Best Time to Drive from Torrance to Santa Barbara

Right now (6:17 pm PDT): about 121 minutes via US-101 North and I-405 North, usually 126 at this time.

Only 18% 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 Torrance 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	102	112	113	112	110	113	117	118	120	148	178	189	172	141	114	105	102
Tue	103	115	119	114	110	111	112	114	118	140	187	198	180	148	121	106	102
Wed	102	115	119	118	111	111	112	113	119	136	177	193	181	155	128	108	104
Thu	105	117	120	116	112	114	118	121	131	144	173	187	171	144	121	107	103
Fri	102	110	112	112	114	119	127	129	140	157	167	180	163	135	113	105	102
Sat	101	102	102	105	111	123	133	127	122	120	115	115	109	106	105	103	102
Sun	101	101	101	102	104	110	117	119	117	115	111	109	107	106	105	103	101

About this drive

On weekdays the 106-mile drive from Torrance to Santa Barbara (via US-101 North and I-405 North) usually takes as little as 102 minutes and up to 200 minutes, when leaving around 3:30 pm on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 126 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 11 am on Saturdays (133 minutes).

About 96 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 11 miles surface streets (10 to 17 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Torrance to central Santa Barbara 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 Torrance to Santa Barbara?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 102 minutes then, versus up to 200 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Torrance to Santa Barbara?

The 106-mile drive usually takes 102 to 200 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 126 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Torrance to Santa Barbara?

Leaving around 3:30 pm on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 200 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

US-101 North in Los Angeles (59 miles) · I-405 North in Los Angeles (24 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Torrance to Los Angeles · Torrance to Santa Monica · Torrance to Pasadena · Torrance to West Covina · Torrance to Burbank · Torrance to Glendale · Torrance to Santa Clarita · Torrance to Van Nuys · Torrance to Hollywood · Torrance to Culver City · Torrance to El Monte · Torrance to Downey

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	102	112	113	112	110	113	117	118	120	148	178	189	172	141	114	105	102
Tue	103	115	119	114	110	111	112	114	118	140	187	198	180	148	121	106	102
Wed	102	115	119	118	111	111	112	113	119	136	177	193	181	155	128	108	104
Thu	105	117	120	116	112	114	118	121	131	144	173	187	171	144	121	107	103
Fri	102	110	112	112	114	119	127	129	140	157	167	180	163	135	113	105	102
Sat	101	102	102	105	111	123	133	127	122	120	115	115	109	106	105	103	102
Sun	101	101	101	102	104	110	117	119	117	115	111	109	107	106	105	103	101

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	102	112	113	112	110	113	117	118	120	148	178	189	172	141	114	105	102
Tue	103	115	119	114	110	111	112	114	118	140	187	198	180	148	121	106	102
Wed	102	115	119	118	111	111	112	113	119	136	177	193	181	155	128	108	104
Thu	105	117	120	116	112	114	118	121	131	144	173	187	171	144	121	107	103
Fri	102	110	112	112	114	119	127	129	140	157	167	180	163	135	113	105	102
Sat	101	102	102	105	111	123	133	127	122	120	115	115	109	106	105	103	102
Sun	101	101	101	102	104	110	117	119	117	115	111	109	107	106	105	103	101

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	102	112	113	112	110	113	117	118	120	148	178	189	172	141	114	105	102
Tue	103	115	119	114	110	111	112	114	118	140	187	198	180	148	121	106	102
Wed	102	115	119	118	111	111	112	113	119	136	177	193	181	155	128	108	104
Thu	105	117	120	116	112	114	118	121	131	144	173	187	171	144	121	107	103
Fri	102	110	112	112	114	119	127	129	140	157	167	180	163	135	113	105	102
Sat	101	102	102	105	111	123	133	127	122	120	115	115	109	106	105	103	102
Sun	101	101	101	102	104	110	117	119	117	115	111	109	107	106	105	103	101