Best Time to Drive from Van Nuys to Santa Barbara

Right now (8:35 pm PST): about 99 minutes via US-101 North, usually 113 at this time.

Only 20% 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	89	95	100	99	103	105	110	123	126	144	176	185	176	170	156	104	89
Tue	89	97	103	104	103	104	110	116	120	143	194	167	152	160	152	116	92
Wed	88	96	107	104	100	105	106	108	117	135	151	170	184	165	145	121	93
Thu	89	97	104	105	99	103	113	115	120	143	191	189	184	165	160	123	96
Fri	89	93	98	99	103	114	128	150	152	187	198	190	184	184	155	109	93
Sat	88	89	89	90	97	111	122	122	132	143	136	123	111	114	111	106	93
Sun	88	88	88	89	90	100	110	112	112	119	136	163	137	139	111	105	94

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 6:30 am or after 9 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 128 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4 pm on Sundays (163 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 6:30 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 128 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

Van Nuys to Santa Barbara over Thanksgiving: when to leave →

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	89	95	100	99	103	105	110	123	126	144	176	185	176	170	156	104	89
Tue	89	97	103	104	103	104	110	116	120	143	194	167	152	160	152	116	92
Wed	88	96	107	104	100	105	106	108	117	135	151	170	184	165	145	121	93
Thu	89	97	104	105	99	103	113	115	120	143	191	189	184	165	160	123	96
Fri	89	93	98	99	103	114	128	150	152	187	198	190	184	184	155	109	93
Sat	88	89	89	90	97	111	122	122	132	143	136	123	111	114	111	106	93
Sun	88	88	88	89	90	100	110	112	112	119	136	163	137	139	111	105	94

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	89	95	100	99	103	105	110	123	126	144	176	185	176	170	156	104	89
Tue	89	97	103	104	103	104	110	116	120	143	194	167	152	160	152	116	92
Wed	88	96	107	104	100	105	106	108	117	135	151	170	184	165	145	121	93
Thu	89	97	104	105	99	103	113	115	120	143	191	189	184	165	160	123	96
Fri	89	93	98	99	103	114	128	150	152	187	198	190	184	184	155	109	93
Sat	88	89	89	90	97	111	122	122	132	143	136	123	111	114	111	106	93
Sun	88	88	88	89	90	100	110	112	112	119	136	163	137	139	111	105	94

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	89	95	100	99	103	105	110	123	126	144	176	185	176	170	156	104	89
Tue	89	97	103	104	103	104	110	116	120	143	194	167	152	160	152	116	92
Wed	88	96	107	104	100	105	106	108	117	135	151	170	184	165	145	121	93
Thu	89	97	104	105	99	103	113	115	120	143	191	189	184	165	160	123	96
Fri	89	93	98	99	103	114	128	150	152	187	198	190	184	184	155	109	93
Sat	88	89	89	90	97	111	122	122	132	143	136	123	111	114	111	106	93
Sun	88	88	88	89	90	100	110	112	112	119	136	163	137	139	111	105	94