Best Time to Drive from Santa Clarita to Santa Ana

Right now (11:21 am PST): about 78 minutes via I-5 South, usually 80 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.

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	63	80	95	90	78	79	77	79	80	92	108	111	104	91	72	64	61
Tue	59	91	113	106	88	81	76	77	81	98	116	125	113	100	80	68	61
Wed	59	80	99	96	89	77	76	74	79	88	97	101	93	89	77	69	61
Thu	60	83	106	94	86	82	80	83	85	104	115	120	116	100	75	70	62
Fri	60	76	84	83	80	75	78	85	101	115	115	118	118	95	80	72	63
Sat	61	63	65	69	73	76	79	81	86	90	89	85	86	81	76	72	63
Sun	61	61	61	62	64	69	76	83	86	89	87	84	81	82	77	74	63

About this drive

On weekdays the 64-mile drive from Santa Clarita to Santa Ana (via I-5 South) usually takes as little as 59 minutes and up to 125 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 5:30 am or after 8:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 84 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1:30 pm on Saturdays (90 minutes).

About 57 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 6 miles surface streets (10 to 19 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Santa Clarita (Newhall Avenue) to central Santa Ana (Main 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 Clarita to Santa Ana?

On weekdays, leave before 5:30 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 59 minutes then, versus up to 125 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 64-mile drive usually takes 59 to 125 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 84 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santa Clarita to Santa Ana?

Leaving around 4 pm on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 125 minutes.

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

Santa Clarita to Santa Ana over Thanksgiving: when to leave →

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	63	80	95	90	78	79	77	79	80	92	108	111	104	91	72	64	61
Tue	59	91	113	106	88	81	76	77	81	98	116	125	113	100	80	68	61
Wed	59	80	99	96	89	77	76	74	79	88	97	101	93	89	77	69	61
Thu	60	83	106	94	86	82	80	83	85	104	115	120	116	100	75	70	62
Fri	60	76	84	83	80	75	78	85	101	115	115	118	118	95	80	72	63
Sat	61	63	65	69	73	76	79	81	86	90	89	85	86	81	76	72	63
Sun	61	61	61	62	64	69	76	83	86	89	87	84	81	82	77	74	63

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	63	80	95	90	78	79	77	79	80	92	108	111	104	91	72	64	61
Tue	59	91	113	106	88	81	76	77	81	98	116	125	113	100	80	68	61
Wed	59	80	99	96	89	77	76	74	79	88	97	101	93	89	77	69	61
Thu	60	83	106	94	86	82	80	83	85	104	115	120	116	100	75	70	62
Fri	60	76	84	83	80	75	78	85	101	115	115	118	118	95	80	72	63
Sat	61	63	65	69	73	76	79	81	86	90	89	85	86	81	76	72	63
Sun	61	61	61	62	64	69	76	83	86	89	87	84	81	82	77	74	63

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	63	80	95	90	78	79	77	79	80	92	108	111	104	91	72	64	61
Tue	59	91	113	106	88	81	76	77	81	98	116	125	113	100	80	68	61
Wed	59	80	99	96	89	77	76	74	79	88	97	101	93	89	77	69	61
Thu	60	83	106	94	86	82	80	83	85	104	115	120	116	100	75	70	62
Fri	60	76	84	83	80	75	78	85	101	115	115	118	118	95	80	72	63
Sat	61	63	65	69	73	76	79	81	86	90	89	85	86	81	76	72	63
Sun	61	61	61	62	64	69	76	83	86	89	87	84	81	82	77	74	63