Best Time to Drive from Simi Valley to LAX

Right now (3:20 pm PST): about 62 minutes via I-405 South and SR-118 East, usually 96 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 LAX 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	42	42	43	51	54	50	51	61	72	78	90	98	95	77	55	47	41
Tue	43	42	43	75	82	56	57	81	105	117	184	201	168	127	87	58	42
Wed	42	42	43	65	72	54	61	78	109	160	218	214	181	140	98	64	43
Thu	42	43	44	65	72	56	69	87	103	151	217	226	199	160	117	76	45
Fri	43	43	43	49	52	53	72	95	119	155	200	206	184	151	113	75	46
Sat	43	43	43	44	46	50	57	67	79	95	100	91	81	68	59	56	43
Sun	42	42	42	43	46	46	51	57	61	63	64	65	60	58	58	53	44

About this drive

On weekdays the 45-mile drive from Simi Valley to LAX (via I-405 South and SR-118 East) usually takes as little as 41 minutes and up to 227 minutes, when leaving around 3:30 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7:30 am or after 9 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 93 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2:30 pm on Saturdays (101 minutes).

About 40 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 5 miles surface streets (7 to 15 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Simi Valley (3rd Street) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) 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 LAX?

On weekdays, leave before 7:30 am or after 9 pm. The drive usually takes about 41 minutes then, versus up to 227 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 45-mile drive usually takes 41 to 227 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 93 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Simi Valley to LAX?

Leaving around 3:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 227 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-405 South in Los Angeles (21 miles) · SR-118 East in Los Angeles (19 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

Simi Valley to LAX over Thanksgiving: when to leave →

More drives

LAX 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 Hollywood

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	42	42	43	51	54	50	51	61	72	78	90	98	95	77	55	47	41
Tue	43	42	43	75	82	56	57	81	105	117	184	201	168	127	87	58	42
Wed	42	42	43	65	72	54	61	78	109	160	218	214	181	140	98	64	43
Thu	42	43	44	65	72	56	69	87	103	151	217	226	199	160	117	76	45
Fri	43	43	43	49	52	53	72	95	119	155	200	206	184	151	113	75	46
Sat	43	43	43	44	46	50	57	67	79	95	100	91	81	68	59	56	43
Sun	42	42	42	43	46	46	51	57	61	63	64	65	60	58	58	53	44

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	42	42	43	51	54	50	51	61	72	78	90	98	95	77	55	47	41
Tue	43	42	43	75	82	56	57	81	105	117	184	201	168	127	87	58	42
Wed	42	42	43	65	72	54	61	78	109	160	218	214	181	140	98	64	43
Thu	42	43	44	65	72	56	69	87	103	151	217	226	199	160	117	76	45
Fri	43	43	43	49	52	53	72	95	119	155	200	206	184	151	113	75	46
Sat	43	43	43	44	46	50	57	67	79	95	100	91	81	68	59	56	43
Sun	42	42	42	43	46	46	51	57	61	63	64	65	60	58	58	53	44

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	42	42	43	51	54	50	51	61	72	78	90	98	95	77	55	47	41
Tue	43	42	43	75	82	56	57	81	105	117	184	201	168	127	87	58	42
Wed	42	42	43	65	72	54	61	78	109	160	218	214	181	140	98	64	43
Thu	42	43	44	65	72	56	69	87	103	151	217	226	199	160	117	76	45
Fri	43	43	43	49	52	53	72	95	119	155	200	206	184	151	113	75	46
Sat	43	43	43	44	46	50	57	67	79	95	100	91	81	68	59	56	43
Sun	42	42	42	43	46	46	51	57	61	63	64	65	60	58	58	53	44