Best Time to Drive from Santa Clara to Gilroy

Right now (3:20 pm PST): about 41 minutes via US-101 South, usually 43 at this time.

Only 12% 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 Santa Clara to Gilroy 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	35	36	37	39	41	40	39	40	40	43	51	59	62	52	38	36	35
Tue	35	36	37	38	42	39	39	39	40	42	54	64	65	58	43	36	35
Wed	35	36	37	40	43	40	39	39	39	43	54	64	64	56	43	36	35
Thu	35	36	36	39	42	39	38	39	39	46	58	65	63	56	44	37	35
Fri	35	35	37	38	38	39	39	40	44	54	61	63	59	51	42	37	35
Sat	35	35	35	35	36	38	41	42	42	44	43	43	41	38	37	36	35
Sun	35	35	35	35	35	36	37	38	39	38	38	38	38	37	37	36	35

About this drive

On weekdays the 37-mile drive from Santa Clara to Gilroy (via US-101 South) usually takes as little as 34 minutes and up to 65 minutes, when leaving around 5 pm on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 8 am or after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 41 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2 pm on Saturdays (44 minutes).

About 33 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 4 miles surface streets (6 to 14 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Santa Clara to central Gilroy 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 Santa Clara to Gilroy?

On weekdays, leave before 8 am or after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 34 minutes then, versus up to 65 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Santa Clara to Gilroy?

The 37-mile drive usually takes 34 to 65 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 41 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santa Clara to Gilroy?

Leaving around 5 pm on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 65 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

US-101 South in Bay Area (30 miles) · I-880 North in Bay Area (2 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

Gilroy to Santa Clara (return trip) · Santa Clara to San Francisco · Santa Clara to Oakland · Santa Clara to Palo Alto · Santa Clara to Berkeley · Santa Clara to Fremont · Santa Clara to Walnut Creek · Santa Clara to San Mateo · Santa Clara to Hayward · Santa Clara to Pleasanton · Santa Clara to Richmond · Santa Clara to SFO

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	35	36	37	39	41	40	39	40	40	43	51	59	62	52	38	36	35
Tue	35	36	37	38	42	39	39	39	40	42	54	64	65	58	43	36	35
Wed	35	36	37	40	43	40	39	39	39	43	54	64	64	56	43	36	35
Thu	35	36	36	39	42	39	38	39	39	46	58	65	63	56	44	37	35
Fri	35	35	37	38	38	39	39	40	44	54	61	63	59	51	42	37	35
Sat	35	35	35	35	36	38	41	42	42	44	43	43	41	38	37	36	35
Sun	35	35	35	35	35	36	37	38	39	38	38	38	38	37	37	36	35

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	35	36	37	39	41	40	39	40	40	43	51	59	62	52	38	36	35
Tue	35	36	37	38	42	39	39	39	40	42	54	64	65	58	43	36	35
Wed	35	36	37	40	43	40	39	39	39	43	54	64	64	56	43	36	35
Thu	35	36	36	39	42	39	38	39	39	46	58	65	63	56	44	37	35
Fri	35	35	37	38	38	39	39	40	44	54	61	63	59	51	42	37	35
Sat	35	35	35	35	36	38	41	42	42	44	43	43	41	38	37	36	35
Sun	35	35	35	35	35	36	37	38	39	38	38	38	38	37	37	36	35

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	35	36	37	39	41	40	39	40	40	43	51	59	62	52	38	36	35
Tue	35	36	37	38	42	39	39	39	40	42	54	64	65	58	43	36	35
Wed	35	36	37	40	43	40	39	39	39	43	54	64	64	56	43	36	35
Thu	35	36	36	39	42	39	38	39	39	46	58	65	63	56	44	37	35
Fri	35	35	37	38	38	39	39	40	44	54	61	63	59	51	42	37	35
Sat	35	35	35	35	36	38	41	42	42	44	43	43	41	38	37	36	35
Sun	35	35	35	35	35	36	37	38	39	38	38	38	38	37	37	36	35