Best Time to Drive from Thousand Oaks to Santa Monica

Right now (10:19 pm PDT): about 33 minutes via US-101 South and I-405 South.

Only 1% 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.

On weekdays the 36-mile drive from Thousand Oaks to Santa Monica (via US-101 South and I-405 South) usually takes as little as 33 minutes and up to 57 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 7 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 41 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12 pm on Saturdays (45 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: Santa Monica to Thousand Oaks

Freeway, about 35 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 1.4 miles: about 2 minutes, 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 downtown Santa Monica 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 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	33	37	45	47	44	41	39	39	38	39	42	46	45	38	34	34	33
Tue	33	37	47	51	48	45	42	40	39	40	44	49	49	40	35	34	33
Wed	33	37	47	51	49	46	44	42	40	41	45	52	51	43	35	34	33
Thu	33	37	46	49	46	44	43	42	41	42	47	54	53	44	36	34	33
Fri	33	36	42	44	42	42	44	45	45	47	52	57	53	44	37	35	33
Sat	33	33	34	34	36	39	43	45	45	45	44	44	44	42	38	35	33
Sun	33	33	33	33	34	36	39	41	42	42	41	41	41	40	38	37	34

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 Monica?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 33 minutes then, versus up to 57 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 36-mile drive usually takes 33 to 57 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 41 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Thousand Oaks to Santa Monica?

Leaving around 4 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 57 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

Freeways on this drive

US-101 South in Los Angeles (22 miles) · I-405 South in Los Angeles (10 miles) · I-10 West in Los Angeles (3 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Santa Monica to Thousand Oaks (return trip) · Thousand Oaks to Los Angeles · 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 · Thousand Oaks 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	33	37	45	47	44	41	39	39	38	39	42	46	45	38	34	34	33
Tue	33	37	47	51	48	45	42	40	39	40	44	49	49	40	35	34	33
Wed	33	37	47	51	49	46	44	42	40	41	45	52	51	43	35	34	33
Thu	33	37	46	49	46	44	43	42	41	42	47	54	53	44	36	34	33
Fri	33	36	42	44	42	42	44	45	45	47	52	57	53	44	37	35	33
Sat	33	33	34	34	36	39	43	45	45	45	44	44	44	42	38	35	33
Sun	33	33	33	33	34	36	39	41	42	42	41	41	41	40	38	37	34

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	33	37	45	47	44	41	39	39	38	39	42	46	45	38	34	34	33
Tue	33	37	47	51	48	45	42	40	39	40	44	49	49	40	35	34	33
Wed	33	37	47	51	49	46	44	42	40	41	45	52	51	43	35	34	33
Thu	33	37	46	49	46	44	43	42	41	42	47	54	53	44	36	34	33
Fri	33	36	42	44	42	42	44	45	45	47	52	57	53	44	37	35	33
Sat	33	33	34	34	36	39	43	45	45	45	44	44	44	42	38	35	33
Sun	33	33	33	33	34	36	39	41	42	42	41	41	41	40	38	37	34

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	33	37	45	47	44	41	39	39	38	39	42	46	45	38	34	34	33
Tue	33	37	47	51	48	45	42	40	39	40	44	49	49	40	35	34	33
Wed	33	37	47	51	49	46	44	42	40	41	45	52	51	43	35	34	33
Thu	33	37	46	49	46	44	43	42	41	42	47	54	53	44	36	34	33
Fri	33	36	42	44	42	42	44	45	45	47	52	57	53	44	37	35	33
Sat	33	33	34	34	36	39	43	45	45	45	44	44	44	42	38	35	33
Sun	33	33	33	33	34	36	39	41	42	42	41	41	41	40	38	37	34