Best Time to Drive from Ventura to Downey

Right now (5:50 am PST): about 81 minutes via US-101 South, usually 85 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	89	92	92	98	103	111	137	150	146	131	113	90	81	78
Tue	78	86	91	89	93	92	95	98	112	149	151	143	135	116	96	82	78
Wed	78	86	89	89	94	90	92	98	106	119	134	144	126	111	96	84	79
Thu	78	85	89	89	94	93	98	103	115	149	165	161	138	115	97	87	78
Fri	78	85	90	91	94	95	106	116	139	158	162	158	142	117	96	84	79
Sat	78	78	81	85	88	95	98	107	116	112	108	104	100	95	91	86	79
Sun	78	77	78	79	84	88	95	97	103	110	120	109	108	97	95	86	79

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 165 minutes, when leaving around 3 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 113 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3 pm on Sundays (120 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 6:30 am or after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 78 minutes then, versus up to 165 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 77-mile drive usually takes 78 to 165 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 113 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Ventura to Downey?

Leaving around 3 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 165 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

Ventura to Downey over Thanksgiving: when to leave →

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	89	92	92	98	103	111	137	150	146	131	113	90	81	78
Tue	78	86	91	89	93	92	95	98	112	149	151	143	135	116	96	82	78
Wed	78	86	89	89	94	90	92	98	106	119	134	144	126	111	96	84	79
Thu	78	85	89	89	94	93	98	103	115	149	165	161	138	115	97	87	78
Fri	78	85	90	91	94	95	106	116	139	158	162	158	142	117	96	84	79
Sat	78	78	81	85	88	95	98	107	116	112	108	104	100	95	91	86	79
Sun	78	77	78	79	84	88	95	97	103	110	120	109	108	97	95	86	79

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	81	83	86	89	92	92	98	103	111	137	150	146	131	113	90	81	78
Tue	78	86	91	89	93	92	95	98	112	149	151	143	135	116	96	82	78
Wed	78	86	89	89	94	90	92	98	106	119	134	144	126	111	96	84	79
Thu	78	85	89	89	94	93	98	103	115	149	165	161	138	115	97	87	78
Fri	78	85	90	91	94	95	106	116	139	158	162	158	142	117	96	84	79
Sat	78	78	81	85	88	95	98	107	116	112	108	104	100	95	91	86	79
Sun	78	77	78	79	84	88	95	97	103	110	120	109	108	97	95	86	79

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	81	83	86	89	92	92	98	103	111	137	150	146	131	113	90	81	78
Tue	78	86	91	89	93	92	95	98	112	149	151	143	135	116	96	82	78
Wed	78	86	89	89	94	90	92	98	106	119	134	144	126	111	96	84	79
Thu	78	85	89	89	94	93	98	103	115	149	165	161	138	115	97	87	78
Fri	78	85	90	91	94	95	106	116	139	158	162	158	142	117	96	84	79
Sat	78	78	81	85	88	95	98	107	116	112	108	104	100	95	91	86	79
Sun	78	77	78	79	84	88	95	97	103	110	120	109	108	97	95	86	79