Best Time to Drive from Los Altos to Modesto

Right now (5:49 pm PDT): about 175 minutes via I-580 West and I-680 North, usually 105 at this time.

Only 37% 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 Los Altos to Modesto 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	102	205	212	156	124	116	113	111	111	114	134	143	150	133	108	104	102
Tue	102	203	209	185	130	117	112	111	109	123	131	144	163	144	119	106	102
Wed	102	205	209	189	132	118	111	112	109	120	131	149	162	147	126	111	102
Thu	102	206	209	171	121	114	110	109	111	125	142	146	157	142	126	116	102
Fri	103	209	154	127	123	112	110	116	126	147	137	130	124	115	111	106	102
Sat	102	102	102	102	103	103	104	104	105	106	108	107	112	105	105	104	103
Sun	102	102	102	102	102	103	104	104	104	105	106	163	198	139	107	105	102

About this drive

On weekdays the 87-mile drive from Los Altos to Modesto (via I-580 West and I-680 North) usually takes as little as 102 minutes and up to 214 minutes, when leaving around 7:30 am on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 5:30 am or after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 114 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 5 pm on Sundays (198 minutes).

About 46 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 40 miles surface streets (52 to 125 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Los Altos to central Modesto 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 Los Altos to Modesto?

On weekdays, leave before 5:30 am or after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 102 minutes then, versus up to 214 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Los Altos to Modesto?

The 87-mile drive usually takes 102 to 214 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 114 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Los Altos to Modesto?

Leaving around 7:30 am on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 214 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-580 West in Bay Area (20 miles) · I-680 North in Bay Area (10 miles) · I-880 North in Bay Area (6 miles) · US-101 South in Bay Area (6 miles) · SR-237 East in Bay Area (5 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

Modesto to Los Altos (return trip) · Los Altos to Stockton

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	102	205	212	156	124	116	113	111	111	114	134	143	150	133	108	104	102
Tue	102	203	209	185	130	117	112	111	109	123	131	144	163	144	119	106	102
Wed	102	205	209	189	132	118	111	112	109	120	131	149	162	147	126	111	102
Thu	102	206	209	171	121	114	110	109	111	125	142	146	157	142	126	116	102
Fri	103	209	154	127	123	112	110	116	126	147	137	130	124	115	111	106	102
Sat	102	102	102	102	103	103	104	104	105	106	108	107	112	105	105	104	103
Sun	102	102	102	102	102	103	104	104	104	105	106	163	198	139	107	105	102

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	102	205	212	156	124	116	113	111	111	114	134	143	150	133	108	104	102
Tue	102	203	209	185	130	117	112	111	109	123	131	144	163	144	119	106	102
Wed	102	205	209	189	132	118	111	112	109	120	131	149	162	147	126	111	102
Thu	102	206	209	171	121	114	110	109	111	125	142	146	157	142	126	116	102
Fri	103	209	154	127	123	112	110	116	126	147	137	130	124	115	111	106	102
Sat	102	102	102	102	103	103	104	104	105	106	108	107	112	105	105	104	103
Sun	102	102	102	102	102	103	104	104	104	105	106	163	198	139	107	105	102

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	102	205	212	156	124	116	113	111	111	114	134	143	150	133	108	104	102
Tue	102	203	209	185	130	117	112	111	109	123	131	144	163	144	119	106	102
Wed	102	205	209	189	132	118	111	112	109	120	131	149	162	147	126	111	102
Thu	102	206	209	171	121	114	110	109	111	125	142	146	157	142	126	116	102
Fri	103	209	154	127	123	112	110	116	126	147	137	130	124	115	111	106	102
Sat	102	102	102	102	103	103	104	104	105	106	108	107	112	105	105	104	103
Sun	102	102	102	102	102	103	104	104	104	105	106	163	198	139	107	105	102