43	43	43	43	46	52	57	58	58	54	50	46	43	43	43

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 Ventura?

On weekdays, leave before 11 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 43 minutes then, versus up to 68 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 32-mile drive usually takes 43 to 68 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 50 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santa Barbara to Ventura?

Leaving around 4 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 68 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

More drives

Ventura 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

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	43	43	43	44	43	44	47	51	51	52	60	63	60	51	43	43	43
Tue	43	43	43	44	44	44	44	47	48	49	58	63	60	52	43	43	43
Wed	43	43	43	45	45	44	46	49	52	53	59	63	62	51	43	43	43
Thu	43	43	43	45	45	45	48	50	51	51	57	67	66	53	44	43	43
Fri	43	43	43	45	44	46	51	54	55	59	60	68	65	54	45	43	43
Sat	43	43	43	43	43	44	49	52	52	52	52	50	48	45	43	43	43
Sun	43	43	43	43	43	43	46	52	57	58	58	54	50	46	43	43	43

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	43	43	43	44	43	44	47	51	51	52	60	63	60	51	43	43	43
Tue	43	43	43	44	44	44	44	47	48	49	58	63	60	52	43	43	43
Wed	43	43	43	45	45	44	46	49	52	53	59	63	62	51	43	43	43
Thu	43	43	43	45	45	45	48	50	51	51	57	67	66	53	44	43	43
Fri	43	43	43	45	44	46	51	54	55	59	60	68	65	54	45	43	43
Sat	43	43	43	43	43	44	49	52	52	52	52	50	48	45	43	43	43
Sun	43	43	43	43	43	43	46	52	57	58	58	54	50	46	43	43	43

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	43	43	43	44	43	44	47	51	51	52	60	63	60	51	43	43	43
Tue	43	43	43	44	44	44	44	47	48	49	58	63	60	52	43	43	43
Wed	43	43	43	45	45	44	46	49	52	53	59	63	62	51	43	43	43
Thu	43	43	43	45	45	45	48	50	51	51	57	67	66	53	44	43	43
Fri	43	43	43	45	44	46	51	54	55	59	60	68	65	54	45	43	43
Sat	43	43	43	43	43	44	49	52	52	52	52	50	48	45	43	43	43
Sun	43	43	43	43	43	43	46	52	57	58	58	54	50	46	43	43	43