Best Time to Drive from Ventura to Carlsbad

Right now (8:20 pm PST): about 143 minutes via I-405 South and US-101 South and I-5 South, usually 138 at this time.

Only 26% 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.

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 137 minutes and up to 312 minutes, when leaving around 1:30 pm on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 228 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1:30 pm on Saturdays (198 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 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 137 minutes then, versus up to 312 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 158-mile drive usually takes 137 to 312 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 228 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Ventura to Carlsbad?

Leaving around 1:30 pm on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 312 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 →