Best Time to Drive from San Jose to Monterey

Right now (3:20 pm PST): about 75 minutes via US-101 South, usually 78 at this time.

Only 32% 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 San Jose to Monterey 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	67	70	85	74	72	72	73	73	74	78	95	104	96	84	71	67	67
Tue	67	69	89	77	73	71	72	72	73	76	96	108	98	87	75	68	67
Wed	67	69	90	77	73	72	72	73	73	77	96	108	98	87	75	68	67
Thu	67	69	89	76	72	71	71	72	73	81	102	110	100	87	76	69	67
Fri	67	69	82	73	71	72	72	74	79	93	106	107	98	84	75	69	67
Sat	67	67	67	68	70	73	79	80	81	81	79	76	73	70	69	68	67
Sun	67	67	67	67	68	69	72	73	74	74	72	71	71	69	69	69	67

About this drive

On weekdays the 72-mile drive from San Jose to Monterey (via US-101 South) usually takes as little as 67 minutes and up to 110 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 75 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2 pm on Saturdays (81 minutes).

About 65 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 8 miles surface streets (9 to 19 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from downtown San Jose to central Monterey 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 San Jose to Monterey?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 67 minutes then, versus up to 110 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from San Jose to Monterey?

The 72-mile drive usually takes 67 to 110 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 75 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from San Jose to Monterey?

Leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 110 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

US-101 South in Bay Area (29 miles) · SR-87 South in Bay Area (6 miles) · SR-85 South in Bay Area (5 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

Monterey to San Jose (return trip) · San Jose to San Francisco · San Jose to Oakland · San Jose to Palo Alto · San Jose to Berkeley · San Jose to Fremont · San Jose to Walnut Creek · San Jose to San Mateo · San Jose to Hayward · San Jose to Mountain View · San Jose to Pleasanton · San Jose to Richmond

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	67	70	85	74	72	72	73	73	74	78	95	104	96	84	71	67	67
Tue	67	69	89	77	73	71	72	72	73	76	96	108	98	87	75	68	67
Wed	67	69	90	77	73	72	72	73	73	77	96	108	98	87	75	68	67
Thu	67	69	89	76	72	71	71	72	73	81	102	110	100	87	76	69	67
Fri	67	69	82	73	71	72	72	74	79	93	106	107	98	84	75	69	67
Sat	67	67	67	68	70	73	79	80	81	81	79	76	73	70	69	68	67
Sun	67	67	67	67	68	69	72	73	74	74	72	71	71	69	69	69	67

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	67	70	85	74	72	72	73	73	74	78	95	104	96	84	71	67	67
Tue	67	69	89	77	73	71	72	72	73	76	96	108	98	87	75	68	67
Wed	67	69	90	77	73	72	72	73	73	77	96	108	98	87	75	68	67
Thu	67	69	89	76	72	71	71	72	73	81	102	110	100	87	76	69	67
Fri	67	69	82	73	71	72	72	74	79	93	106	107	98	84	75	69	67
Sat	67	67	67	68	70	73	79	80	81	81	79	76	73	70	69	68	67
Sun	67	67	67	67	68	69	72	73	74	74	72	71	71	69	69	69	67

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	67	70	85	74	72	72	73	73	74	78	95	104	96	84	71	67	67
Tue	67	69	89	77	73	71	72	72	73	76	96	108	98	87	75	68	67
Wed	67	69	90	77	73	72	72	73	73	77	96	108	98	87	75	68	67
Thu	67	69	89	76	72	71	71	72	73	81	102	110	100	87	76	69	67
Fri	67	69	82	73	71	72	72	74	79	93	106	107	98	84	75	69	67
Sat	67	67	67	68	70	73	79	80	81	81	79	76	73	70	69	68	67
Sun	67	67	67	67	68	69	72	73	74	74	72	71	71	69	69	69	67