Best Time to Drive from Santa Monica to Canyon Country

Right now (12:20 am PDT): about 34 minutes via I-405 North and I-5 North.

Only 2% 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 Monica to Canyon Country 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	34	41	44	39	36	37	38	38	39	49	64	74	76	65	45	38	36
Tue	34	43	45	38	37	36	36	37	38	45	62	81	83	69	50	41	37
Wed	34	42	46	38	37	36	36	36	38	44	61	71	78	67	51	38	35
Thu	34	42	46	40	40	39	39	40	43	47	62	84	83	64	50	40	35
Fri	34	39	39	38	38	42	43	44	47	52	63	73	73	60	46	39	36
Sat	34	35	35	35	35	38	45	46	42	43	41	40	39	36	35	36	34
Sun	34	34	34	34	34	35	41	50	57	58	60	44	40	38	37	36	35

About this drive

On weekdays the 33-mile drive from Santa Monica to Canyon Country (via I-405 North and I-5 North) usually takes as little as 34 minutes and up to 86 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 9 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 41 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3 pm on Sundays (60 minutes).

About 24 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 8 miles surface streets (12 to 24 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from downtown Santa Monica to central Canyon Country 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 Monica to Canyon Country?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 9 pm. The drive usually takes about 34 minutes then, versus up to 86 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Santa Monica to Canyon Country?

The 33-mile drive usually takes 34 to 86 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 41 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santa Monica to Canyon Country?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 86 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-405 North in Los Angeles (19 miles) · I-5 North in Los Angeles (5 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Canyon Country to Santa Monica (return trip) · Santa Monica to Los Angeles · Santa Monica to Pasadena · Santa Monica to Long Beach · Santa Monica to West Covina · Santa Monica to Burbank · Santa Monica to Glendale · Santa Monica to Santa Clarita · Santa Monica to Van Nuys · Santa Monica to Torrance · Santa Monica to Culver City · Santa Monica to El Monte

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	34	41	44	39	36	37	38	38	39	49	64	74	76	65	45	38	36
Tue	34	43	45	38	37	36	36	37	38	45	62	81	83	69	50	41	37
Wed	34	42	46	38	37	36	36	36	38	44	61	71	78	67	51	38	35
Thu	34	42	46	40	40	39	39	40	43	47	62	84	83	64	50	40	35
Fri	34	39	39	38	38	42	43	44	47	52	63	73	73	60	46	39	36
Sat	34	35	35	35	35	38	45	46	42	43	41	40	39	36	35	36	34
Sun	34	34	34	34	34	35	41	50	57	58	60	44	40	38	37	36	35

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	34	41	44	39	36	37	38	38	39	49	64	74	76	65	45	38	36
Tue	34	43	45	38	37	36	36	37	38	45	62	81	83	69	50	41	37
Wed	34	42	46	38	37	36	36	36	38	44	61	71	78	67	51	38	35
Thu	34	42	46	40	40	39	39	40	43	47	62	84	83	64	50	40	35
Fri	34	39	39	38	38	42	43	44	47	52	63	73	73	60	46	39	36
Sat	34	35	35	35	35	38	45	46	42	43	41	40	39	36	35	36	34
Sun	34	34	34	34	34	35	41	50	57	58	60	44	40	38	37	36	35

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	34	41	44	39	36	37	38	38	39	49	64	74	76	65	45	38	36
Tue	34	43	45	38	37	36	36	37	38	45	62	81	83	69	50	41	37
Wed	34	42	46	38	37	36	36	36	38	44	61	71	78	67	51	38	35
Thu	34	42	46	40	40	39	39	40	43	47	62	84	83	64	50	40	35
Fri	34	39	39	38	38	42	43	44	47	52	63	73	73	60	46	39	36
Sat	34	35	35	35	35	38	45	46	42	43	41	40	39	36	35	36	34
Sun	34	34	34	34	34	35	41	50	57	58	60	44	40	38	37	36	35