Best Time to Drive from Hercules to San Jose

Right now (7:18 pm PDT): about 79 minutes via I-680 South, usually 68 at this time.

Only 75% 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 Hercules 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	67	81	90	89	80	73	72	72	72	75	77	78	79	69	68	68	67
Tue	66	78	99	99	92	78	72	71	71	74	80	84	85	71	68	68	67
Wed	67	77	94	94	85	77	72	72	71	75	80	86	86	72	68	67	67
Thu	66	78	98	97	91	77	71	71	71	75	81	86	88	73	68	68	67
Fri	66	72	76	74	72	72	71	71	72	78	83	83	85	74	68	67	67
Sat	67	67	67	67	68	69	70	72	71	73	73	73	79	78	68	68	67
Sun	67	67	67	67	67	68	69	70	70	70	70	70	70	70	68	68	66

About this drive

On weekdays the 70-mile drive from Hercules to San Jose (via I-680 South) usually takes as little as 66 minutes and up to 105 minutes, when leaving around 7:30 am on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 6 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 72 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 5:30 pm on Saturdays (80 minutes).

About 62 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 8 miles surface streets (9 to 11 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Hercules to downtown San Jose 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 Hercules to San Jose?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 6 pm. The drive usually takes about 66 minutes then, versus up to 105 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Hercules to San Jose?

The 70-mile drive usually takes 66 to 105 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 72 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Hercules to San Jose?

Leaving around 7:30 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 105 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-680 South in Bay Area (52 miles) · SR-4 East in Bay Area (9 miles) · I-280 North in Bay Area (1.5 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

San Jose to Hercules (return trip) · Hercules 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	67	81	90	89	80	73	72	72	72	75	77	78	79	69	68	68	67
Tue	66	78	99	99	92	78	72	71	71	74	80	84	85	71	68	68	67
Wed	67	77	94	94	85	77	72	72	71	75	80	86	86	72	68	67	67
Thu	66	78	98	97	91	77	71	71	71	75	81	86	88	73	68	68	67
Fri	66	72	76	74	72	72	71	71	72	78	83	83	85	74	68	67	67
Sat	67	67	67	67	68	69	70	72	71	73	73	73	79	78	68	68	67
Sun	67	67	67	67	67	68	69	70	70	70	70	70	70	70	68	68	66

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	67	81	90	89	80	73	72	72	72	75	77	78	79	69	68	68	67
Tue	66	78	99	99	92	78	72	71	71	74	80	84	85	71	68	68	67
Wed	67	77	94	94	85	77	72	72	71	75	80	86	86	72	68	67	67
Thu	66	78	98	97	91	77	71	71	71	75	81	86	88	73	68	68	67
Fri	66	72	76	74	72	72	71	71	72	78	83	83	85	74	68	67	67
Sat	67	67	67	67	68	69	70	72	71	73	73	73	79	78	68	68	67
Sun	67	67	67	67	67	68	69	70	70	70	70	70	70	70	68	68	66

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	67	81	90	89	80	73	72	72	72	75	77	78	79	69	68	68	67
Tue	66	78	99	99	92	78	72	71	71	74	80	84	85	71	68	68	67
Wed	67	77	94	94	85	77	72	72	71	75	80	86	86	72	68	67	67
Thu	66	78	98	97	91	77	71	71	71	75	81	86	88	73	68	68	67
Fri	66	72	76	74	72	72	71	71	72	78	83	83	85	74	68	67	67
Sat	67	67	67	67	68	69	70	72	71	73	73	73	79	78	68	68	67
Sun	67	67	67	67	67	68	69	70	70	70	70	70	70	70	68	68	66