Best Time to Drive from Napa to San Jose

Right now (6:02 pm PDT): about 98 minutes via I-680 South, usually 83 at this time.

On weekdays the 87-mile drive from Napa to San Jose (via I-680 South) usually takes as little as 80 minutes and up to 124 minutes, when leaving around 7 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 91 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1:30 pm on Saturdays (90 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: San Jose to Napa

Freeway, about 78 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 9 miles: 11 to 21 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 Napa 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 Napa 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	82	97	108	106	98	92	92	91	91	94	94	95	93	82	81	81	81
Tue	81	98	124	113	104	94	90	89	89	93	99	102	97	83	82	81	80
Wed	82	98	116	109	100	93	91	90	89	92	97	103	99	84	81	81	80
Thu	81	100	115	113	105	93	90	89	89	95	99	104	100	85	81	81	81
Fri	81	89	93	96	90	89	89	88	89	98	102	99	98	85	82	81	81
Sat	81	80	81	81	82	85	87	89	89	90	89	88	87	84	83	82	80
Sun	81	80	80	80	81	83	86	88	88	89	89	89	88	86	84	83	80

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 Napa to San Jose?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 6 pm. The drive usually takes about 80 minutes then, versus up to 124 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 87-mile drive usually takes 80 to 124 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 91 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Napa to San Jose?

Leaving around 7 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 124 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

Freeways on this drive

I-680 South in Bay Area (70 miles) · SR-12 East in Bay Area (6 miles) · I-280 North in Bay Area (1.5 miles) · I-80 East in Bay Area (1.3 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

San Jose to Napa (return trip)

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	82	97	108	106	98	92	92	91	91	94	94	95	93	82	81	81	81
Tue	81	98	124	113	104	94	90	89	89	93	99	102	97	83	82	81	80
Wed	82	98	116	109	100	93	91	90	89	92	97	103	99	84	81	81	80
Thu	81	100	115	113	105	93	90	89	89	95	99	104	100	85	81	81	81
Fri	81	89	93	96	90	89	89	88	89	98	102	99	98	85	82	81	81
Sat	81	80	81	81	82	85	87	89	89	90	89	88	87	84	83	82	80
Sun	81	80	80	80	81	83	86	88	88	89	89	89	88	86	84	83	80

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	82	97	108	106	98	92	92	91	91	94	94	95	93	82	81	81	81
Tue	81	98	124	113	104	94	90	89	89	93	99	102	97	83	82	81	80
Wed	82	98	116	109	100	93	91	90	89	92	97	103	99	84	81	81	80
Thu	81	100	115	113	105	93	90	89	89	95	99	104	100	85	81	81	81
Fri	81	89	93	96	90	89	89	88	89	98	102	99	98	85	82	81	81
Sat	81	80	81	81	82	85	87	89	89	90	89	88	87	84	83	82	80
Sun	81	80	80	80	81	83	86	88	88	89	89	89	88	86	84	83	80

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	82	97	108	106	98	92	92	91	91	94	94	95	93	82	81	81	81
Tue	81	98	124	113	104	94	90	89	89	93	99	102	97	83	82	81	80
Wed	82	98	116	109	100	93	91	90	89	92	97	103	99	84	81	81	80
Thu	81	100	115	113	105	93	90	89	89	95	99	104	100	85	81	81	81
Fri	81	89	93	96	90	89	89	88	89	98	102	99	98	85	82	81	81
Sat	81	80	81	81	82	85	87	89	89	90	89	88	87	84	83	82	80
Sun	81	80	80	80	81	83	86	88	88	89	89	89	88	86	84	83	80