Best Time to Drive from Santa Paula to Los Angeles

Right now (6:24 pm PDT): about 85 minutes via I-5 South and US-101 South, usually 78 at this time.

Only 1% 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 65-mile drive from Santa Paula to Los Angeles (via I-5 South and US-101 South) usually takes as little as 70 minutes and up to 96 minutes, when leaving around 3 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 5:30 am or after 7 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 84 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 11:30 am on Saturdays (85 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: Los Angeles to Santa Paula

Freeway, about 36 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 28 miles: 37 to 43 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 central Santa Paula to Downtown LA (City Hall) 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 Paula to Los Angeles 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	82	88	84	79	78	79	80	82	86	89	88	82	77	75	75	72
Tue	73	87	93	91	82	80	81	82	84	87	91	91	86	79	77	75	71
Wed	72	83	90	89	83	82	83	84	86	90	93	93	87	79	77	75	70
Thu	71	84	90	88	82	80	80	81	83	86	90	90	85	79	76	74	70
Fri	71	78	82	81	80	81	84	86	88	94	96	94	89	83	79	75	71
Sat	70	72	73	74	76	80	83	85	83	82	82	81	80	78	76	72	70
Sun	69	69	70	70	72	74	76	78	78	79	79	80	79	79	78	75	70

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 Paula to Los Angeles?

On weekdays, leave before 5:30 am or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 70 minutes then, versus up to 96 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Santa Paula to Los Angeles?

The 65-mile drive usually takes 70 to 96 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 84 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santa Paula to Los Angeles?

Leaving around 3 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 96 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in Los Angeles (20 miles) · US-101 South in Los Angeles (11 miles) · SR-170 South in Los Angeles (5 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Los Angeles to Santa Paula (return trip)

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	82	88	84	79	78	79	80	82	86	89	88	82	77	75	75	72
Tue	73	87	93	91	82	80	81	82	84	87	91	91	86	79	77	75	71
Wed	72	83	90	89	83	82	83	84	86	90	93	93	87	79	77	75	70
Thu	71	84	90	88	82	80	80	81	83	86	90	90	85	79	76	74	70
Fri	71	78	82	81	80	81	84	86	88	94	96	94	89	83	79	75	71
Sat	70	72	73	74	76	80	83	85	83	82	82	81	80	78	76	72	70
Sun	69	69	70	70	72	74	76	78	78	79	79	80	79	79	78	75	70

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	71	82	88	84	79	78	79	80	82	86	89	88	82	77	75	75	72
Tue	73	87	93	91	82	80	81	82	84	87	91	91	86	79	77	75	71
Wed	72	83	90	89	83	82	83	84	86	90	93	93	87	79	77	75	70
Thu	71	84	90	88	82	80	80	81	83	86	90	90	85	79	76	74	70
Fri	71	78	82	81	80	81	84	86	88	94	96	94	89	83	79	75	71
Sat	70	72	73	74	76	80	83	85	83	82	82	81	80	78	76	72	70
Sun	69	69	70	70	72	74	76	78	78	79	79	80	79	79	78	75	70

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	71	82	88	84	79	78	79	80	82	86	89	88	82	77	75	75	72
Tue	73	87	93	91	82	80	81	82	84	87	91	91	86	79	77	75	71
Wed	72	83	90	89	83	82	83	84	86	90	93	93	87	79	77	75	70
Thu	71	84	90	88	82	80	80	81	83	86	90	90	85	79	76	74	70
Fri	71	78	82	81	80	81	84	86	88	94	96	94	89	83	79	75	71
Sat	70	72	73	74	76	80	83	85	83	82	82	81	80	78	76	72	70
Sun	69	69	70	70	72	74	76	78	78	79	79	80	79	79	78	75	70