Best Time to Drive from San Jose to Pacific Grove

Right now (5:51 pm PDT): about 71 minutes via US-101 South, usually 72 at this time.

Only 77% 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 Pacific Grove 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	70	73	88	76	75	75	76	77	77	83	103	109	100	86	73	70	69
Tue	69	72	93	79	75	74	75	74	75	80	104	114	101	88	77	71	69
Wed	69	72	95	80	75	74	75	75	76	81	106	116	101	89	77	71	70
Thu	69	72	95	80	75	74	74	75	76	84	109	118	104	89	79	71	70
Fri	70	72	86	76	74	75	75	77	83	100	116	113	100	86	78	71	69
Sat	69	69	70	71	73	77	83	85	86	87	84	80	76	72	72	71	70
Sun	69	69	70	69	70	72	75	77	77	78	76	74	74	72	71	71	70

About this drive

On weekdays the 74-mile drive from San Jose to Pacific Grove (via US-101 South) usually takes as little as 69 minutes and up to 118 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 78 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2 pm on Saturdays (87 minutes).

About 65 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 9 miles surface streets (12 to 25 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 Pacific Grove 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 Pacific Grove?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 69 minutes then, versus up to 118 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from San Jose to Pacific Grove?

The 74-mile drive usually takes 69 to 118 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 78 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from San Jose to Pacific Grove?

Leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 118 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

Pacific Grove 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	70	73	88	76	75	75	76	77	77	83	103	109	100	86	73	70	69
Tue	69	72	93	79	75	74	75	74	75	80	104	114	101	88	77	71	69
Wed	69	72	95	80	75	74	75	75	76	81	106	116	101	89	77	71	70
Thu	69	72	95	80	75	74	74	75	76	84	109	118	104	89	79	71	70
Fri	70	72	86	76	74	75	75	77	83	100	116	113	100	86	78	71	69
Sat	69	69	70	71	73	77	83	85	86	87	84	80	76	72	72	71	70
Sun	69	69	70	69	70	72	75	77	77	78	76	74	74	72	71	71	70

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	70	73	88	76	75	75	76	77	77	83	103	109	100	86	73	70	69
Tue	69	72	93	79	75	74	75	74	75	80	104	114	101	88	77	71	69
Wed	69	72	95	80	75	74	75	75	76	81	106	116	101	89	77	71	70
Thu	69	72	95	80	75	74	74	75	76	84	109	118	104	89	79	71	70
Fri	70	72	86	76	74	75	75	77	83	100	116	113	100	86	78	71	69
Sat	69	69	70	71	73	77	83	85	86	87	84	80	76	72	72	71	70
Sun	69	69	70	69	70	72	75	77	77	78	76	74	74	72	71	71	70

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	70	73	88	76	75	75	76	77	77	83	103	109	100	86	73	70	69
Tue	69	72	93	79	75	74	75	74	75	80	104	114	101	88	77	71	69
Wed	69	72	95	80	75	74	75	75	76	81	106	116	101	89	77	71	70
Thu	69	72	95	80	75	74	74	75	76	84	109	118	104	89	79	71	70
Fri	70	72	86	76	74	75	75	77	83	100	116	113	100	86	78	71	69
Sat	69	69	70	71	73	77	83	85	86	87	84	80	76	72	72	71	70
Sun	69	69	70	69	70	72	75	77	77	78	76	74	74	72	71	71	70