Best Time to Drive from Newark to Salinas

Right now (3:20 pm PST): about 77 minutes via US-101 South and I-880 South, usually 82 at this time.

Only 28% 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 Newark 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	69	72	79	89	92	85	81	79	79	86	96	100	95	81	73	70	69
Tue	69	72	81	93	98	88	82	78	78	84	98	101	94	84	76	70	69
Wed	69	72	81	92	95	87	81	79	78	85	98	101	94	84	76	71	69
Thu	69	72	81	92	94	86	81	78	79	89	103	106	98	85	79	72	69
Fri	69	72	77	81	84	80	79	82	87	101	107	109	101	88	80	71	69
Sat	69	69	69	71	73	76	82	85	84	85	84	80	77	75	74	71	69
Sun	69	69	69	69	70	72	75	77	78	77	75	74	74	73	72	72	69

About this drive

On weekdays the 77-mile drive from Newark to Salinas (via US-101 South and I-880 South) usually takes as little as 69 minutes and up to 109 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 7 am or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 82 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12 pm on Saturdays (85 minutes).

About 73 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 4 miles surface streets (5 to 13 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Newark 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 Newark to Salinas?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 69 minutes then, versus up to 109 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Newark to Salinas?

The 77-mile drive usually takes 69 to 109 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 82 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Newark to Salinas?

Leaving around 4 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 109 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

US-101 South in Bay Area (40 miles) · I-880 South in Bay Area (15 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

Salinas to Newark (return trip) · Newark to Brooklyn · Newark to East New York · Newark to San Jose · Newark to Borough Park · Newark to San Francisco · Newark to Sunset Park · Newark to Sheepshead Bay · Newark to Gravesend · Newark to New Rochelle · Newark to Oakland · Newark to Bayside

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	69	72	79	89	92	85	81	79	79	86	96	100	95	81	73	70	69
Tue	69	72	81	93	98	88	82	78	78	84	98	101	94	84	76	70	69
Wed	69	72	81	92	95	87	81	79	78	85	98	101	94	84	76	71	69
Thu	69	72	81	92	94	86	81	78	79	89	103	106	98	85	79	72	69
Fri	69	72	77	81	84	80	79	82	87	101	107	109	101	88	80	71	69
Sat	69	69	69	71	73	76	82	85	84	85	84	80	77	75	74	71	69
Sun	69	69	69	69	70	72	75	77	78	77	75	74	74	73	72	72	69

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	69	72	79	89	92	85	81	79	79	86	96	100	95	81	73	70	69
Tue	69	72	81	93	98	88	82	78	78	84	98	101	94	84	76	70	69
Wed	69	72	81	92	95	87	81	79	78	85	98	101	94	84	76	71	69
Thu	69	72	81	92	94	86	81	78	79	89	103	106	98	85	79	72	69
Fri	69	72	77	81	84	80	79	82	87	101	107	109	101	88	80	71	69
Sat	69	69	69	71	73	76	82	85	84	85	84	80	77	75	74	71	69
Sun	69	69	69	69	70	72	75	77	78	77	75	74	74	73	72	72	69

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	69	72	79	89	92	85	81	79	79	86	96	100	95	81	73	70	69
Tue	69	72	81	93	98	88	82	78	78	84	98	101	94	84	76	70	69
Wed	69	72	81	92	95	87	81	79	78	85	98	101	94	84	76	71	69
Thu	69	72	81	92	94	86	81	78	79	89	103	106	98	85	79	72	69
Fri	69	72	77	81	84	80	79	82	87	101	107	109	101	88	80	71	69
Sat	69	69	69	71	73	76	82	85	84	85	84	80	77	75	74	71	69
Sun	69	69	69	69	70	72	75	77	78	77	75	74	74	73	72	72	69