Best Time to Drive from Cupertino to San Francisco

Right now (7:32 pm PDT): about 41 minutes via US-101 North, usually 41 at this time.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from Cupertino to San Francisco 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	38	40	46	59	54	47	44	43	42	42	45	48	51	46	42	40	40
Tue	38	40	47	63	61	48	44	43	42	43	46	53	58	52	44	41	40
Wed	38	40	47	65	64	49	45	43	42	43	46	51	58	53	45	41	40
Thu	38	40	47	64	65	50	44	44	42	44	47	53	60	55	46	41	43
Fri	38	40	44	53	47	46	46	44	43	44	47	49	51	48	43	41	39
Sat	39	39	39	39	40	45	49	47	44	45	43	43	43	43	42	43	40
Sun	39	39	39	39	39	41	43	44	43	42	42	42	42	42	41	41	39

About this drive

On weekdays the 44-mile drive from Cupertino to San Francisco (via US-101 North) usually takes as little as 38 minutes and up to 68 minutes, when leaving around 8:30 am on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 43 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 11 am on Saturdays (49 minutes).

About 42 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 1.7 miles surface streets (2 to 4 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Cupertino to downtown San Francisco 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 Cupertino to San Francisco?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 38 minutes then, versus up to 68 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Cupertino to San Francisco?

The 44-mile drive usually takes 38 to 68 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 43 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Cupertino to San Francisco?

Leaving around 8:30 am on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 68 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

US-101 North in Bay Area (36 miles) · SR-85 North in Bay Area (6 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

San Francisco to Cupertino (return trip) · Cupertino to San Jose

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	38	40	46	59	54	47	44	43	42	42	45	48	51	46	42	40	40
Tue	38	40	47	63	61	48	44	43	42	43	46	53	58	52	44	41	40
Wed	38	40	47	65	64	49	45	43	42	43	46	51	58	53	45	41	40
Thu	38	40	47	64	65	50	44	44	42	44	47	53	60	55	46	41	43
Fri	38	40	44	53	47	46	46	44	43	44	47	49	51	48	43	41	39
Sat	39	39	39	39	40	45	49	47	44	45	43	43	43	43	42	43	40
Sun	39	39	39	39	39	41	43	44	43	42	42	42	42	42	41	41	39

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	38	40	46	59	54	47	44	43	42	42	45	48	51	46	42	40	40
Tue	38	40	47	63	61	48	44	43	42	43	46	53	58	52	44	41	40
Wed	38	40	47	65	64	49	45	43	42	43	46	51	58	53	45	41	40
Thu	38	40	47	64	65	50	44	44	42	44	47	53	60	55	46	41	43
Fri	38	40	44	53	47	46	46	44	43	44	47	49	51	48	43	41	39
Sat	39	39	39	39	40	45	49	47	44	45	43	43	43	43	42	43	40
Sun	39	39	39	39	39	41	43	44	43	42	42	42	42	42	41	41	39

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	38	40	46	59	54	47	44	43	42	42	45	48	51	46	42	40	40
Tue	38	40	47	63	61	48	44	43	42	43	46	53	58	52	44	41	40
Wed	38	40	47	65	64	49	45	43	42	43	46	51	58	53	45	41	40
Thu	38	40	47	64	65	50	44	44	42	44	47	53	60	55	46	41	43
Fri	38	40	44	53	47	46	46	44	43	44	47	49	51	48	43	41	39
Sat	39	39	39	39	40	45	49	47	44	45	43	43	43	43	42	43	40
Sun	39	39	39	39	39	41	43	44	43	42	42	42	42	42	41	41	39