Best Time to Drive from Santa Maria to Fullerton

Right now (3:20 pm PST): about 227 minutes via US-101 South, usually 213 at this time.

Only 21% 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.

About this drive

On weekdays the 196-mile drive from Santa Maria to Fullerton (via US-101 South) usually takes as little as 183 minutes and up to 284 minutes, when leaving around 2:30 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are after 6 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 246 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1:30 pm on Sundays (234 minutes).

About 150 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 46 miles surface streets (39 to 58 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Santa Maria to central Fullerton 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 Maria to Fullerton?

On weekdays, leave after 6 pm. The drive usually takes about 183 minutes then, versus up to 284 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Santa Maria to Fullerton?

The 196-mile drive usually takes 183 to 284 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 246 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santa Maria to Fullerton?

Leaving around 2:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 284 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

US-101 South in Los Angeles (73 miles) · I-5 South in Los Angeles (13 miles) · I-5 South in Orange County (6 miles) · SR-91 East in Orange County (3 miles)

Orange County traffic right now · Orange County traffic tomorrow

More drives

Santa Maria to Santa Barbara · Santa Maria to San Luis Obispo · Santa Maria to Lompoc

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