Best Time to Drive from Salinas to Newark

Right now (3:20 pm PST): about 75 minutes via US-101 North, usually 79 at this time.

Only 26% 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 Newark 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	72	92	99	91	81	79	76	76	76	78	79	81	81	76	71	71	70
Tue	71	97	102	96	83	79	76	75	75	79	80	84	83	78	73	70	69
Wed	71	97	101	94	82	78	76	76	75	78	81	85	84	79	73	70	70
Thu	71	94	99	93	83	79	75	75	77	82	82	85	85	80	74	71	70
Fri	70	83	87	82	77	77	77	76	78	81	81	82	84	80	74	71	69
Sat	69	70	70	70	71	74	76	78	78	79	79	80	81	80	76	72	70
Sun	69	69	69	69	70	72	75	78	82	82	82	82	85	80	78	74	69

About this drive

On weekdays the 77-mile drive from Salinas to Newark (via US-101 North) usually takes as little as 69 minutes and up to 102 minutes, when leaving around 6:30 am on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 5:30 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 76 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 5 pm on Sundays (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 8 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Salinas to central Newark 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 Newark?

On weekdays, leave before 5:30 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 69 minutes then, versus up to 102 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 77-mile drive usually takes 69 to 102 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 76 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Salinas to Newark?

Leaving around 6:30 am on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 102 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

US-101 North in Bay Area (41 miles) · I-880 North in Bay Area (12 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

Newark 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	72	92	99	91	81	79	76	76	76	78	79	81	81	76	71	71	70
Tue	71	97	102	96	83	79	76	75	75	79	80	84	83	78	73	70	69
Wed	71	97	101	94	82	78	76	76	75	78	81	85	84	79	73	70	70
Thu	71	94	99	93	83	79	75	75	77	82	82	85	85	80	74	71	70
Fri	70	83	87	82	77	77	77	76	78	81	81	82	84	80	74	71	69
Sat	69	70	70	70	71	74	76	78	78	79	79	80	81	80	76	72	70
Sun	69	69	69	69	70	72	75	78	82	82	82	82	85	80	78	74	69

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	72	92	99	91	81	79	76	76	76	78	79	81	81	76	71	71	70
Tue	71	97	102	96	83	79	76	75	75	79	80	84	83	78	73	70	69
Wed	71	97	101	94	82	78	76	76	75	78	81	85	84	79	73	70	70
Thu	71	94	99	93	83	79	75	75	77	82	82	85	85	80	74	71	70
Fri	70	83	87	82	77	77	77	76	78	81	81	82	84	80	74	71	69
Sat	69	70	70	70	71	74	76	78	78	79	79	80	81	80	76	72	70
Sun	69	69	69	69	70	72	75	78	82	82	82	82	85	80	78	74	69

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	72	92	99	91	81	79	76	76	76	78	79	81	81	76	71	71	70
Tue	71	97	102	96	83	79	76	75	75	79	80	84	83	78	73	70	69
Wed	71	97	101	94	82	78	76	76	75	78	81	85	84	79	73	70	70
Thu	71	94	99	93	83	79	75	75	77	82	82	85	85	80	74	71	70
Fri	70	83	87	82	77	77	77	76	78	81	81	82	84	80	74	71	69
Sat	69	70	70	70	71	74	76	78	78	79	79	80	81	80	76	72	70
Sun	69	69	69	69	70	72	75	78	82	82	82	82	85	80	78	74	69