Best Time to Drive from Ventura to Santa Barbara

Right now (11:31 am PDT): about 47 minutes via US-101 North, usually 48 at this time.

On weekdays the 34-mile drive from Ventura to Santa Barbara (via US-101 North) usually takes as little as 45 minutes and up to 66 minutes, when leaving around 3 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 7 am or after 7 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 50 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3:30 pm on Saturdays (53 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: Santa Barbara to Ventura

Freeway, about 12 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 22 miles: 34 to 51 minutes on weekdays, estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time (we don't have street sensors yet). Drive times are measured from central Ventura to central Santa Barbara (Anacapa Street) along the route shown. Starting or ending elsewhere in a big city can add or save several minutes.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from Ventura 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	45	47	52	56	50	48	48	48	49	50	52	53	54	53	46	45	45
Tue	45	46	58	61	55	50	48	47	47	49	51	55	57	55	48	45	45
Wed	45	47	58	60	56	50	48	48	48	50	53	57	59	57	49	45	45
Thu	45	47	58	61	55	50	49	48	48	53	56	59	61	59	50	45	45
Fri	45	46	49	55	51	49	51	53	53	63	66	64	61	57	47	46	45
Sat	45	45	46	46	46	47	49	49	50	49	50	53	49	46	46	46	45
Sun	45	45	45	45	46	46	47	48	49	50	49	48	47	46	46	46	45

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 Santa Barbara?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 45 minutes then, versus up to 66 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Ventura to Santa Barbara?

The 34-mile drive usually takes 45 to 66 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 50 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Ventura to Santa Barbara?

Leaving around 3 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 66 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

More drives

Santa Barbara 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	45	47	52	56	50	48	48	48	49	50	52	53	54	53	46	45	45
Tue	45	46	58	61	55	50	48	47	47	49	51	55	57	55	48	45	45
Wed	45	47	58	60	56	50	48	48	48	50	53	57	59	57	49	45	45
Thu	45	47	58	61	55	50	49	48	48	53	56	59	61	59	50	45	45
Fri	45	46	49	55	51	49	51	53	53	63	66	64	61	57	47	46	45
Sat	45	45	46	46	46	47	49	49	50	49	50	53	49	46	46	46	45
Sun	45	45	45	45	46	46	47	48	49	50	49	48	47	46	46	46	45

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	45	47	52	56	50	48	48	48	49	50	52	53	54	53	46	45	45
Tue	45	46	58	61	55	50	48	47	47	49	51	55	57	55	48	45	45
Wed	45	47	58	60	56	50	48	48	48	50	53	57	59	57	49	45	45
Thu	45	47	58	61	55	50	49	48	48	53	56	59	61	59	50	45	45
Fri	45	46	49	55	51	49	51	53	53	63	66	64	61	57	47	46	45
Sat	45	45	46	46	46	47	49	49	50	49	50	53	49	46	46	46	45
Sun	45	45	45	45	46	46	47	48	49	50	49	48	47	46	46	46	45

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	45	47	52	56	50	48	48	48	49	50	52	53	54	53	46	45	45
Tue	45	46	58	61	55	50	48	47	47	49	51	55	57	55	48	45	45
Wed	45	47	58	60	56	50	48	48	48	50	53	57	59	57	49	45	45
Thu	45	47	58	61	55	50	49	48	48	53	56	59	61	59	50	45	45
Fri	45	46	49	55	51	49	51	53	53	63	66	64	61	57	47	46	45
Sat	45	45	46	46	46	47	49	49	50	49	50	53	49	46	46	46	45
Sun	45	45	45	45	46	46	47	48	49	50	49	48	47	46	46	46	45