Best Time to Drive from Simi Valley to Carson

Right now (6:48 pm PDT): about 59 minutes via I-405 South and SR-118 East, usually 56 at this time.

None 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 Simi Valley to Carson 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	50	59	72	71	66	59	58	59	62	66	74	77	74	64	54	51	50
Tue	49	60	74	75	69	62	60	61	65	72	83	91	87	71	58	52	50
Wed	50	60	75	77	69	64	61	62	66	74	85	92	87	73	60	54	50
Thu	50	60	74	75	69	63	62	64	68	77	88	93	88	75	63	55	50
Fri	50	57	68	68	63	62	64	68	75	82	87	87	82	71	62	56	51
Sat	49	50	51	52	54	57	61	64	66	67	67	67	64	61	56	53	50
Sun	50	49	50	50	51	53	55	58	60	61	60	58	57	56	54	53	50

About this drive

On weekdays the 56-mile drive from Simi Valley to Carson (via I-405 South and SR-118 East) usually takes as little as 49 minutes and up to 93 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 66 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2:30 pm on Saturdays (67 minutes).

About 54 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 1.8 miles surface streets (2 to 4 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Simi Valley to central Carson 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 Simi Valley to Carson?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 49 minutes then, versus up to 93 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Simi Valley to Carson?

The 56-mile drive usually takes 49 to 93 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 66 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Simi Valley to Carson?

Leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 93 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-405 South in Los Angeles (35 miles) · SR-118 East in Los Angeles (19 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Carson to Simi Valley (return trip) · Simi Valley to Los Angeles · Simi Valley to Santa Monica · Simi Valley to Pasadena · Simi Valley to Long Beach · Simi Valley to West Covina · Simi Valley to Burbank · Simi Valley to Glendale · Simi Valley to Santa Clarita · Simi Valley to Van Nuys · Simi Valley to Torrance · Simi Valley to LAX

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	50	59	72	71	66	59	58	59	62	66	74	77	74	64	54	51	50
Tue	49	60	74	75	69	62	60	61	65	72	83	91	87	71	58	52	50
Wed	50	60	75	77	69	64	61	62	66	74	85	92	87	73	60	54	50
Thu	50	60	74	75	69	63	62	64	68	77	88	93	88	75	63	55	50
Fri	50	57	68	68	63	62	64	68	75	82	87	87	82	71	62	56	51
Sat	49	50	51	52	54	57	61	64	66	67	67	67	64	61	56	53	50
Sun	50	49	50	50	51	53	55	58	60	61	60	58	57	56	54	53	50

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	50	59	72	71	66	59	58	59	62	66	74	77	74	64	54	51	50
Tue	49	60	74	75	69	62	60	61	65	72	83	91	87	71	58	52	50
Wed	50	60	75	77	69	64	61	62	66	74	85	92	87	73	60	54	50
Thu	50	60	74	75	69	63	62	64	68	77	88	93	88	75	63	55	50
Fri	50	57	68	68	63	62	64	68	75	82	87	87	82	71	62	56	51
Sat	49	50	51	52	54	57	61	64	66	67	67	67	64	61	56	53	50
Sun	50	49	50	50	51	53	55	58	60	61	60	58	57	56	54	53	50

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	50	59	72	71	66	59	58	59	62	66	74	77	74	64	54	51	50
Tue	49	60	74	75	69	62	60	61	65	72	83	91	87	71	58	52	50
Wed	50	60	75	77	69	64	61	62	66	74	85	92	87	73	60	54	50
Thu	50	60	74	75	69	63	62	64	68	77	88	93	88	75	63	55	50
Fri	50	57	68	68	63	62	64	68	75	82	87	87	82	71	62	56	51
Sat	49	50	51	52	54	57	61	64	66	67	67	67	64	61	56	53	50
Sun	50	49	50	50	51	53	55	58	60	61	60	58	57	56	54	53	50