Best Time to Drive from Van Nuys to Santa Barbara

Right now (8:03 pm PDT): about 97 minutes via US-101 North, usually 110 at this time.

Only 21% 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 Van Nuys 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	88	96	100	99	104	107	113	131	137	155	183	185	170	165	169	101	88
Tue	89	97	104	104	106	106	112	115	121	151	194	164	152	156	148	116	91
Wed	88	98	107	104	102	107	107	109	118	135	154	164	184	161	141	121	94
Thu	88	99	103	102	101	106	116	117	122	151	199	189	185	166	166	125	99
Fri	89	96	99	99	103	114	130	160	160	184	197	190	184	184	155	110	91
Sat	88	91	90	91	98	116	129	125	138	147	136	122	110	117	109	104	93
Sun	89	88	88	88	91	101	111	111	112	115	138	158	131	135	103	100	92

About this drive

On weekdays the 81-mile drive from Van Nuys to Santa Barbara (via US-101 North) usually takes as little as 88 minutes and up to 200 minutes, when leaving around 2:30 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 9 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 132 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4 pm on Sundays (158 minutes).

About 54 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 27 miles surface streets (41 to 148 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Van Nuys (Haynes Street) to central Santa Barbara (Anacapa Street) 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 Van Nuys to Santa Barbara?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 9 pm. The drive usually takes about 88 minutes then, versus up to 200 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Van Nuys to Santa Barbara?

The 81-mile drive usually takes 88 to 200 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 132 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Van Nuys to Santa Barbara?

Leaving around 2:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 200 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

US-101 North in Los Angeles (41 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Santa Barbara to Van Nuys (return trip) · Van Nuys to Los Angeles · Van Nuys to Santa Monica · Van Nuys to Pasadena · Van Nuys to Long Beach · Van Nuys to West Covina · Van Nuys to Glendale · Van Nuys to Santa Clarita · Van Nuys to Torrance · Van Nuys to LAX · Van Nuys to Culver City · Van Nuys to El Monte

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	88	96	100	99	104	107	113	131	137	155	183	185	170	165	169	101	88
Tue	89	97	104	104	106	106	112	115	121	151	194	164	152	156	148	116	91
Wed	88	98	107	104	102	107	107	109	118	135	154	164	184	161	141	121	94
Thu	88	99	103	102	101	106	116	117	122	151	199	189	185	166	166	125	99
Fri	89	96	99	99	103	114	130	160	160	184	197	190	184	184	155	110	91
Sat	88	91	90	91	98	116	129	125	138	147	136	122	110	117	109	104	93
Sun	89	88	88	88	91	101	111	111	112	115	138	158	131	135	103	100	92

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	88	96	100	99	104	107	113	131	137	155	183	185	170	165	169	101	88
Tue	89	97	104	104	106	106	112	115	121	151	194	164	152	156	148	116	91
Wed	88	98	107	104	102	107	107	109	118	135	154	164	184	161	141	121	94
Thu	88	99	103	102	101	106	116	117	122	151	199	189	185	166	166	125	99
Fri	89	96	99	99	103	114	130	160	160	184	197	190	184	184	155	110	91
Sat	88	91	90	91	98	116	129	125	138	147	136	122	110	117	109	104	93
Sun	89	88	88	88	91	101	111	111	112	115	138	158	131	135	103	100	92

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	88	96	100	99	104	107	113	131	137	155	183	185	170	165	169	101	88
Tue	89	97	104	104	106	106	112	115	121	151	194	164	152	156	148	116	91
Wed	88	98	107	104	102	107	107	109	118	135	154	164	184	161	141	121	94
Thu	88	99	103	102	101	106	116	117	122	151	199	189	185	166	166	125	99
Fri	89	96	99	99	103	114	130	160	160	184	197	190	184	184	155	110	91
Sat	88	91	90	91	98	116	129	125	138	147	136	122	110	117	109	104	93
Sun	89	88	88	88	91	101	111	111	112	115	138	158	131	135	103	100	92