Best Time to Drive from Daly City to San Jose

Right now (6:24 pm PDT): about 86 minutes via I-280 South, usually 52 at this time.

Only 36% 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.

On weekdays the 49-mile drive from Daly City to San Jose (via I-280 South) usually takes as little as 45 minutes and up to 103 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7:30 am or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 51 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12 pm on Saturdays (50 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: San Jose to Daly City

Freeway, about 47 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 1.9 miles: 2 to 4 minutes on weekdays, estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time (we don't have street sensors yet). Drive times are measured from central Daly City to downtown San Jose along the route shown. Starting or ending elsewhere in a big city can add or save several minutes.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from Daly City to San Jose 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	45	46	48	52	56	49	49	51	50	52	65	62	63	49	46	46	45
Tue	45	46	49	56	57	49	47	48	48	51	63	74	82	60	48	46	45
Wed	45	45	47	54	59	49	51	55	57	65	73	103	84	62	52	46	45
Thu	45	45	48	56	57	50	48	48	48	53	72	83	75	60	52	46	45
Fri	45	46	47	47	48	48	49	49	50	54	65	65	61	52	49	46	45
Sat	45	45	45	45	46	47	48	50	49	48	48	48	48	48	47	47	45
Sun	45	45	45	45	45	47	48	48	48	48	47	47	47	47	48	47	45

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 Daly City to San Jose?

On weekdays, leave before 7:30 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 45 minutes then, versus up to 103 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Daly City to San Jose?

The 49-mile drive usually takes 45 to 103 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 51 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Daly City to San Jose?

Leaving around 4 pm on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 103 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

Freeways on this drive

I-280 South in Bay Area (47 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

San Jose to Daly City (return trip) · Daly City to San Francisco

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	45	46	48	52	56	49	49	51	50	52	65	62	63	49	46	46	45
Tue	45	46	49	56	57	49	47	48	48	51	63	74	82	60	48	46	45
Wed	45	45	47	54	59	49	51	55	57	65	73	103	84	62	52	46	45
Thu	45	45	48	56	57	50	48	48	48	53	72	83	75	60	52	46	45
Fri	45	46	47	47	48	48	49	49	50	54	65	65	61	52	49	46	45
Sat	45	45	45	45	46	47	48	50	49	48	48	48	48	48	47	47	45
Sun	45	45	45	45	45	47	48	48	48	48	47	47	47	47	48	47	45

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	45	46	48	52	56	49	49	51	50	52	65	62	63	49	46	46	45
Tue	45	46	49	56	57	49	47	48	48	51	63	74	82	60	48	46	45
Wed	45	45	47	54	59	49	51	55	57	65	73	103	84	62	52	46	45
Thu	45	45	48	56	57	50	48	48	48	53	72	83	75	60	52	46	45
Fri	45	46	47	47	48	48	49	49	50	54	65	65	61	52	49	46	45
Sat	45	45	45	45	46	47	48	50	49	48	48	48	48	48	47	47	45
Sun	45	45	45	45	45	47	48	48	48	48	47	47	47	47	48	47	45

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	45	46	48	52	56	49	49	51	50	52	65	62	63	49	46	46	45
Tue	45	46	49	56	57	49	47	48	48	51	63	74	82	60	48	46	45
Wed	45	45	47	54	59	49	51	55	57	65	73	103	84	62	52	46	45
Thu	45	45	48	56	57	50	48	48	48	53	72	83	75	60	52	46	45
Fri	45	46	47	47	48	48	49	49	50	54	65	65	61	52	49	46	45
Sat	45	45	45	45	46	47	48	50	49	48	48	48	48	48	47	47	45
Sun	45	45	45	45	45	47	48	48	48	48	47	47	47	47	48	47	45