Best Time to Drive from Santa Monica to Santa Clarita

Right now (8:32 am PDT): about 37 minutes via I-405 North, usually 37 at this time.

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.

On weekdays the 33-mile drive from Santa Monica to Santa Clarita (via I-405 North) usually takes as little as 32 minutes and up to 70 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 8 am or after 8:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 40 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4 pm on Saturdays (41 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: Santa Clarita to Santa Monica

Freeway, about 29 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 4 miles: 7 to 10 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 downtown Santa Monica to central Santa Clarita (Newhall Avenue) 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 Monica to Santa Clarita 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	33	34	35	36	36	37	37	38	43	52	61	60	51	39	35	33
Tue	32	34	35	36	36	36	37	37	39	44	55	64	63	54	42	36	33
Wed	32	34	35	36	37	37	37	38	39	45	56	67	65	55	44	37	33
Thu	32	34	35	36	37	37	37	38	40	46	58	68	67	56	43	37	34
Fri	32	34	35	36	36	37	38	40	44	51	63	70	65	53	42	36	33
Sat	32	33	33	34	34	36	38	40	40	40	41	41	41	40	38	36	34
Sun	32	32	32	32	33	34	35	37	38	38	39	39	40	40	38	37	34

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 Santa Clarita?

On weekdays, leave before 8 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 32 minutes then, versus up to 70 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 33-mile drive usually takes 32 to 70 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 40 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santa Monica to Santa Clarita?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 70 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

Freeways on this drive

I-405 North in Los Angeles (20 miles) · I-5 North in Los Angeles (6 miles) · I-10 East in Los Angeles (3 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Santa Clarita 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 Van Nuys · Santa Monica to Torrance · Santa Monica to Culver City · Santa Monica to El Monte · Santa Monica to Downey

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	33	34	35	36	36	37	37	38	43	52	61	60	51	39	35	33
Tue	32	34	35	36	36	36	37	37	39	44	55	64	63	54	42	36	33
Wed	32	34	35	36	37	37	37	38	39	45	56	67	65	55	44	37	33
Thu	32	34	35	36	37	37	37	38	40	46	58	68	67	56	43	37	34
Fri	32	34	35	36	36	37	38	40	44	51	63	70	65	53	42	36	33
Sat	32	33	33	34	34	36	38	40	40	40	41	41	41	40	38	36	34
Sun	32	32	32	32	33	34	35	37	38	38	39	39	40	40	38	37	34

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	32	33	34	35	36	36	37	37	38	43	52	61	60	51	39	35	33
Tue	32	34	35	36	36	36	37	37	39	44	55	64	63	54	42	36	33
Wed	32	34	35	36	37	37	37	38	39	45	56	67	65	55	44	37	33
Thu	32	34	35	36	37	37	37	38	40	46	58	68	67	56	43	37	34
Fri	32	34	35	36	36	37	38	40	44	51	63	70	65	53	42	36	33
Sat	32	33	33	34	34	36	38	40	40	40	41	41	41	40	38	36	34
Sun	32	32	32	32	33	34	35	37	38	38	39	39	40	40	38	37	34

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	32	33	34	35	36	36	37	37	38	43	52	61	60	51	39	35	33
Tue	32	34	35	36	36	36	37	37	39	44	55	64	63	54	42	36	33
Wed	32	34	35	36	37	37	37	38	39	45	56	67	65	55	44	37	33
Thu	32	34	35	36	37	37	37	38	40	46	58	68	67	56	43	37	34
Fri	32	34	35	36	36	37	38	40	44	51	63	70	65	53	42	36	33
Sat	32	33	33	34	34	36	38	40	40	40	41	41	41	40	38	36	34
Sun	32	32	32	32	33	34	35	37	38	38	39	39	40	40	38	37	34