Best Time to Drive from Santa Clarita to Santa Ana

Right now (9:03 am PDT): about 91 minutes via I-5 South, usually 83 at this time.

Only 11% 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.

On weekdays the 64-mile drive from Santa Clarita to Santa Ana (via I-5 South) usually takes as little as 60 minutes and up to 105 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 5:30 am or after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 80 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3 pm on Saturdays (86 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: Santa Ana to Santa Clarita

Freeway, about 57 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 6 miles: 10 to 19 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 Clarita (Newhall Avenue) to central Santa Ana (Main Street) 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 Clarita to Santa Ana 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	61	76	92	87	77	73	73	74	76	83	91	96	89	78	67	63	61
Tue	61	80	102	92	82	77	74	74	77	85	95	102	95	82	70	65	61
Wed	60	77	95	89	83	77	75	76	79	86	96	100	94	83	71	65	61
Thu	61	80	97	90	81	78	76	78	80	89	98	105	99	86	73	66	61
Fri	61	72	83	81	77	76	79	82	90	99	104	103	99	88	77	70	64
Sat	61	63	64	67	70	74	79	81	85	85	86	83	80	75	70	66	62
Sun	60	61	61	62	63	67	72	78	80	82	80	77	73	72	70	68	62

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 Clarita to Santa Ana?

On weekdays, leave before 5:30 am or after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 60 minutes then, versus up to 105 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Santa Clarita to Santa Ana?

The 64-mile drive usually takes 60 to 105 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 80 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santa Clarita to Santa Ana?

Leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 105 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in Los Angeles (37 miles) · I-5 South in Orange County (19 miles) · SR-14 South in Los Angeles (1.6 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow · Orange County traffic right now · Orange County traffic tomorrow

More drives

Santa Ana to Santa Clarita (return trip) · Santa Clarita to Los Angeles · Santa Clarita to Santa Monica · Santa Clarita to Pasadena · Santa Clarita to Long Beach · Santa Clarita to West Covina · Santa Clarita to Burbank · Santa Clarita to Glendale · Santa Clarita to Van Nuys · Santa Clarita to Torrance · Santa Clarita to LAX · Santa Clarita to Hollywood

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	61	76	92	87	77	73	73	74	76	83	91	96	89	78	67	63	61
Tue	61	80	102	92	82	77	74	74	77	85	95	102	95	82	70	65	61
Wed	60	77	95	89	83	77	75	76	79	86	96	100	94	83	71	65	61
Thu	61	80	97	90	81	78	76	78	80	89	98	105	99	86	73	66	61
Fri	61	72	83	81	77	76	79	82	90	99	104	103	99	88	77	70	64
Sat	61	63	64	67	70	74	79	81	85	85	86	83	80	75	70	66	62
Sun	60	61	61	62	63	67	72	78	80	82	80	77	73	72	70	68	62

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	61	76	92	87	77	73	73	74	76	83	91	96	89	78	67	63	61
Tue	61	80	102	92	82	77	74	74	77	85	95	102	95	82	70	65	61
Wed	60	77	95	89	83	77	75	76	79	86	96	100	94	83	71	65	61
Thu	61	80	97	90	81	78	76	78	80	89	98	105	99	86	73	66	61
Fri	61	72	83	81	77	76	79	82	90	99	104	103	99	88	77	70	64
Sat	61	63	64	67	70	74	79	81	85	85	86	83	80	75	70	66	62
Sun	60	61	61	62	63	67	72	78	80	82	80	77	73	72	70	68	62

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	61	76	92	87	77	73	73	74	76	83	91	96	89	78	67	63	61
Tue	61	80	102	92	82	77	74	74	77	85	95	102	95	82	70	65	61
Wed	60	77	95	89	83	77	75	76	79	86	96	100	94	83	71	65	61
Thu	61	80	97	90	81	78	76	78	80	89	98	105	99	86	73	66	61
Fri	61	72	83	81	77	76	79	82	90	99	104	103	99	88	77	70	64
Sat	61	63	64	67	70	74	79	81	85	85	86	83	80	75	70	66	62
Sun	60	61	61	62	63	67	72	78	80	82	80	77	73	72	70	68	62