Best Time to Drive from Salinas to Union City

Right now (8:36 am PST): about 72 minutes via US-101 North, usually 73 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 Union City 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	94	101	92	83	81	79	78	79	82	83	84	84	79	74	73	72
Tue	73	98	104	97	85	81	78	78	78	83	85	88	87	82	75	72	72
Wed	73	98	103	95	84	80	78	78	78	82	85	89	87	82	76	72	72
Thu	73	95	100	94	85	80	77	77	80	85	86	89	88	82	76	73	72
Fri	73	85	89	84	79	79	79	78	81	85	86	87	88	83	76	73	72
Sat	71	72	72	72	74	76	78	80	80	81	81	82	83	82	79	75	72
Sun	72	72	72	72	73	74	77	80	84	84	85	85	88	83	81	76	72

About this drive

On weekdays the 79-mile drive from Salinas to Union City (via US-101 North) usually takes as little as 72 minutes and up to 104 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 79 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 5 pm on Sundays (88 minutes).

About 75 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 5 miles surface streets (5 to 10 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Salinas to central Union City 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 Union City?

On weekdays, leave before 5:30 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 72 minutes then, versus up to 104 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Salinas to Union City?

The 79-mile drive usually takes 72 to 104 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 79 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Salinas to Union City?

Leaving around 6:30 am on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 104 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

US-101 North in Bay Area (41 miles) · I-880 North in Bay Area (14 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

Union City 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 Palo Alto · Salinas to Santa Cruz

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	94	101	92	83	81	79	78	79	82	83	84	84	79	74	73	72
Tue	73	98	104	97	85	81	78	78	78	83	85	88	87	82	75	72	72
Wed	73	98	103	95	84	80	78	78	78	82	85	89	87	82	76	72	72
Thu	73	95	100	94	85	80	77	77	80	85	86	89	88	82	76	73	72
Fri	73	85	89	84	79	79	79	78	81	85	86	87	88	83	76	73	72
Sat	71	72	72	72	74	76	78	80	80	81	81	82	83	82	79	75	72
Sun	72	72	72	72	73	74	77	80	84	84	85	85	88	83	81	76	72

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	74	94	101	92	83	81	79	78	79	82	83	84	84	79	74	73	72
Tue	73	98	104	97	85	81	78	78	78	83	85	88	87	82	75	72	72
Wed	73	98	103	95	84	80	78	78	78	82	85	89	87	82	76	72	72
Thu	73	95	100	94	85	80	77	77	80	85	86	89	88	82	76	73	72
Fri	73	85	89	84	79	79	79	78	81	85	86	87	88	83	76	73	72
Sat	71	72	72	72	74	76	78	80	80	81	81	82	83	82	79	75	72
Sun	72	72	72	72	73	74	77	80	84	84	85	85	88	83	81	76	72

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	74	94	101	92	83	81	79	78	79	82	83	84	84	79	74	73	72
Tue	73	98	104	97	85	81	78	78	78	83	85	88	87	82	75	72	72
Wed	73	98	103	95	84	80	78	78	78	82	85	89	87	82	76	72	72
Thu	73	95	100	94	85	80	77	77	80	85	86	89	88	82	76	73	72
Fri	73	85	89	84	79	79	79	78	81	85	86	87	88	83	76	73	72
Sat	71	72	72	72	74	76	78	80	80	81	81	82	83	82	79	75	72
Sun	72	72	72	72	73	74	77	80	84	84	85	85	88	83	81	76	72