Best Time to Drive from Thousand Oaks to Santa Barbara

Right now (11:31 am PDT): about 72 minutes via US-101 North, usually 88 at this time.

On weekdays the 56-mile drive from Thousand Oaks to Santa Barbara (via US-101 North) usually takes as little as 66 minutes and up to 114 minutes, when leaving around 3:30 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 7 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 89 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 11:30 am on Saturdays (96 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: Santa Barbara to Thousand Oaks

Freeway, about 30 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 26 miles: 39 to 76 minutes on weekdays, estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time (we don't have street sensors yet). Drive times are measured from central Thousand Oaks to central Santa Barbara (Anacapa Street) along the route shown. Starting or ending elsewhere in a big city can add or save several minutes.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from Thousand Oaks 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	66	69	74	73	70	72	86	89	87	93	97	93	88	73	66	67	66
Tue	66	68	78	77	73	71	77	80	83	87	98	95	88	72	67	68	67
Wed	66	69	79	79	74	72	83	86	86	92	97	95	85	70	67	67	67
Thu	67	69	80	79	75	80	85	88	89	97	103	107	102	80	67	67	67
Fri	67	68	73	73	75	86	94	102	102	107	112	109	91	81	68	67	66
Sat	67	67	67	67	68	81	95	95	92	90	88	83	78	69	67	67	67
Sun	67	67	67	67	67	69	89	94	94	89	86	82	77	69	67	67	66

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 Thousand Oaks to Santa Barbara?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 66 minutes then, versus up to 114 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Thousand Oaks to Santa Barbara?

The 56-mile drive usually takes 66 to 114 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 89 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Thousand Oaks to Santa Barbara?

Leaving around 3:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 114 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

More drives

Santa Barbara to Thousand Oaks (return trip) · Thousand Oaks to Los Angeles · Thousand Oaks to Santa Monica · Thousand Oaks to Pasadena · Thousand Oaks to Long Beach · Thousand Oaks to West Covina · Thousand Oaks to Burbank · Thousand Oaks to Glendale · Thousand Oaks to Santa Clarita · Thousand Oaks to Van Nuys · Thousand Oaks to Torrance · Thousand Oaks 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	66	69	74	73	70	72	86	89	87	93	97	93	88	73	66	67	66
Tue	66	68	78	77	73	71	77	80	83	87	98	95	88	72	67	68	67
Wed	66	69	79	79	74	72	83	86	86	92	97	95	85	70	67	67	67
Thu	67	69	80	79	75	80	85	88	89	97	103	107	102	80	67	67	67
Fri	67	68	73	73	75	86	94	102	102	107	112	109	91	81	68	67	66
Sat	67	67	67	67	68	81	95	95	92	90	88	83	78	69	67	67	67
Sun	67	67	67	67	67	69	89	94	94	89	86	82	77	69	67	67	66

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	66	69	74	73	70	72	86	89	87	93	97	93	88	73	66	67	66
Tue	66	68	78	77	73	71	77	80	83	87	98	95	88	72	67	68	67
Wed	66	69	79	79	74	72	83	86	86	92	97	95	85	70	67	67	67
Thu	67	69	80	79	75	80	85	88	89	97	103	107	102	80	67	67	67
Fri	67	68	73	73	75	86	94	102	102	107	112	109	91	81	68	67	66
Sat	67	67	67	67	68	81	95	95	92	90	88	83	78	69	67	67	67
Sun	67	67	67	67	67	69	89	94	94	89	86	82	77	69	67	67	66

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	66	69	74	73	70	72	86	89	87	93	97	93	88	73	66	67	66
Tue	66	68	78	77	73	71	77	80	83	87	98	95	88	72	67	68	67
Wed	66	69	79	79	74	72	83	86	86	92	97	95	85	70	67	67	67
Thu	67	69	80	79	75	80	85	88	89	97	103	107	102	80	67	67	67
Fri	67	68	73	73	75	86	94	102	102	107	112	109	91	81	68	67	66
Sat	67	67	67	67	68	81	95	95	92	90	88	83	78	69	67	67	67
Sun	67	67	67	67	67	69	89	94	94	89	86	82	77	69	67	67	66