Best Time to Drive from Ventura to Downey

Right now (8:03 pm PDT): about 93 minutes via US-101 South, usually 84 at this time.

Only 7% 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 Downey 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	81	83	86	90	93	94	101	106	117	140	150	143	130	115	88	81	78
Tue	78	86	91	91	93	93	98	100	114	151	148	141	133	114	96	82	78
Wed	78	88	91	89	95	91	94	99	110	125	136	153	132	113	97	84	78
Thu	78	86	90	89	94	94	99	105	117	155	168	162	139	116	97	88	78
Fri	78	86	91	92	95	95	108	118	139	158	165	162	145	117	95	84	79
Sat	78	78	81	85	87	95	100	109	122	120	111	104	100	94	91	85	78
Sun	77	77	78	79	85	88	95	97	103	111	121	106	109	94	91	86	78

About this drive

On weekdays the 77-mile drive from Ventura to Downey (via US-101 South) usually takes as little as 78 minutes and up to 168 minutes, when leaving around 3 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 116 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1 pm on Saturdays (122 minutes).

About 63 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 15 miles surface streets (23 to 36 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Ventura to central Downey (Downey Avenue) 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 Downey?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 78 minutes then, versus up to 168 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 77-mile drive usually takes 78 to 168 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 116 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Ventura to Downey?

Leaving around 3 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 168 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

US-101 South in Los Angeles (54 miles) · I-5 South in Los Angeles (8 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Downey to Ventura (return trip) · 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

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	81	83	86	90	93	94	101	106	117	140	150	143	130	115	88	81	78
Tue	78	86	91	91	93	93	98	100	114	151	148	141	133	114	96	82	78
Wed	78	88	91	89	95	91	94	99	110	125	136	153	132	113	97	84	78
Thu	78	86	90	89	94	94	99	105	117	155	168	162	139	116	97	88	78
Fri	78	86	91	92	95	95	108	118	139	158	165	162	145	117	95	84	79
Sat	78	78	81	85	87	95	100	109	122	120	111	104	100	94	91	85	78
Sun	77	77	78	79	85	88	95	97	103	111	121	106	109	94	91	86	78

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	81	83	86	90	93	94	101	106	117	140	150	143	130	115	88	81	78
Tue	78	86	91	91	93	93	98	100	114	151	148	141	133	114	96	82	78
Wed	78	88	91	89	95	91	94	99	110	125	136	153	132	113	97	84	78
Thu	78	86	90	89	94	94	99	105	117	155	168	162	139	116	97	88	78
Fri	78	86	91	92	95	95	108	118	139	158	165	162	145	117	95	84	79
Sat	78	78	81	85	87	95	100	109	122	120	111	104	100	94	91	85	78
Sun	77	77	78	79	85	88	95	97	103	111	121	106	109	94	91	86	78

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	81	83	86	90	93	94	101	106	117	140	150	143	130	115	88	81	78
Tue	78	86	91	91	93	93	98	100	114	151	148	141	133	114	96	82	78
Wed	78	88	91	89	95	91	94	99	110	125	136	153	132	113	97	84	78
Thu	78	86	90	89	94	94	99	105	117	155	168	162	139	116	97	88	78
Fri	78	86	91	92	95	95	108	118	139	158	165	162	145	117	95	84	79
Sat	78	78	81	85	87	95	100	109	122	120	111	104	100	94	91	85	78
Sun	77	77	78	79	85	88	95	97	103	111	121	106	109	94	91	86	78