Best Time to Drive from Seaside to Santa Clara

Right now (5:51 pm PST): about 93 minutes via US-101 North, usually 78 at this time.

Only 76% 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 Seaside to Santa Clara 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	72	89	99	91	80	76	75	75	75	77	82	87	88	74	71	70	70
Tue	70	94	104	100	84	77	75	74	74	78	82	88	88	78	71	70	70
Wed	71	93	105	99	84	77	75	74	75	78	82	88	88	79	71	70	70
Thu	71	91	102	98	84	77	75	74	75	79	82	88	89	79	71	70	69
Fri	70	81	88	82	76	75	76	75	77	79	81	85	86	77	71	70	70
Sat	69	70	70	70	71	74	77	79	78	80	80	80	81	79	76	73	70
Sun	69	69	69	69	70	72	75	77	82	82	83	82	83	80	77	73	69

About this drive

On weekdays the 74-mile drive from Seaside to Santa Clara (via US-101 North) usually takes as little as 69 minutes and up to 105 minutes, when leaving around 7 am on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 5:30 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 76 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4:30 pm on Sundays (84 minutes).

About 64 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 10 miles surface streets (12 to 31 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Seaside to central Santa Clara 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 Seaside to Santa Clara?

On weekdays, leave before 5:30 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 69 minutes then, versus up to 105 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 74-mile drive usually takes 69 to 105 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 76 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Seaside to Santa Clara?

Leaving around 7 am on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 105 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

US-101 North in Bay Area (38 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

Santa Clara to Seaside (return trip) · Seaside to San Jose · Seaside to Fremont · Seaside to Salinas · Seaside to Sunnyvale

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	72	89	99	91	80	76	75	75	75	77	82	87	88	74	71	70	70
Tue	70	94	104	100	84	77	75	74	74	78	82	88	88	78	71	70	70
Wed	71	93	105	99	84	77	75	74	75	78	82	88	88	79	71	70	70
Thu	71	91	102	98	84	77	75	74	75	79	82	88	89	79	71	70	69
Fri	70	81	88	82	76	75	76	75	77	79	81	85	86	77	71	70	70
Sat	69	70	70	70	71	74	77	79	78	80	80	80	81	79	76	73	70
Sun	69	69	69	69	70	72	75	77	82	82	83	82	83	80	77	73	69

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	72	89	99	91	80	76	75	75	75	77	82	87	88	74	71	70	70
Tue	70	94	104	100	84	77	75	74	74	78	82	88	88	78	71	70	70
Wed	71	93	105	99	84	77	75	74	75	78	82	88	88	79	71	70	70
Thu	71	91	102	98	84	77	75	74	75	79	82	88	89	79	71	70	69
Fri	70	81	88	82	76	75	76	75	77	79	81	85	86	77	71	70	70
Sat	69	70	70	70	71	74	77	79	78	80	80	80	81	79	76	73	70
Sun	69	69	69	69	70	72	75	77	82	82	83	82	83	80	77	73	69

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	72	89	99	91	80	76	75	75	75	77	82	87	88	74	71	70	70
Tue	70	94	104	100	84	77	75	74	74	78	82	88	88	78	71	70	70
Wed	71	93	105	99	84	77	75	74	75	78	82	88	88	79	71	70	70
Thu	71	91	102	98	84	77	75	74	75	79	82	88	89	79	71	70	69
Fri	70	81	88	82	76	75	76	75	77	79	81	85	86	77	71	70	70
Sat	69	70	70	70	71	74	77	79	78	80	80	80	81	79	76	73	70
Sun	69	69	69	69	70	72	75	77	82	82	83	82	83	80	77	73	69