Best Time to Drive from Simi Valley to Santa Barbara

Right now (3:20 pm PST): about 91 minutes via US-101 North, usually 103 at this time.

Only 21% 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 Santa Barbara 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	83	90	124	148	125	103	101	104	106	100	99	102	89	84	83	83	83
Tue	83	91	133	155	136	109	96	93	91	91	92	97	87	83	83	83	83
Wed	83	91	135	154	140	113	97	95	92	92	94	102	88	84	84	84	83
Thu	84	91	139	154	136	108	103	103	100	101	102	111	92	84	83	83	84
Fri	83	87	109	136	112	109	116	128	130	134	137	134	108	88	84	83	83
Sat	83	84	84	85	89	99	107	115	117	114	106	97	88	84	84	83	83
Sun	83	83	83	83	84	87	92	95	97	99	97	93	87	84	84	83	83

About this drive

On weekdays the 60-mile drive from Simi Valley to Santa Barbara (via US-101 North) usually takes as little as 83 minutes and up to 155 minutes, when leaving around 8 am on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 5:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 103 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12:30 pm on Saturdays (118 minutes).

About 20 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 40 miles surface streets (65 to 133 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 central Santa Barbara (Anacapa Street) 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 Santa Barbara?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 5:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 83 minutes then, versus up to 155 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Simi Valley to Santa Barbara?

The 60-mile drive usually takes 83 to 155 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 103 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Simi Valley to Santa Barbara?

Leaving around 8 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 155 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

US-101 North in Los Angeles (8 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

Simi Valley to Santa Barbara over Thanksgiving: when to leave →

More drives

Santa Barbara 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	83	90	124	148	125	103	101	104	106	100	99	102	89	84	83	83	83
Tue	83	91	133	155	136	109	96	93	91	91	92	97	87	83	83	83	83
Wed	83	91	135	154	140	113	97	95	92	92	94	102	88	84	84	84	83
Thu	84	91	139	154	136	108	103	103	100	101	102	111	92	84	83	83	84
Fri	83	87	109	136	112	109	116	128	130	134	137	134	108	88	84	83	83
Sat	83	84	84	85	89	99	107	115	117	114	106	97	88	84	84	83	83
Sun	83	83	83	83	84	87	92	95	97	99	97	93	87	84	84	83	83

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	83	90	124	148	125	103	101	104	106	100	99	102	89	84	83	83	83
Tue	83	91	133	155	136	109	96	93	91	91	92	97	87	83	83	83	83
Wed	83	91	135	154	140	113	97	95	92	92	94	102	88	84	84	84	83
Thu	84	91	139	154	136	108	103	103	100	101	102	111	92	84	83	83	84
Fri	83	87	109	136	112	109	116	128	130	134	137	134	108	88	84	83	83
Sat	83	84	84	85	89	99	107	115	117	114	106	97	88	84	84	83	83
Sun	83	83	83	83	84	87	92	95	97	99	97	93	87	84	84	83	83

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	83	90	124	148	125	103	101	104	106	100	99	102	89	84	83	83	83
Tue	83	91	133	155	136	109	96	93	91	91	92	97	87	83	83	83	83
Wed	83	91	135	154	140	113	97	95	92	92	94	102	88	84	84	84	83
Thu	84	91	139	154	136	108	103	103	100	101	102	111	92	84	83	83	84
Fri	83	87	109	136	112	109	116	128	130	134	137	134	108	88	84	83	83
Sat	83	84	84	85	89	99	107	115	117	114	106	97	88	84	84	83	83
Sun	83	83	83	83	84	87	92	95	97	99	97	93	87	84	84	83	83