Best Time to Drive from Santa Clarita to Santa Monica

Right now (8:32 am PDT): about 56 minutes via I-405 South, usually 56 at this time.

None 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 32-mile drive from Santa Clarita to Santa Monica (via I-405 South) usually takes as little as 31 minutes and up to 66 minutes, when leaving around 7 am on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 38 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12:30 pm on Saturdays (43 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: Santa Monica to Santa Clarita

Freeway, about 27 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 5 miles: 8 to 15 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 downtown Santa Monica 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 Monica 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	32	42	59	57	49	39	37	36	36	36	38	39	38	36	34	33	32
Tue	32	44	66	62	53	42	38	37	36	36	38	40	39	37	35	33	32
Wed	31	42	58	58	51	43	39	37	36	36	39	40	38	37	34	33	32
Thu	32	43	61	60	50	42	39	38	37	37	40	43	41	38	35	33	32
Fri	32	41	52	49	43	40	41	41	41	42	45	45	43	40	36	34	32
Sat	32	32	34	34	35	37	41	42	43	41	40	39	38	36	35	33	32
Sun	32	32	32	32	32	34	37	41	42	43	42	40	38	37	35	35	32

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 Monica?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 31 minutes then, versus up to 66 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 32-mile drive usually takes 31 to 66 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 38 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santa Clarita to Santa Monica?

Leaving around 7 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 66 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

Freeways on this drive

I-405 South in Los Angeles (19 miles) · I-5 South in Los Angeles (4 miles) · I-10 West in Los Angeles (3 miles) · SR-14 South in Los Angeles (1.6 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Santa Monica to Santa Clarita (return trip) · Santa Clarita to Los Angeles · 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 · Santa Clarita to Culver City

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	32	42	59	57	49	39	37	36	36	36	38	39	38	36	34	33	32
Tue	32	44	66	62	53	42	38	37	36	36	38	40	39	37	35	33	32
Wed	31	42	58	58	51	43	39	37	36	36	39	40	38	37	34	33	32
Thu	32	43	61	60	50	42	39	38	37	37	40	43	41	38	35	33	32
Fri	32	41	52	49	43	40	41	41	41	42	45	45	43	40	36	34	32
Sat	32	32	34	34	35	37	41	42	43	41	40	39	38	36	35	33	32
Sun	32	32	32	32	32	34	37	41	42	43	42	40	38	37	35	35	32

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	32	42	59	57	49	39	37	36	36	36	38	39	38	36	34	33	32
Tue	32	44	66	62	53	42	38	37	36	36	38	40	39	37	35	33	32
Wed	31	42	58	58	51	43	39	37	36	36	39	40	38	37	34	33	32
Thu	32	43	61	60	50	42	39	38	37	37	40	43	41	38	35	33	32
Fri	32	41	52	49	43	40	41	41	41	42	45	45	43	40	36	34	32
Sat	32	32	34	34	35	37	41	42	43	41	40	39	38	36	35	33	32
Sun	32	32	32	32	32	34	37	41	42	43	42	40	38	37	35	35	32

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	32	42	59	57	49	39	37	36	36	36	38	39	38	36	34	33	32
Tue	32	44	66	62	53	42	38	37	36	36	38	40	39	37	35	33	32
Wed	31	42	58	58	51	43	39	37	36	36	39	40	38	37	34	33	32
Thu	32	43	61	60	50	42	39	38	37	37	40	43	41	38	35	33	32
Fri	32	41	52	49	43	40	41	41	41	42	45	45	43	40	36	34	32
Sat	32	32	34	34	35	37	41	42	43	41	40	39	38	36	35	33	32
Sun	32	32	32	32	32	34	37	41	42	43	42	40	38	37	35	35	32