Best Time to Drive from Pleasanton to Watsonville

Right now (12:50 am PST): about 76 minutes via US-101 South and I-680 South.

Only 74% 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 Watsonville 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	74	78	94	96	90	86	83	83	83	89	98	104	99	86	78	75	75
Tue	74	78	95	106	99	90	84	81	81	88	102	109	101	90	79	76	75
Wed	74	78	97	103	94	88	83	82	82	89	101	108	103	91	79	76	75
Thu	74	77	94	101	97	90	83	80	82	92	107	111	104	92	81	76	75
Fri	74	78	80	82	81	81	81	83	89	101	111	113	103	93	82	76	75
Sat	75	75	75	76	77	80	84	85	87	86	87	84	82	80	79	76	75
Sun	75	75	75	75	76	77	79	80	80	80	79	79	79	79	78	77	75

About this drive

On weekdays the 78-mile drive from Pleasanton to Watsonville (via US-101 South and I-680 South) usually takes as little as 74 minutes and up to 113 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 84 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1:30 pm on Saturdays (87 minutes).

About 62 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 16 miles surface streets (20 to 24 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Pleasanton to central Watsonville 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 Watsonville?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 74 minutes then, versus up to 113 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 78-mile drive usually takes 74 to 113 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 84 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Pleasanton to Watsonville?

Leaving around 4 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 113 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

Watsonville 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	74	78	94	96	90	86	83	83	83	89	98	104	99	86	78	75	75
Tue	74	78	95	106	99	90	84	81	81	88	102	109	101	90	79	76	75
Wed	74	78	97	103	94	88	83	82	82	89	101	108	103	91	79	76	75
Thu	74	77	94	101	97	90	83	80	82	92	107	111	104	92	81	76	75
Fri	74	78	80	82	81	81	81	83	89	101	111	113	103	93	82	76	75
Sat	75	75	75	76	77	80	84	85	87	86	87	84	82	80	79	76	75
Sun	75	75	75	75	76	77	79	80	80	80	79	79	79	79	78	77	75

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	74	78	94	96	90	86	83	83	83	89	98	104	99	86	78	75	75
Tue	74	78	95	106	99	90	84	81	81	88	102	109	101	90	79	76	75
Wed	74	78	97	103	94	88	83	82	82	89	101	108	103	91	79	76	75
Thu	74	77	94	101	97	90	83	80	82	92	107	111	104	92	81	76	75
Fri	74	78	80	82	81	81	81	83	89	101	111	113	103	93	82	76	75
Sat	75	75	75	76	77	80	84	85	87	86	87	84	82	80	79	76	75
Sun	75	75	75	75	76	77	79	80	80	80	79	79	79	79	78	77	75

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	74	78	94	96	90	86	83	83	83	89	98	104	99	86	78	75	75
Tue	74	78	95	106	99	90	84	81	81	88	102	109	101	90	79	76	75
Wed	74	78	97	103	94	88	83	82	82	89	101	108	103	91	79	76	75
Thu	74	77	94	101	97	90	83	80	82	92	107	111	104	92	81	76	75
Fri	74	78	80	82	81	81	81	83	89	101	111	113	103	93	82	76	75
Sat	75	75	75	76	77	80	84	85	87	86	87	84	82	80	79	76	75
Sun	75	75	75	75	76	77	79	80	80	80	79	79	79	79	78	77	75