Best Time to Drive from Pacific Grove to San Jose

Right now (3:20 pm PST): about 76 minutes via US-101 North and SR-1 North, usually 79 at this time.

Only 33% 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 Pacific Grove to San Jose 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	73	93	92	88	82	79	78	78	76	76	77	93	91	79	72	71	71
Tue	72	98	95	90	83	79	77	76	76	76	78	91	91	80	72	71	71
Wed	72	98	93	88	83	80	78	77	76	77	79	92	91	81	72	71	71
Thu	72	94	92	89	84	77	76	76	77	77	79	93	92	81	72	71	70
Fri	71	84	85	82	78	78	78	77	78	77	79	92	90	78	72	71	70
Sat	70	71	71	71	73	75	77	79	77	78	79	80	80	79	76	74	71
Sun	70	71	70	70	71	73	75	78	81	81	82	82	83	80	77	74	70

About this drive

On weekdays the 74-mile drive from Pacific Grove to San Jose (via US-101 North and SR-1 North) usually takes as little as 70 minutes and up to 98 minutes, when leaving around 6:30 am on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 5:30 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 77 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4:30 pm on Sundays (84 minutes).

About 63 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 11 miles surface streets (14 to 29 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Pacific Grove to downtown San Jose 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 Pacific Grove to San Jose?

On weekdays, leave before 5:30 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 70 minutes then, versus up to 98 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Pacific Grove to San Jose?

The 74-mile drive usually takes 70 to 98 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 77 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Pacific Grove to San Jose?

Leaving around 6:30 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 98 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

US-101 North in Bay Area (27 miles) · SR-85 North in Bay Area (7 miles) · SR-87 North in Bay Area (3 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

San Jose to Pacific Grove (return trip)

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	73	93	92	88	82	79	78	78	76	76	77	93	91	79	72	71	71
Tue	72	98	95	90	83	79	77	76	76	76	78	91	91	80	72	71	71
Wed	72	98	93	88	83	80	78	77	76	77	79	92	91	81	72	71	71
Thu	72	94	92	89	84	77	76	76	77	77	79	93	92	81	72	71	70
Fri	71	84	85	82	78	78	78	77	78	77	79	92	90	78	72	71	70
Sat	70	71	71	71	73	75	77	79	77	78	79	80	80	79	76	74	71
Sun	70	71	70	70	71	73	75	78	81	81	82	82	83	80	77	74	70

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	73	93	92	88	82	79	78	78	76	76	77	93	91	79	72	71	71
Tue	72	98	95	90	83	79	77	76	76	76	78	91	91	80	72	71	71
Wed	72	98	93	88	83	80	78	77	76	77	79	92	91	81	72	71	71
Thu	72	94	92	89	84	77	76	76	77	77	79	93	92	81	72	71	70
Fri	71	84	85	82	78	78	78	77	78	77	79	92	90	78	72	71	70
Sat	70	71	71	71	73	75	77	79	77	78	79	80	80	79	76	74	71
Sun	70	71	70	70	71	73	75	78	81	81	82	82	83	80	77	74	70

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	73	93	92	88	82	79	78	78	76	76	77	93	91	79	72	71	71
Tue	72	98	95	90	83	79	77	76	76	76	78	91	91	80	72	71	71
Wed	72	98	93	88	83	80	78	77	76	77	79	92	91	81	72	71	71
Thu	72	94	92	89	84	77	76	76	77	77	79	93	92	81	72	71	70
Fri	71	84	85	82	78	78	78	77	78	77	79	92	90	78	72	71	70
Sat	70	71	71	71	73	75	77	79	77	78	79	80	80	79	76	74	71
Sun	70	71	70	70	71	73	75	78	81	81	82	82	83	80	77	74	70