Best Time to Drive from San Jose to Salinas

Right now (7:20 pm PST): about 69 minutes via US-101 South, usually 59 at this time.

Only 28% 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 Salinas 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	55	55	57	58	59	59	59	60	60	64	76	86	83	71	58	55	54
Tue	54	55	57	58	59	58	59	59	60	63	77	90	86	74	62	56	54
Wed	54	55	57	58	59	58	59	59	60	63	77	90	85	74	62	56	54
Thu	54	55	57	58	59	58	58	59	60	67	83	92	87	74	63	56	55
Fri	54	55	57	58	58	59	59	61	66	78	87	91	85	71	63	56	54
Sat	54	54	54	55	56	59	63	65	65	66	65	63	60	56	56	55	54
Sun	54	54	54	54	55	56	58	59	60	60	59	58	58	56	56	56	55

About this drive

On weekdays the 60-mile drive from San Jose to Salinas (via US-101 South) usually takes as little as 54 minutes and up to 92 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 12 pm or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 61 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2 pm on Saturdays (66 minutes).

About 57 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 3 miles surface streets (4 to 8 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 Salinas 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 Salinas?

On weekdays, leave before 12 pm or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 54 minutes then, versus up to 92 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 60-mile drive usually takes 54 to 92 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 61 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from San Jose to Salinas?

Leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 92 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

Salinas 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	55	55	57	58	59	59	59	60	60	64	76	86	83	71	58	55	54
Tue	54	55	57	58	59	58	59	59	60	63	77	90	86	74	62	56	54
Wed	54	55	57	58	59	58	59	59	60	63	77	90	85	74	62	56	54
Thu	54	55	57	58	59	58	58	59	60	67	83	92	87	74	63	56	55
Fri	54	55	57	58	58	59	59	61	66	78	87	91	85	71	63	56	54
Sat	54	54	54	55	56	59	63	65	65	66	65	63	60	56	56	55	54
Sun	54	54	54	54	55	56	58	59	60	60	59	58	58	56	56	56	55

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	55	55	57	58	59	59	59	60	60	64	76	86	83	71	58	55	54
Tue	54	55	57	58	59	58	59	59	60	63	77	90	86	74	62	56	54
Wed	54	55	57	58	59	58	59	59	60	63	77	90	85	74	62	56	54
Thu	54	55	57	58	59	58	58	59	60	67	83	92	87	74	63	56	55
Fri	54	55	57	58	58	59	59	61	66	78	87	91	85	71	63	56	54
Sat	54	54	54	55	56	59	63	65	65	66	65	63	60	56	56	55	54
Sun	54	54	54	54	55	56	58	59	60	60	59	58	58	56	56	56	55

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	55	55	57	58	59	59	59	60	60	64	76	86	83	71	58	55	54
Tue	54	55	57	58	59	58	59	59	60	63	77	90	86	74	62	56	54
Wed	54	55	57	58	59	58	59	59	60	63	77	90	85	74	62	56	54
Thu	54	55	57	58	59	58	58	59	60	67	83	92	87	74	63	56	55
Fri	54	55	57	58	58	59	59	61	66	78	87	91	85	71	63	56	54
Sat	54	54	54	55	56	59	63	65	65	66	65	63	60	56	56	55	54
Sun	54	54	54	54	55	56	58	59	60	60	59	58	58	56	56	56	55