Best Time to Drive from Santa Monica to Valencia

Right now (7:51 pm PST): about 41 minutes via I-405 North and I-5 North, usually 41 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	36	36	37	39	39	41	50	64	75	78	67	46	39	37
Tue	34	35	35	36	36	36	37	37	38	45	63	81	89	73	53	43	38
Wed	34	34	35	36	36	36	36	36	38	44	58	71	80	70	53	39	36
Thu	34	35	38	42	42	41	41	43	45	49	68	89	85	67	52	41	36
Fri	35	35	36	37	37	47	46	49	51	56	69	78	77	64	47	40	37
Sat	35	35	35	36	35	40	49	48	43	45	42	41	40	37	36	37	35
Sun	34	34	34	34	34	37	48	61	71	71	69	48	41	41	39	37	35

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 90 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 8 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 (73 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 8 am or after 9 pm. The drive usually takes about 34 minutes then, versus up to 90 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 90 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 43 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santa Monica to Valencia?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 90 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	36	36	37	39	39	41	50	64	75	78	67	46	39	37
Tue	34	35	35	36	36	36	37	37	38	45	63	81	89	73	53	43	38
Wed	34	34	35	36	36	36	36	36	38	44	58	71	80	70	53	39	36
Thu	34	35	38	42	42	41	41	43	45	49	68	89	85	67	52	41	36
Fri	35	35	36	37	37	47	46	49	51	56	69	78	77	64	47	40	37
Sat	35	35	35	36	35	40	49	48	43	45	42	41	40	37	36	37	35
Sun	34	34	34	34	34	37	48	61	71	71	69	48	41	41	39	37	35

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	34	35	35	36	36	37	39	39	41	50	64	75	78	67	46	39	37
Tue	34	35	35	36	36	36	37	37	38	45	63	81	89	73	53	43	38
Wed	34	34	35	36	36	36	36	36	38	44	58	71	80	70	53	39	36
Thu	34	35	38	42	42	41	41	43	45	49	68	89	85	67	52	41	36
Fri	35	35	36	37	37	47	46	49	51	56	69	78	77	64	47	40	37
Sat	35	35	35	36	35	40	49	48	43	45	42	41	40	37	36	37	35
Sun	34	34	34	34	34	37	48	61	71	71	69	48	41	41	39	37	35

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	34	35	35	36	36	37	39	39	41	50	64	75	78	67	46	39	37
Tue	34	35	35	36	36	36	37	37	38	45	63	81	89	73	53	43	38
Wed	34	34	35	36	36	36	36	36	38	44	58	71	80	70	53	39	36
Thu	34	35	38	42	42	41	41	43	45	49	68	89	85	67	52	41	36
Fri	35	35	36	37	37	47	46	49	51	56	69	78	77	64	47	40	37
Sat	35	35	35	36	35	40	49	48	43	45	42	41	40	37	36	37	35
Sun	34	34	34	34	34	37	48	61	71	71	69	48	41	41	39	37	35