Best Time to Drive from Santa Monica to Valencia

Right now (6:03 pm PDT): about 59 minutes via I-405 North and I-5 North, usually 67 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.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from Santa Monica to Valencia 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	35	35	35	36	37	38	39	41	54	68	80	84	68	46	38	36
Tue	34	35	35	35	36	36	36	37	38	45	66	87	93	73	53	43	37
Wed	34	34	34	35	35	35	35	36	38	43	62	73	83	69	54	39	35
Thu	34	35	37	42	41	40	41	43	47	51	76	95	90	72	54	42	36
Fri	35	35	35	37	37	49	48	52	54	60	71	81	84	67	48	40	37
Sat	35	35	35	35	36	41	52	52	44	47	43	42	40	37	36	37	35
Sun	34	34	34	34	34	38	50	59	71	71	70	49	39	39	36	36	34

About this drive

On weekdays the 37-mile drive from Santa Monica to Valencia (via I-405 North and I-5 North) usually takes as little as 34 minutes and up to 95 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 9:30 am or after 9 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 43 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2:30 pm on Sundays (72 minutes).

About 33 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 4 miles surface streets (5 to 15 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 Valencia 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 Valencia?

On weekdays, leave before 9:30 am or after 9 pm. The drive usually takes about 34 minutes then, versus up to 95 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 37-mile drive usually takes 34 to 95 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 43 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santa Monica to Valencia?

Leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 95 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-405 North in Los Angeles (19 miles) · I-5 North in Los Angeles (14 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Valencia 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	35	35	35	36	37	38	39	41	54	68	80	84	68	46	38	36
Tue	34	35	35	35	36	36	36	37	38	45	66	87	93	73	53	43	37
Wed	34	34	34	35	35	35	35	36	38	43	62	73	83	69	54	39	35
Thu	34	35	37	42	41	40	41	43	47	51	76	95	90	72	54	42	36
Fri	35	35	35	37	37	49	48	52	54	60	71	81	84	67	48	40	37
Sat	35	35	35	35	36	41	52	52	44	47	43	42	40	37	36	37	35
Sun	34	34	34	34	34	38	50	59	71	71	70	49	39	39	36	36	34

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	34	35	35	35	36	37	38	39	41	54	68	80	84	68	46	38	36
Tue	34	35	35	35	36	36	36	37	38	45	66	87	93	73	53	43	37
Wed	34	34	34	35	35	35	35	36	38	43	62	73	83	69	54	39	35
Thu	34	35	37	42	41	40	41	43	47	51	76	95	90	72	54	42	36
Fri	35	35	35	37	37	49	48	52	54	60	71	81	84	67	48	40	37
Sat	35	35	35	35	36	41	52	52	44	47	43	42	40	37	36	37	35
Sun	34	34	34	34	34	38	50	59	71	71	70	49	39	39	36	36	34

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	34	35	35	35	36	37	38	39	41	54	68	80	84	68	46	38	36
Tue	34	35	35	35	36	36	36	37	38	45	66	87	93	73	53	43	37
Wed	34	34	34	35	35	35	35	36	38	43	62	73	83	69	54	39	35
Thu	34	35	37	42	41	40	41	43	47	51	76	95	90	72	54	42	36
Fri	35	35	35	37	37	49	48	52	54	60	71	81	84	67	48	40	37
Sat	35	35	35	35	36	41	52	52	44	47	43	42	40	37	36	37	35
Sun	34	34	34	34	34	38	50	59	71	71	70	49	39	39	36	36	34