Best Time to Drive from Los Banos to Salinas

Right now (3:21 pm PST): about 79 minutes via SR-156 West and US-101 South, usually 82 at this time.

Only 37% 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	86	98	92	85	85	89	91	91	92	95	95	88	83	80	80	79	80
Tue	80	90	81	81	79	81	87	90	91	89	88	83	80	78	79	79	79
Wed	78	86	81	79	80	85	87	91	93	93	91	84	79	77	79	78	77
Thu	78	91	81	80	80	85	87	89	90	96	92	89	83	78	79	80	78
Fri	77	82	81	81	84	87	91	93	98	100	100	93	88	83	84	83	80
Sat	78	78	78	79	80	84	110	116	109	93	85	82	80	80	82	80	78
Sun	77	77	77	77	77	79	90	94	94	89	81	81	82	81	82	79	78

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 77 minutes and up to 106 minutes, when leaving around 6:30 am on Mondays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 5 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 92 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12 pm on Saturdays (116 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 72 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 6 am or after 5 pm. The drive usually takes about 77 minutes then, versus up to 106 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 71-mile drive usually takes 77 to 106 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 92 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Los Banos to Salinas?

Leaving around 6:30 am on Mondays is usually slowest, about 106 minutes.

More drives

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

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	86	98	92	85	85	89	91	91	92	95	95	88	83	80	80	79	80
Tue	80	90	81	81	79	81	87	90	91	89	88	83	80	78	79	79	79
Wed	78	86	81	79	80	85	87	91	93	93	91	84	79	77	79	78	77
Thu	78	91	81	80	80	85	87	89	90	96	92	89	83	78	79	80	78
Fri	77	82	81	81	84	87	91	93	98	100	100	93	88	83	84	83	80
Sat	78	78	78	79	80	84	110	116	109	93	85	82	80	80	82	80	78
Sun	77	77	77	77	77	79	90	94	94	89	81	81	82	81	82	79	78

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	86	98	92	85	85	89	91	91	92	95	95	88	83	80	80	79	80
Tue	80	90	81	81	79	81	87	90	91	89	88	83	80	78	79	79	79
Wed	78	86	81	79	80	85	87	91	93	93	91	84	79	77	79	78	77
Thu	78	91	81	80	80	85	87	89	90	96	92	89	83	78	79	80	78
Fri	77	82	81	81	84	87	91	93	98	100	100	93	88	83	84	83	80
Sat	78	78	78	79	80	84	110	116	109	93	85	82	80	80	82	80	78
Sun	77	77	77	77	77	79	90	94	94	89	81	81	82	81	82	79	78

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	86	98	92	85	85	89	91	91	92	95	95	88	83	80	80	79	80
Tue	80	90	81	81	79	81	87	90	91	89	88	83	80	78	79	79	79
Wed	78	86	81	79	80	85	87	91	93	93	91	84	79	77	79	78	77
Thu	78	91	81	80	80	85	87	89	90	96	92	89	83	78	79	80	78
Fri	77	82	81	81	84	87	91	93	98	100	100	93	88	83	84	83	80
Sat	78	78	78	79	80	84	110	116	109	93	85	82	80	80	82	80	78
Sun	77	77	77	77	77	79	90	94	94	89	81	81	82	81	82	79	78