Best Time to Drive from Simi Valley to Santa Monica

Right now (7:18 pm PDT): about 38 minutes via SR-118 East and I-405 South, usually 37 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 Monica 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	37	45	57	56	52	44	43	42	41	42	44	45	45	41	38	37	37
Tue	36	46	59	59	54	47	44	43	42	42	45	48	48	43	38	37	37
Wed	36	46	60	61	54	49	45	43	42	43	47	50	49	43	39	37	37
Thu	36	46	59	59	54	48	45	44	43	44	48	51	50	45	39	38	37
Fri	36	44	54	53	48	46	46	46	46	48	51	53	51	45	40	38	37
Sat	36	37	38	39	39	41	44	45	46	45	44	43	42	41	39	38	37
Sun	36	36	37	37	38	39	41	42	43	44	43	41	41	40	39	38	37

About this drive

On weekdays the 40-mile drive from Simi Valley to Santa Monica (via SR-118 East and I-405 South) usually takes as little as 36 minutes and up to 62 minutes, when leaving around 7:30 am on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 7 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 44 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1 pm on Saturdays (46 minutes).

About 39 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 1.5 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 (3rd Street) to downtown Santa Monica 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 Monica?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 36 minutes then, versus up to 62 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 40-mile drive usually takes 36 to 62 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 44 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Simi Valley to Santa Monica?

Leaving around 7:30 am on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 62 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

SR-118 East in Los Angeles (19 miles) · I-405 South in Los Angeles (17 miles) · I-10 West in Los Angeles (3 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Santa Monica to Simi Valley (return trip) · Simi Valley to Los Angeles · 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 · 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	37	45	57	56	52	44	43	42	41	42	44	45	45	41	38	37	37
Tue	36	46	59	59	54	47	44	43	42	42	45	48	48	43	38	37	37
Wed	36	46	60	61	54	49	45	43	42	43	47	50	49	43	39	37	37
Thu	36	46	59	59	54	48	45	44	43	44	48	51	50	45	39	38	37
Fri	36	44	54	53	48	46	46	46	46	48	51	53	51	45	40	38	37
Sat	36	37	38	39	39	41	44	45	46	45	44	43	42	41	39	38	37
Sun	36	36	37	37	38	39	41	42	43	44	43	41	41	40	39	38	37

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	37	45	57	56	52	44	43	42	41	42	44	45	45	41	38	37	37
Tue	36	46	59	59	54	47	44	43	42	42	45	48	48	43	38	37	37
Wed	36	46	60	61	54	49	45	43	42	43	47	50	49	43	39	37	37
Thu	36	46	59	59	54	48	45	44	43	44	48	51	50	45	39	38	37
Fri	36	44	54	53	48	46	46	46	46	48	51	53	51	45	40	38	37
Sat	36	37	38	39	39	41	44	45	46	45	44	43	42	41	39	38	37
Sun	36	36	37	37	38	39	41	42	43	44	43	41	41	40	39	38	37

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	37	45	57	56	52	44	43	42	41	42	44	45	45	41	38	37	37
Tue	36	46	59	59	54	47	44	43	42	42	45	48	48	43	38	37	37
Wed	36	46	60	61	54	49	45	43	42	43	47	50	49	43	39	37	37
Thu	36	46	59	59	54	48	45	44	43	44	48	51	50	45	39	38	37
Fri	36	44	54	53	48	46	46	46	46	48	51	53	51	45	40	38	37
Sat	36	37	38	39	39	41	44	45	46	45	44	43	42	41	39	38	37
Sun	36	36	37	37	38	39	41	42	43	44	43	41	41	40	39	38	37