Best Time to Drive from Simi Valley to Santa Clarita

Right now (8:03 am PDT): about 35 minutes via SR-118 East and I-5 North, usually 35 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 Santa Clarita 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	31	32	34	34	34	35	35	35	35	35	36	39	40	36	33	33	32
Tue	31	33	35	35	34	35	35	35	35	35	37	41	43	38	34	33	32
Wed	32	33	36	36	35	35	35	35	35	35	38	42	43	38	34	33	32
Thu	32	33	35	35	35	35	35	35	35	36	38	43	44	39	34	33	32
Fri	32	33	34	35	35	36	37	37	37	39	42	46	46	41	36	34	32
Sat	32	32	33	33	33	35	36	36	35	35	34	34	34	33	33	32	32
Sun	32	32	32	32	32	32	33	35	35	35	35	34	35	35	34	34	32

About this drive

On weekdays the 32-mile drive from Simi Valley to Santa Clarita (via SR-118 East and I-5 North) usually takes as little as 31 minutes and up to 47 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 7:30 am or after 7 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 35 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12 pm on Saturdays (36 minutes).

About 28 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 4 miles surface streets (7 to 10 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 Clarita (Newhall Avenue) 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 Clarita?

On weekdays, leave before 7:30 am or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 31 minutes then, versus up to 47 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 32-mile drive usually takes 31 to 47 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 35 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Simi Valley to Santa Clarita?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 47 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

SR-118 East in Los Angeles (19 miles) · I-5 North in Los Angeles (6 miles) · I-405 North in Los Angeles (3 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Santa Clarita 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 Van Nuys · Simi Valley to Torrance · Simi Valley to LAX · 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	31	32	34	34	34	35	35	35	35	35	36	39	40	36	33	33	32
Tue	31	33	35	35	34	35	35	35	35	35	37	41	43	38	34	33	32
Wed	32	33	36	36	35	35	35	35	35	35	38	42	43	38	34	33	32
Thu	32	33	35	35	35	35	35	35	35	36	38	43	44	39	34	33	32
Fri	32	33	34	35	35	36	37	37	37	39	42	46	46	41	36	34	32
Sat	32	32	33	33	33	35	36	36	35	35	34	34	34	33	33	32	32
Sun	32	32	32	32	32	32	33	35	35	35	35	34	35	35	34	34	32

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	31	32	34	34	34	35	35	35	35	35	36	39	40	36	33	33	32
Tue	31	33	35	35	34	35	35	35	35	35	37	41	43	38	34	33	32
Wed	32	33	36	36	35	35	35	35	35	35	38	42	43	38	34	33	32
Thu	32	33	35	35	35	35	35	35	35	36	38	43	44	39	34	33	32
Fri	32	33	34	35	35	36	37	37	37	39	42	46	46	41	36	34	32
Sat	32	32	33	33	33	35	36	36	35	35	34	34	34	33	33	32	32
Sun	32	32	32	32	32	32	33	35	35	35	35	34	35	35	34	34	32

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	31	32	34	34	34	35	35	35	35	35	36	39	40	36	33	33	32
Tue	31	33	35	35	34	35	35	35	35	35	37	41	43	38	34	33	32
Wed	32	33	36	36	35	35	35	35	35	35	38	42	43	38	34	33	32
Thu	32	33	35	35	35	35	35	35	35	36	38	43	44	39	34	33	32
Fri	32	33	34	35	35	36	37	37	37	39	42	46	46	41	36	34	32
Sat	32	32	33	33	33	35	36	36	35	35	34	34	34	33	33	32	32
Sun	32	32	32	32	32	32	33	35	35	35	35	34	35	35	34	34	32