Best Time to Drive from Ventura to Carlsbad

Right now (5:47 pm PDT): about 197 minutes via I-405 South and US-101 South and I-5 South, usually 145 at this time.

Only 24% 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 Ventura to Carlsbad 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	139	143	167	149	145	146	146	147	147	144	148	151	149	148	139	139	138
Tue	139	146	175	159	146	146	146	146	145	145	146	148	149	145	140	138	138
Wed	140	145	167	157	147	146	146	146	146	147	146	150	150	145	140	139	138
Thu	140	144	168	159	149	147	147	149	147	148	145	149	151	147	140	140	138
Fri	139	140	154	148	149	157	163	170	174	173	170	159	154	147	140	140	138
Sat	138	138	143	155	171	166	169	165	163	165	160	153	145	140	140	140	138
Sun	138	138	139	140	150	152	153	152	153	157	156	147	146	145	142	140	138

About this drive

On weekdays the 158-mile drive from Ventura to Carlsbad (via I-405 South and US-101 South and I-5 South) usually takes as little as 138 minutes and up to 175 minutes, when leaving around 7 am on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 5 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 151 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 9 am on Saturdays (171 minutes).

About 156 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 1.8 miles surface streets (2 to 3 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Ventura to central Carlsbad 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 Ventura to Carlsbad?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 5 pm. The drive usually takes about 138 minutes then, versus up to 175 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Ventura to Carlsbad?

The 158-mile drive usually takes 138 to 175 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 151 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Ventura to Carlsbad?

Leaving around 7 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 175 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

US-101 South in Los Angeles (51 miles) · I-405 South in Los Angeles (37 miles) · I-5 South in Orange County (19 miles) · SR-73 South in Orange County (17 miles) · I-405 South in Orange County (16 miles) · I-5 South in San Diego (15 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow · San Diego traffic right now · San Diego traffic tomorrow

More drives

Ventura to Los Angeles · Ventura to Santa Monica · Ventura to Pasadena · Ventura to Long Beach · Ventura to Burbank · Ventura to Glendale · Ventura to Van Nuys · Ventura to Torrance · Ventura to LAX · Ventura to Hollywood · Ventura to Culver City · Ventura 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	139	143	167	149	145	146	146	147	147	144	148	151	149	148	139	139	138
Tue	139	146	175	159	146	146	146	146	145	145	146	148	149	145	140	138	138
Wed	140	145	167	157	147	146	146	146	146	147	146	150	150	145	140	139	138
Thu	140	144	168	159	149	147	147	149	147	148	145	149	151	147	140	140	138
Fri	139	140	154	148	149	157	163	170	174	173	170	159	154	147	140	140	138
Sat	138	138	143	155	171	166	169	165	163	165	160	153	145	140	140	140	138
Sun	138	138	139	140	150	152	153	152	153	157	156	147	146	145	142	140	138

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	139	143	167	149	145	146	146	147	147	144	148	151	149	148	139	139	138
Tue	139	146	175	159	146	146	146	146	145	145	146	148	149	145	140	138	138
Wed	140	145	167	157	147	146	146	146	146	147	146	150	150	145	140	139	138
Thu	140	144	168	159	149	147	147	149	147	148	145	149	151	147	140	140	138
Fri	139	140	154	148	149	157	163	170	174	173	170	159	154	147	140	140	138
Sat	138	138	143	155	171	166	169	165	163	165	160	153	145	140	140	140	138
Sun	138	138	139	140	150	152	153	152	153	157	156	147	146	145	142	140	138

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	139	143	167	149	145	146	146	147	147	144	148	151	149	148	139	139	138
Tue	139	146	175	159	146	146	146	146	145	145	146	148	149	145	140	138	138
Wed	140	145	167	157	147	146	146	146	146	147	146	150	150	145	140	139	138
Thu	140	144	168	159	149	147	147	149	147	148	145	149	151	147	140	140	138
Fri	139	140	154	148	149	157	163	170	174	173	170	159	154	147	140	140	138
Sat	138	138	143	155	171	166	169	165	163	165	160	153	145	140	140	140	138
Sun	138	138	139	140	150	152	153	152	153	157	156	147	146	145	142	140	138