Best Time to Drive from Santa Clarita to Santa Barbara

Right now (7:09 pm PDT): about 89 minutes via US-101 North and SR-126 West, usually 85 at this time.

Only 16% 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 Barbara 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	85	90	99	92	89	89	90	90	90	92	92	90	86	85	85	85	85
Tue	84	89	101	98	91	87	87	87	87	90	91	89	86	85	85	85	85
Wed	84	90	103	99	94	88	88	88	88	90	91	89	86	85	85	85	85
Thu	84	90	101	98	91	89	89	90	89	92	96	95	87	85	85	85	85
Fri	84	88	95	90	89	91	95	97	96	102	106	98	88	85	85	85	85
Sat	85	85	85	85	87	89	92	92	92	92	90	87	85	85	85	85	85
Sun	85	85	85	85	85	87	90	90	90	90	89	87	85	85	85	85	85

About this drive

On weekdays the 80-mile drive from Santa Clarita to Santa Barbara (via US-101 North and SR-126 West) usually takes as little as 84 minutes and up to 106 minutes, when leaving around 3 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 4 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 91 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1:30 pm on Saturdays (93 minutes).

About 30 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 49 miles surface streets (27 to 36 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Santa Clarita to central Santa Barbara 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 Barbara?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 4 pm. The drive usually takes about 84 minutes then, versus up to 106 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 80-mile drive usually takes 84 to 106 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 91 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santa Clarita to Santa Barbara?

Leaving around 3 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 106 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 North in Los Angeles (6 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Santa Barbara 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	85	90	99	92	89	89	90	90	90	92	92	90	86	85	85	85	85
Tue	84	89	101	98	91	87	87	87	87	90	91	89	86	85	85	85	85
Wed	84	90	103	99	94	88	88	88	88	90	91	89	86	85	85	85	85
Thu	84	90	101	98	91	89	89	90	89	92	96	95	87	85	85	85	85
Fri	84	88	95	90	89	91	95	97	96	102	106	98	88	85	85	85	85
Sat	85	85	85	85	87	89	92	92	92	92	90	87	85	85	85	85	85
Sun	85	85	85	85	85	87	90	90	90	90	89	87	85	85	85	85	85

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	85	90	99	92	89	89	90	90	90	92	92	90	86	85	85	85	85
Tue	84	89	101	98	91	87	87	87	87	90	91	89	86	85	85	85	85
Wed	84	90	103	99	94	88	88	88	88	90	91	89	86	85	85	85	85
Thu	84	90	101	98	91	89	89	90	89	92	96	95	87	85	85	85	85
Fri	84	88	95	90	89	91	95	97	96	102	106	98	88	85	85	85	85
Sat	85	85	85	85	87	89	92	92	92	92	90	87	85	85	85	85	85
Sun	85	85	85	85	85	87	90	90	90	90	89	87	85	85	85	85	85

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	85	90	99	92	89	89	90	90	90	92	92	90	86	85	85	85	85
Tue	84	89	101	98	91	87	87	87	87	90	91	89	86	85	85	85	85
Wed	84	90	103	99	94	88	88	88	88	90	91	89	86	85	85	85	85
Thu	84	90	101	98	91	89	89	90	89	92	96	95	87	85	85	85	85
Fri	84	88	95	90	89	91	95	97	96	102	106	98	88	85	85	85	85
Sat	85	85	85	85	87	89	92	92	92	92	90	87	85	85	85	85	85
Sun	85	85	85	85	85	87	90	90	90	90	89	87	85	85	85	85	85