Best Time to Drive from Pleasanton to Salinas

Right now (5:50 pm PST): about 116 minutes via US-101 South and I-680 South, usually 95 at this time.

Only 30% 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 Pleasanton 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	75	79	97	99	93	87	84	84	85	92	103	107	100	87	79	76	75
Tue	75	78	98	110	103	92	85	83	83	90	106	112	103	91	80	77	76
Wed	75	79	100	106	98	90	85	83	84	91	105	111	105	93	81	77	76
Thu	74	78	97	105	101	91	85	82	85	94	111	116	106	94	83	78	76
Fri	75	79	82	83	82	83	83	86	93	104	118	120	106	95	83	77	75
Sat	75	75	76	77	79	82	86	88	90	88	90	86	84	82	81	77	75
Sun	76	76	75	75	76	78	80	82	82	82	81	80	80	81	79	78	76

About this drive

On weekdays the 84-mile drive from Pleasanton to Salinas (via US-101 South and I-680 South) usually takes as little as 74 minutes and up to 120 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 7 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 86 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1:30 pm on Saturdays (90 minutes).

About 79 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 5 miles surface streets (5 to 14 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Pleasanton 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 Pleasanton to Salinas?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 74 minutes then, versus up to 120 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 84-mile drive usually takes 74 to 120 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 86 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Pleasanton to Salinas?

Leaving around 4 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 120 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

US-101 South in Bay Area (36 miles) · I-680 South in Bay Area (26 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

Salinas to Pleasanton (return trip) · Pleasanton to San Francisco · Pleasanton to Oakland · Pleasanton to San Jose · Pleasanton to Palo Alto · Pleasanton to Berkeley · Pleasanton to Fremont · Pleasanton to Walnut Creek · Pleasanton to San Mateo · Pleasanton to Hayward · Pleasanton to Mountain View · Pleasanton 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	75	79	97	99	93	87	84	84	85	92	103	107	100	87	79	76	75
Tue	75	78	98	110	103	92	85	83	83	90	106	112	103	91	80	77	76
Wed	75	79	100	106	98	90	85	83	84	91	105	111	105	93	81	77	76
Thu	74	78	97	105	101	91	85	82	85	94	111	116	106	94	83	78	76
Fri	75	79	82	83	82	83	83	86	93	104	118	120	106	95	83	77	75
Sat	75	75	76	77	79	82	86	88	90	88	90	86	84	82	81	77	75
Sun	76	76	75	75	76	78	80	82	82	82	81	80	80	81	79	78	76

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	75	79	97	99	93	87	84	84	85	92	103	107	100	87	79	76	75
Tue	75	78	98	110	103	92	85	83	83	90	106	112	103	91	80	77	76
Wed	75	79	100	106	98	90	85	83	84	91	105	111	105	93	81	77	76
Thu	74	78	97	105	101	91	85	82	85	94	111	116	106	94	83	78	76
Fri	75	79	82	83	82	83	83	86	93	104	118	120	106	95	83	77	75
Sat	75	75	76	77	79	82	86	88	90	88	90	86	84	82	81	77	75
Sun	76	76	75	75	76	78	80	82	82	82	81	80	80	81	79	78	76

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	75	79	97	99	93	87	84	84	85	92	103	107	100	87	79	76	75
Tue	75	78	98	110	103	92	85	83	83	90	106	112	103	91	80	77	76
Wed	75	79	100	106	98	90	85	83	84	91	105	111	105	93	81	77	76
Thu	74	78	97	105	101	91	85	82	85	94	111	116	106	94	83	78	76
Fri	75	79	82	83	82	83	83	86	93	104	118	120	106	95	83	77	75
Sat	75	75	76	77	79	82	86	88	90	88	90	86	84	82	81	77	75
Sun	76	76	75	75	76	78	80	82	82	82	81	80	80	81	79	78	76