Best Time to Drive from Salinas to Los Banos

Right now (7:04 pm PDT): about 82 minutes via US-101 North and SR-156 East, usually 84 at this time.

Only 38% 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 Salinas to Los Banos 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	101	88	84	83	81	81	81	83	82	82	81	80	78	78	78	78
Tue	81	89	81	81	79	80	81	81	81	80	80	80	80	78	78	78	78
Wed	79	86	80	80	79	80	80	81	82	81	81	80	80	78	78	78	78
Thu	81	91	80	79	79	80	80	81	83	82	82	82	81	79	78	78	78
Fri	78	83	80	80	80	81	81	81	83	85	85	85	89	86	79	78	78
Sat	77	78	78	78	78	80	82	85	86	82	81	82	86	84	82	81	78
Sun	77	77	77	77	77	78	79	80	83	84	82	88	85	84	84	81	77

About this drive

On weekdays the 71-mile drive from Salinas to Los Banos (via US-101 North and SR-156 East) usually takes as little as 78 minutes and up to 101 minutes, when leaving around 6 am on Mondays. The fastest times to leave are before 5:30 am or after 6:30 am. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 81 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4:30 pm on Sundays (88 minutes).

About 30 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 41 miles surface streets (50 to 70 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Salinas to central Los Banos 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 Salinas to Los Banos?

On weekdays, leave before 5:30 am or after 6:30 am. The drive usually takes about 78 minutes then, versus up to 101 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 71-mile drive usually takes 78 to 101 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 81 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Salinas to Los Banos?

Leaving around 6 am on Mondays is usually slowest, about 101 minutes.

More drives

Los Banos to Salinas (return trip) · Salinas to San Jose · Salinas to Fremont · Salinas to Sunnyvale · Salinas to Santa Clara · Salinas to Livermore · Salinas to Redwood City · Salinas to Mountain View · Salinas to Pleasanton · Salinas to Milpitas · Salinas to Union City · Salinas to Palo Alto

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	101	88	84	83	81	81	81	83	82	82	81	80	78	78	78	78
Tue	81	89	81	81	79	80	81	81	81	80	80	80	80	78	78	78	78
Wed	79	86	80	80	79	80	80	81	82	81	81	80	80	78	78	78	78
Thu	81	91	80	79	79	80	80	81	83	82	82	82	81	79	78	78	78
Fri	78	83	80	80	80	81	81	81	83	85	85	85	89	86	79	78	78
Sat	77	78	78	78	78	80	82	85	86	82	81	82	86	84	82	81	78
Sun	77	77	77	77	77	78	79	80	83	84	82	88	85	84	84	81	77

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	86	101	88	84	83	81	81	81	83	82	82	81	80	78	78	78	78
Tue	81	89	81	81	79	80	81	81	81	80	80	80	80	78	78	78	78
Wed	79	86	80	80	79	80	80	81	82	81	81	80	80	78	78	78	78
Thu	81	91	80	79	79	80	80	81	83	82	82	82	81	79	78	78	78
Fri	78	83	80	80	80	81	81	81	83	85	85	85	89	86	79	78	78
Sat	77	78	78	78	78	80	82	85	86	82	81	82	86	84	82	81	78
Sun	77	77	77	77	77	78	79	80	83	84	82	88	85	84	84	81	77

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	86	101	88	84	83	81	81	81	83	82	82	81	80	78	78	78	78
Tue	81	89	81	81	79	80	81	81	81	80	80	80	80	78	78	78	78
Wed	79	86	80	80	79	80	80	81	82	81	81	80	80	78	78	78	78
Thu	81	91	80	79	79	80	80	81	83	82	82	82	81	79	78	78	78
Fri	78	83	80	80	80	81	81	81	83	85	85	85	89	86	79	78	78
Sat	77	78	78	78	78	80	82	85	86	82	81	82	86	84	82	81	78
Sun	77	77	77	77	77	78	79	80	83	84	82	88	85	84	84	81	77