Best Time to Drive from Hayward to Watsonville

Right now (3:20 pm PST): about 83 minutes via US-101 South and I-880 South, usually 87 at this time.

Only 14% 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 Hayward to Watsonville 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	75	80	91	105	99	91	87	86	86	95	103	105	100	89	80	76	75
Tue	74	80	95	111	108	94	88	85	85	96	106	108	101	92	83	77	75
Wed	74	80	96	110	105	93	87	85	85	96	106	108	102	92	84	77	75
Thu	74	80	96	111	104	92	87	85	87	98	107	109	103	93	85	78	76
Fri	75	80	87	90	89	86	86	89	95	109	113	111	103	94	86	78	75
Sat	75	75	76	77	79	82	89	90	90	90	89	86	86	83	81	77	75
Sun	75	75	75	75	76	78	81	83	83	83	81	80	80	80	79	78	76

About this drive

On weekdays the 79-mile drive from Hayward to Watsonville (via US-101 South and I-880 South) usually takes as little as 74 minutes and up to 113 minutes, when leaving around 3 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 89 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1:30 pm on Saturdays (91 minutes).

About 64 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 15 miles surface streets (19 to 22 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Hayward to central Watsonville 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 Hayward to Watsonville?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 74 minutes then, versus up to 113 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Hayward to Watsonville?

The 79-mile drive usually takes 74 to 113 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 89 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Hayward to Watsonville?

Leaving around 3 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 113 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

US-101 South in Bay Area (40 miles) · I-880 South in Bay Area (24 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

Watsonville to Hayward (return trip) · Hayward to San Francisco · Hayward to Oakland · Hayward to San Jose · Hayward to Palo Alto · Hayward to Berkeley · Hayward to Fremont · Hayward to Mountain View · Hayward to Pleasanton · Hayward to Santa Clara · Hayward to Richmond · Hayward to SFO

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	75	80	91	105	99	91	87	86	86	95	103	105	100	89	80	76	75
Tue	74	80	95	111	108	94	88	85	85	96	106	108	101	92	83	77	75
Wed	74	80	96	110	105	93	87	85	85	96	106	108	102	92	84	77	75
Thu	74	80	96	111	104	92	87	85	87	98	107	109	103	93	85	78	76
Fri	75	80	87	90	89	86	86	89	95	109	113	111	103	94	86	78	75
Sat	75	75	76	77	79	82	89	90	90	90	89	86	86	83	81	77	75
Sun	75	75	75	75	76	78	81	83	83	83	81	80	80	80	79	78	76

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	75	80	91	105	99	91	87	86	86	95	103	105	100	89	80	76	75
Tue	74	80	95	111	108	94	88	85	85	96	106	108	101	92	83	77	75
Wed	74	80	96	110	105	93	87	85	85	96	106	108	102	92	84	77	75
Thu	74	80	96	111	104	92	87	85	87	98	107	109	103	93	85	78	76
Fri	75	80	87	90	89	86	86	89	95	109	113	111	103	94	86	78	75
Sat	75	75	76	77	79	82	89	90	90	90	89	86	86	83	81	77	75
Sun	75	75	75	75	76	78	81	83	83	83	81	80	80	80	79	78	76

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	75	80	91	105	99	91	87	86	86	95	103	105	100	89	80	76	75
Tue	74	80	95	111	108	94	88	85	85	96	106	108	101	92	83	77	75
Wed	74	80	96	110	105	93	87	85	85	96	106	108	102	92	84	77	75
Thu	74	80	96	111	104	92	87	85	87	98	107	109	103	93	85	78	76
Fri	75	80	87	90	89	86	86	89	95	109	113	111	103	94	86	78	75
Sat	75	75	76	77	79	82	89	90	90	90	89	86	86	83	81	77	75
Sun	75	75	75	75	76	78	81	83	83	83	81	80	80	80	79	78	76