Best Time to Drive from Santa Monica to Lancaster

Right now (7:36 pm PST): about 84 minutes via SR-14 North and I-405 North, usually 84 at this time.

Only 11% 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 Lancaster 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	71	71	72	72	76	77	78	79	81	89	105	113	116	105	86	76	74
Tue	71	71	72	72	73	74	74	75	78	85	102	115	121	106	89	79	73
Wed	72	71	71	72	73	73	75	75	79	86	98	111	117	107	93	77	72
Thu	73	73	73	76	78	78	78	82	84	88	104	119	119	103	90	79	72
Fri	72	72	71	74	75	79	80	82	85	91	104	113	111	101	88	79	72
Sat	72	71	70	71	72	74	80	80	77	78	76	76	76	73	74	75	71
Sun	71	70	70	70	71	73	79	87	93	93	91	79	76	76	75	74	72

About this drive

On weekdays the 73-mile drive from Santa Monica to Lancaster (via SR-14 North and I-405 North) usually takes as little as 71 minutes and up to 121 minutes, when leaving around 5 pm on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 11:30 am or after 8:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 81 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2:30 pm on Sundays (95 minutes).

About 63 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 11 miles surface streets (13 to 21 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 Lancaster 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 Lancaster?

On weekdays, leave before 11:30 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 71 minutes then, versus up to 121 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 73-mile drive usually takes 71 to 121 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 81 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santa Monica to Lancaster?

Leaving around 5 pm on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 121 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

SR-14 North in Los Angeles (39 miles) · 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

Lancaster 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	71	71	72	72	76	77	78	79	81	89	105	113	116	105	86	76	74
Tue	71	71	72	72	73	74	74	75	78	85	102	115	121	106	89	79	73
Wed	72	71	71	72	73	73	75	75	79	86	98	111	117	107	93	77	72
Thu	73	73	73	76	78	78	78	82	84	88	104	119	119	103	90	79	72
Fri	72	72	71	74	75	79	80	82	85	91	104	113	111	101	88	79	72
Sat	72	71	70	71	72	74	80	80	77	78	76	76	76	73	74	75	71
Sun	71	70	70	70	71	73	79	87	93	93	91	79	76	76	75	74	72

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	71	71	72	72	76	77	78	79	81	89	105	113	116	105	86	76	74
Tue	71	71	72	72	73	74	74	75	78	85	102	115	121	106	89	79	73
Wed	72	71	71	72	73	73	75	75	79	86	98	111	117	107	93	77	72
Thu	73	73	73	76	78	78	78	82	84	88	104	119	119	103	90	79	72
Fri	72	72	71	74	75	79	80	82	85	91	104	113	111	101	88	79	72
Sat	72	71	70	71	72	74	80	80	77	78	76	76	76	73	74	75	71
Sun	71	70	70	70	71	73	79	87	93	93	91	79	76	76	75	74	72

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	71	71	72	72	76	77	78	79	81	89	105	113	116	105	86	76	74
Tue	71	71	72	72	73	74	74	75	78	85	102	115	121	106	89	79	73
Wed	72	71	71	72	73	73	75	75	79	86	98	111	117	107	93	77	72
Thu	73	73	73	76	78	78	78	82	84	88	104	119	119	103	90	79	72
Fri	72	72	71	74	75	79	80	82	85	91	104	113	111	101	88	79	72
Sat	72	71	70	71	72	74	80	80	77	78	76	76	76	73	74	75	71
Sun	71	70	70	70	71	73	79	87	93	93	91	79	76	76	75	74	72