Origin
Simi Valley, CA
Late night in Simi Valley on Friday
Local time
2:51 AM
PDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Simi Valley, CA to Los Angeles, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
52m
Distance
41.2 mi
66 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 48m
★
6 AM
0h 53m
8 AM
1h 1m
10 AM
0h 56m
12 PM
0h 55m
3 PM
0h 56m
5 PM
1h 1m
8 PM
0h 50m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Simi Valley, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Los Angeles, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Trip Overview
Simi Valley to Los Angeles is 41.2 miles and takes about 52 minutes via the Ronald Reagan Freeway, Hollywood Freeway, and Golden State Freeway, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, highway-focused drive connecting two points within the Pacific Coast region of California. Given its relatively short distance and duration, it's an ideal route for a single-day trip, allowing for flexibility in your schedule. You'll spend most of your time on major freeways, making it an efficient way to travel between these Southern California locales.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 52m. Total distance: 41.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
52m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (93%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This route is predominantly a highway-focused drive, with 93% of the journey taking place on major freeways. You'll primarily be on the Ronald Reagan Freeway, then transition to the Hollywood Freeway and finally the Golden State Freeway. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 19.6 miles on the Ronald Reagan Freeway. Expect a consistent driving experience with limited opportunities for scenic detours, as the emphasis is on efficient travel. The character of the drive remains largely consistent, focusing on covering ground rather than a winding or varied landscape.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 18 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Ronald Reagan Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 19.6 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Ronald Reagan Freeway and Hollywood Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 13.2 miles in near CA 118 / Ronald Reagan Freeway.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 14 decision points packed into just 41.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 52m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 13.2 miles (CA 118 / Ronald Reagan Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 24 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 40.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 14 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
13.2 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
CA 118 / Ronald Reagan Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 118 / Ronald Reagan Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
24 mi into trip
|
~29m in
Take the exit toward CA 170 South: Hollywood
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 153B
Toward CA 170 South: Hollywood
7
40.7 mi into trip
|
~51m in
Take the exit toward Broadway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 2C
Toward Broadway
7
40.9 mi into trip
|
~51m in
|
North Spring Street
Turn right onto North Spring Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
7
41.2 mi into trip
|
~52m in
|
West 1st Street
Turn left onto West 1st Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Ronald Reagan Freeway | 19.6 mi | 22m |
| Hollywood Freeway | 16.2 mi | 20m |
| Golden State Freeway | 2.3 mi | 2m |
| First Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| North Spring Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| 3rd Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| East Los Angeles Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| West Aliso Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Ronald Reagan Freeway
— 19.6 mi, about 22m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Simi Valley, CA and Los Angeles, CA.
1
Start on 3rd Street
0.2 mi
·
37 sec
·
3rd Street
2
Turn right onto East Los Angeles Avenue
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
·
East Los Angeles Avenue
3
Turn left onto First Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
First Street
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
Toward CA 118 East
5
Merge onto CA 118
12 mi
·
13 min
·
Ronald Reagan Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 118
2.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Ronald Reagan Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 118
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Ronald Reagan Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 118
2.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Ronald Reagan Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 118
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Ronald Reagan Freeway
10
Take the exit
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 5 South: Los Angeles
Use the slight right lane.
11
Merge onto I 5
2.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Golden State Freeway
12
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
32 sec
Exit 153B
Toward CA 170 South: Hollywood
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on CA 170
16 mi
·
20 min
·
Hollywood Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
Exit 2C
Toward Broadway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Continue on West Aliso Street
409 ft
·
18 sec
·
West Aliso Street
Use the straight lane.
16
Turn right onto North Spring Street
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
·
North Spring Street
Use the right lane.
17
Turn left onto West 1st Street
354 ft
·
12 sec
·
West 1st Street
Use the left lane.
18
Arrive at destination
West 1st Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 20.6 mi from Simi Valley, CA · 25m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 41 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20.6 miles from Simi Valley, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Los Angeles, CA
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Los Angeles, CA if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.47 one way
$18.94 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $9.76 | $19.52 |
| premium | $6.18 | $10.02 | $20.04 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.10 | $18.19 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.4 | 0 | $4.33 | $1.98 |
| Efficient EV | 10.3 | 0 | $3.61 | $1.65 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.5 | 0 | $5.77 | $2.64 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Los Angeles, CA
Late night in Los Angeles on Friday
Local time
2:51 AM
PDT
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
44°F
Burbank, CA
21 mi in
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
5 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
52m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Simi Valley, CA to Los Angeles, CA covers 41.2 miles and takes about 52m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Ronald Reagan Freeway, Hollywood Freeway, Golden State Freeway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 20.6 miles from Simi Valley, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $9.47 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This is a short but busy drive. With 14 decision points packed into just 41.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 52m.
The main spots that need attention: at 13.2 miles (CA 118 / Ronald Reagan Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 24 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 40.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Simi Valley, CA to Los Angeles, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
How this page is built
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our methodology page documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
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