Best Time to Drive from Los Banos to Salinas

Right now (7:04 pm PDT): about 85 minutes via SR-156 West and US-101 South, usually 85 at this time.

Only 41% 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 Los Banos to Salinas 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	96	106	109	91	88	90	91	90	92	95	94	87	83	79	80	79	78
Tue	85	101	85	84	81	83	88	91	91	89	88	83	80	78	79	79	81
Wed	81	98	84	81	82	85	87	90	92	93	91	84	79	78	79	78	78
Thu	85	107	85	81	82	85	87	88	90	96	91	89	83	79	80	81	79
Fri	80	94	84	83	86	87	90	92	99	102	102	95	89	83	83	83	80
Sat	78	78	78	80	81	84	112	120	112	97	86	83	82	81	82	80	78
Sun	77	77	77	78	78	79	89	94	94	89	82	84	85	82	85	82	80

About this drive

On weekdays the 71-mile drive from Los Banos to Salinas (via SR-156 West and US-101 South) usually takes as little as 78 minutes and up to 122 minutes, when leaving around 6:30 am on Mondays. The fastest times to leave are before 5:30 am or after 4:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 91 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12 pm on Saturdays (120 minutes).

About 32 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 39 miles surface streets (49 to 89 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Los Banos to central Salinas 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 Los Banos to Salinas?

On weekdays, leave before 5:30 am or after 4:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 78 minutes then, versus up to 122 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Los Banos to Salinas?

The 71-mile drive usually takes 78 to 122 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 91 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Los Banos to Salinas?

Leaving around 6:30 am on Mondays is usually slowest, about 122 minutes.

More drives

Salinas to Los Banos (return trip) · Los Banos to San Jose · Los Banos to Sunnyvale

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	96	106	109	91	88	90	91	90	92	95	94	87	83	79	80	79	78
Tue	85	101	85	84	81	83	88	91	91	89	88	83	80	78	79	79	81
Wed	81	98	84	81	82	85	87	90	92	93	91	84	79	78	79	78	78
Thu	85	107	85	81	82	85	87	88	90	96	91	89	83	79	80	81	79
Fri	80	94	84	83	86	87	90	92	99	102	102	95	89	83	83	83	80
Sat	78	78	78	80	81	84	112	120	112	97	86	83	82	81	82	80	78
Sun	77	77	77	78	78	79	89	94	94	89	82	84	85	82	85	82	80

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	96	106	109	91	88	90	91	90	92	95	94	87	83	79	80	79	78
Tue	85	101	85	84	81	83	88	91	91	89	88	83	80	78	79	79	81
Wed	81	98	84	81	82	85	87	90	92	93	91	84	79	78	79	78	78
Thu	85	107	85	81	82	85	87	88	90	96	91	89	83	79	80	81	79
Fri	80	94	84	83	86	87	90	92	99	102	102	95	89	83	83	83	80
Sat	78	78	78	80	81	84	112	120	112	97	86	83	82	81	82	80	78
Sun	77	77	77	78	78	79	89	94	94	89	82	84	85	82	85	82	80

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	96	106	109	91	88	90	91	90	92	95	94	87	83	79	80	79	78
Tue	85	101	85	84	81	83	88	91	91	89	88	83	80	78	79	79	81
Wed	81	98	84	81	82	85	87	90	92	93	91	84	79	78	79	78	78
Thu	85	107	85	81	82	85	87	88	90	96	91	89	83	79	80	81	79
Fri	80	94	84	83	86	87	90	92	99	102	102	95	89	83	83	83	80
Sat	78	78	78	80	81	84	112	120	112	97	86	83	82	81	82	80	78
Sun	77	77	77	78	78	79	89	94	94	89	82	84	85	82	85	82	80