Best Time to Drive from Santa Maria to Santa Barbara

Right now (6:06 pm PDT): about 81 minutes via US-101 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 Maria 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	80	80	83	83	81	81	82	83	83	88	90	88	83	80	80	81	80
Tue	80	80	83	82	81	81	81	82	82	88	90	89	83	80	80	80	80
Wed	80	80	84	83	82	82	83	84	84	89	90	88	83	80	80	80	80
Thu	80	80	83	83	82	82	82	84	84	89	93	97	88	81	80	80	80
Fri	80	80	82	83	81	83	85	87	87	92	95	93	86	81	81	80	80
Sat	80	80	80	80	81	82	84	84	83	83	82	81	80	80	80	80	80
Sun	80	80	80	80	80	81	85	86	85	84	83	81	81	80	80	80	80

About this drive

On weekdays the 75-mile drive from Santa Maria to Santa Barbara (via US-101 South) usually takes as little as 80 minutes and up to 98 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 2 pm or after 5 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 85 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12:30 pm on Sundays (87 minutes).

About 30 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 45 miles surface streets (41 to 57 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 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 Maria to Santa Barbara?

On weekdays, leave before 2 pm or after 5 pm. The drive usually takes about 80 minutes then, versus up to 98 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 75-mile drive usually takes 80 to 98 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 85 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santa Maria to Santa Barbara?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 98 minutes.

More drives

Santa Barbara to Santa Maria (return trip)

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	80	80	83	83	81	81	82	83	83	88	90	88	83	80	80	81	80
Tue	80	80	83	82	81	81	81	82	82	88	90	89	83	80	80	80	80
Wed	80	80	84	83	82	82	83	84	84	89	90	88	83	80	80	80	80
Thu	80	80	83	83	82	82	82	84	84	89	93	97	88	81	80	80	80
Fri	80	80	82	83	81	83	85	87	87	92	95	93	86	81	81	80	80
Sat	80	80	80	80	81	82	84	84	83	83	82	81	80	80	80	80	80
Sun	80	80	80	80	80	81	85	86	85	84	83	81	81	80	80	80	80

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	80	80	83	83	81	81	82	83	83	88	90	88	83	80	80	81	80
Tue	80	80	83	82	81	81	81	82	82	88	90	89	83	80	80	80	80
Wed	80	80	84	83	82	82	83	84	84	89	90	88	83	80	80	80	80
Thu	80	80	83	83	82	82	82	84	84	89	93	97	88	81	80	80	80
Fri	80	80	82	83	81	83	85	87	87	92	95	93	86	81	81	80	80
Sat	80	80	80	80	81	82	84	84	83	83	82	81	80	80	80	80	80
Sun	80	80	80	80	80	81	85	86	85	84	83	81	81	80	80	80	80

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	80	80	83	83	81	81	82	83	83	88	90	88	83	80	80	81	80
Tue	80	80	83	82	81	81	81	82	82	88	90	89	83	80	80	80	80
Wed	80	80	84	83	82	82	83	84	84	89	90	88	83	80	80	80	80
Thu	80	80	83	83	82	82	82	84	84	89	93	97	88	81	80	80	80
Fri	80	80	82	83	81	83	85	87	87	92	95	93	86	81	81	80	80
Sat	80	80	80	80	81	82	84	84	83	83	82	81	80	80	80	80	80
Sun	80	80	80	80	80	81	85	86	85	84	83	81	81	80	80	80	80