Best Time to Drive from OAK to San Jose

Right now (3:06 am PST): about 35 minutes via I-880 South.

Only 28% 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 OAK 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	34	40	58	69	60	49	44	43	41	42	44	45	51	43	37	35	35
Tue	34	42	63	77	66	51	46	42	41	43	45	50	55	48	38	35	35
Wed	34	41	67	75	65	51	45	42	41	44	47	52	60	48	39	35	35
Thu	34	41	64	75	65	51	46	42	41	44	47	53	59	50	39	36	35
Fri	34	39	48	50	47	43	43	42	43	45	49	53	52	47	41	36	35
Sat	35	35	35	36	36	38	41	43	44	45	45	45	46	44	40	37	35
Sun	35	35	35	35	36	36	38	40	41	41	40	40	41	40	38	37	35

About this drive

On weekdays the 36-mile drive from OAK to San Jose (via I-880 South) usually takes as little as 34 minutes and up to 77 minutes, when leaving around 8 am on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 43 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 5 pm on Saturdays (46 minutes).

About 31 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 4 miles surface streets (7 to 15 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from Oakland International Airport (OAK) (John Glenn Drive) to downtown San Jose (East Santa Clara Street) 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 OAK to San Jose?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 34 minutes then, versus up to 77 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 36-mile drive usually takes 34 to 77 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 43 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from OAK to San Jose?

Leaving around 8 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 77 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-880 South in Bay Area (31 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

San Jose to OAK (return trip) · OAK to SFO · OAK to SJC · OAK to San Francisco · OAK to Oakland · OAK to Palo Alto · OAK to Berkeley · OAK to Fremont · OAK to Walnut Creek · OAK to San Mateo · OAK to Mountain View · OAK to Pleasanton

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	34	40	58	69	60	49	44	43	41	42	44	45	51	43	37	35	35
Tue	34	42	63	77	66	51	46	42	41	43	45	50	55	48	38	35	35
Wed	34	41	67	75	65	51	45	42	41	44	47	52	60	48	39	35	35
Thu	34	41	64	75	65	51	46	42	41	44	47	53	59	50	39	36	35
Fri	34	39	48	50	47	43	43	42	43	45	49	53	52	47	41	36	35
Sat	35	35	35	36	36	38	41	43	44	45	45	45	46	44	40	37	35
Sun	35	35	35	35	36	36	38	40	41	41	40	40	41	40	38	37	35

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	34	40	58	69	60	49	44	43	41	42	44	45	51	43	37	35	35
Tue	34	42	63	77	66	51	46	42	41	43	45	50	55	48	38	35	35
Wed	34	41	67	75	65	51	45	42	41	44	47	52	60	48	39	35	35
Thu	34	41	64	75	65	51	46	42	41	44	47	53	59	50	39	36	35
Fri	34	39	48	50	47	43	43	42	43	45	49	53	52	47	41	36	35
Sat	35	35	35	36	36	38	41	43	44	45	45	45	46	44	40	37	35
Sun	35	35	35	35	36	36	38	40	41	41	40	40	41	40	38	37	35

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	34	40	58	69	60	49	44	43	41	42	44	45	51	43	37	35	35
Tue	34	42	63	77	66	51	46	42	41	43	45	50	55	48	38	35	35
Wed	34	41	67	75	65	51	45	42	41	44	47	52	60	48	39	35	35
Thu	34	41	64	75	65	51	46	42	41	44	47	53	59	50	39	36	35
Fri	34	39	48	50	47	43	43	42	43	45	49	53	52	47	41	36	35
Sat	35	35	35	36	36	38	41	43	44	45	45	45	46	44	40	37	35
Sun	35	35	35	35	36	36	38	40	41	41	40	40	41	40	38	37	35