Best Time to Drive from Modesto to Los Gatos

Right now (3:20 pm PST): about 103 minutes via I-580 East and I-880 South and I-680 South, usually 106 at this time.

Only 5% 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 Modesto to Los Gatos 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	109	104	168	165	142	109	107	106	105	110	116	127	126	123	109	98	98
Tue	108	106	175	170	148	116	106	104	104	111	125	127	123	118	115	100	96
Wed	109	109	175	169	163	116	108	104	104	108	124	129	123	125	119	109	98
Thu	112	106	174	171	162	109	105	104	107	114	124	130	129	125	119	108	105
Fri	111	102	160	138	112	112	105	105	116	133	142	133	116	109	100	99	98
Sat	97	97	97	98	99	101	101	102	102	102	105	109	107	109	102	100	96
Sun	97	97	97	97	98	99	100	100	100	100	99	100	123	143	107	98	97

About this drive

On weekdays the 89-mile drive from Modesto to Los Gatos (via I-580 East and I-880 South and I-680 South) usually takes as little as 96 minutes and up to 179 minutes, when leaving around 6:30 am on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 107 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 6 pm on Sundays (143 minutes).

About 49 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 40 miles surface streets (40 to 100 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Modesto to central Los Gatos 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 Modesto to Los Gatos?

On weekdays, leave after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 96 minutes then, versus up to 179 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 89-mile drive usually takes 96 to 179 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 107 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Modesto to Los Gatos?

Leaving around 6:30 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 179 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-580 East in Bay Area (19 miles) · I-880 South in Bay Area (14 miles) · I-680 South in Bay Area (10 miles) · SR-17 South in Bay Area (5 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

Los Gatos to Modesto (return trip) · Modesto to San Jose · Modesto to Hayward · Modesto to Sunnyvale · Modesto to Concord · Modesto to Santa Clara · Modesto to San Leandro · Modesto to Redwood City · Modesto to Pleasanton · Modesto to Alameda · Modesto to Milpitas · Modesto to San Ramon

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	109	104	168	165	142	109	107	106	105	110	116	127	126	123	109	98	98
Tue	108	106	175	170	148	116	106	104	104	111	125	127	123	118	115	100	96
Wed	109	109	175	169	163	116	108	104	104	108	124	129	123	125	119	109	98
Thu	112	106	174	171	162	109	105	104	107	114	124	130	129	125	119	108	105
Fri	111	102	160	138	112	112	105	105	116	133	142	133	116	109	100	99	98
Sat	97	97	97	98	99	101	101	102	102	102	105	109	107	109	102	100	96
Sun	97	97	97	97	98	99	100	100	100	100	99	100	123	143	107	98	97

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	109	104	168	165	142	109	107	106	105	110	116	127	126	123	109	98	98
Tue	108	106	175	170	148	116	106	104	104	111	125	127	123	118	115	100	96
Wed	109	109	175	169	163	116	108	104	104	108	124	129	123	125	119	109	98
Thu	112	106	174	171	162	109	105	104	107	114	124	130	129	125	119	108	105
Fri	111	102	160	138	112	112	105	105	116	133	142	133	116	109	100	99	98
Sat	97	97	97	98	99	101	101	102	102	102	105	109	107	109	102	100	96
Sun	97	97	97	97	98	99	100	100	100	100	99	100	123	143	107	98	97

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	109	104	168	165	142	109	107	106	105	110	116	127	126	123	109	98	98
Tue	108	106	175	170	148	116	106	104	104	111	125	127	123	118	115	100	96
Wed	109	109	175	169	163	116	108	104	104	108	124	129	123	125	119	109	98
Thu	112	106	174	171	162	109	105	104	107	114	124	130	129	125	119	108	105
Fri	111	102	160	138	112	112	105	105	116	133	142	133	116	109	100	99	98
Sat	97	97	97	98	99	101	101	102	102	102	105	109	107	109	102	100	96
Sun	97	97	97	97	98	99	100	100	100	100	99	100	123	143	107	98	97