Best Time to Drive from San Ramon to Watsonville

Right now (5:06 pm PST): about 117 minutes via US-101 South and I-680 South, usually 109 at this time.

Only 74% 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 Ramon to Watsonville 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	82	87	100	102	98	93	91	91	92	98	106	110	105	92	85	83	83
Tue	82	86	102	113	106	97	91	89	90	97	110	116	108	97	85	83	83
Wed	82	87	103	109	101	96	91	90	91	97	110	115	109	98	86	84	83
Thu	81	86	100	108	104	96	90	89	91	101	113	118	111	99	87	83	82
Fri	82	86	89	89	89	89	90	93	99	109	120	120	108	100	88	83	82
Sat	82	83	83	84	86	89	92	93	95	94	94	91	88	87	86	83	82
Sun	83	83	83	83	83	85	87	88	88	88	87	86	87	87	85	84	82

About this drive

On weekdays the 87-mile drive from San Ramon to Watsonville (via US-101 South and I-680 South) usually takes as little as 81 minutes and up to 120 minutes, when leaving around 3 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 7 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 93 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1:30 pm on Saturdays (95 minutes).

About 71 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 16 miles surface streets (about 19 minutes), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central San Ramon to central Watsonville 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 Ramon to Watsonville?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 81 minutes then, versus up to 120 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from San Ramon to Watsonville?

The 87-mile drive usually takes 81 to 120 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 93 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from San Ramon to Watsonville?

Leaving around 3 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 120 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

US-101 South in Bay Area (36 miles) · I-680 South in Bay Area (35 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

Watsonville to San Ramon (return trip) · San Ramon to San Jose · San Ramon to San Francisco · San Ramon to Sacramento · San Ramon to Oakland · San Ramon to Stockton · San Ramon to Fremont · San Ramon to Modesto · San Ramon to Santa Rosa · San Ramon to Elk Grove · San Ramon to Sunnyvale · San Ramon to Concord

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	82	87	100	102	98	93	91	91	92	98	106	110	105	92	85	83	83
Tue	82	86	102	113	106	97	91	89	90	97	110	116	108	97	85	83	83
Wed	82	87	103	109	101	96	91	90	91	97	110	115	109	98	86	84	83
Thu	81	86	100	108	104	96	90	89	91	101	113	118	111	99	87	83	82
Fri	82	86	89	89	89	89	90	93	99	109	120	120	108	100	88	83	82
Sat	82	83	83	84	86	89	92	93	95	94	94	91	88	87	86	83	82
Sun	83	83	83	83	83	85	87	88	88	88	87	86	87	87	85	84	82

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	82	87	100	102	98	93	91	91	92	98	106	110	105	92	85	83	83
Tue	82	86	102	113	106	97	91	89	90	97	110	116	108	97	85	83	83
Wed	82	87	103	109	101	96	91	90	91	97	110	115	109	98	86	84	83
Thu	81	86	100	108	104	96	90	89	91	101	113	118	111	99	87	83	82
Fri	82	86	89	89	89	89	90	93	99	109	120	120	108	100	88	83	82
Sat	82	83	83	84	86	89	92	93	95	94	94	91	88	87	86	83	82
Sun	83	83	83	83	83	85	87	88	88	88	87	86	87	87	85	84	82

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	82	87	100	102	98	93	91	91	92	98	106	110	105	92	85	83	83
Tue	82	86	102	113	106	97	91	89	90	97	110	116	108	97	85	83	83
Wed	82	87	103	109	101	96	91	90	91	97	110	115	109	98	86	84	83
Thu	81	86	100	108	104	96	90	89	91	101	113	118	111	99	87	83	82
Fri	82	86	89	89	89	89	90	93	99	109	120	120	108	100	88	83	82
Sat	82	83	83	84	86	89	92	93	95	94	94	91	88	87	86	83	82
Sun	83	83	83	83	83	85	87	88	88	88	87	86	87	87	85	84	82