Best Time to Drive from OAK to San Jose

Right now (11:02 pm PDT): about 35 minutes via I-880 South.

Only 54% 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.

On weekdays the 36-mile drive from OAK to San Jose (via I-880 South) usually takes as little as 33 minutes and up to 80 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 42 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2:30 pm on Saturdays (47 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: San Jose to OAK

Freeway, about 31 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 4 miles: 7 to 14 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 Oakland International Airport (OAK) (John Glenn Drive) to downtown San Jose (East Santa Clara Street) 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 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	59	69	59	49	44	43	41	41	43	44	49	41	36	35	35
Tue	34	42	68	80	65	50	45	42	41	42	44	47	53	45	37	35	35
Wed	33	42	71	78	64	50	44	41	40	43	45	48	56	47	38	35	35
Thu	33	42	69	77	64	50	45	41	40	43	46	50	57	47	38	35	35
Fri	34	40	47	50	46	42	41	41	42	45	48	51	51	46	40	36	35
Sat	35	35	35	36	36	37	41	44	44	47	47	46	46	43	39	36	35
Sun	35	35	35	35	35	37	38	41	41	41	40	39	39	38	37	36	35

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 33 minutes then, versus up to 80 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 36-mile drive usually takes 33 to 80 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 42 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from OAK to San Jose?

Leaving around 8 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 80 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

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	59	69	59	49	44	43	41	41	43	44	49	41	36	35	35
Tue	34	42	68	80	65	50	45	42	41	42	44	47	53	45	37	35	35
Wed	33	42	71	78	64	50	44	41	40	43	45	48	56	47	38	35	35
Thu	33	42	69	77	64	50	45	41	40	43	46	50	57	47	38	35	35
Fri	34	40	47	50	46	42	41	41	42	45	48	51	51	46	40	36	35
Sat	35	35	35	36	36	37	41	44	44	47	47	46	46	43	39	36	35
Sun	35	35	35	35	35	37	38	41	41	41	40	39	39	38	37	36	35

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	34	40	59	69	59	49	44	43	41	41	43	44	49	41	36	35	35
Tue	34	42	68	80	65	50	45	42	41	42	44	47	53	45	37	35	35
Wed	33	42	71	78	64	50	44	41	40	43	45	48	56	47	38	35	35
Thu	33	42	69	77	64	50	45	41	40	43	46	50	57	47	38	35	35
Fri	34	40	47	50	46	42	41	41	42	45	48	51	51	46	40	36	35
Sat	35	35	35	36	36	37	41	44	44	47	47	46	46	43	39	36	35
Sun	35	35	35	35	35	37	38	41	41	41	40	39	39	38	37	36	35

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	34	40	59	69	59	49	44	43	41	41	43	44	49	41	36	35	35
Tue	34	42	68	80	65	50	45	42	41	42	44	47	53	45	37	35	35
Wed	33	42	71	78	64	50	44	41	40	43	45	48	56	47	38	35	35
Thu	33	42	69	77	64	50	45	41	40	43	46	50	57	47	38	35	35
Fri	34	40	47	50	46	42	41	41	42	45	48	51	51	46	40	36	35
Sat	35	35	35	36	36	37	41	44	44	47	47	46	46	43	39	36	35
Sun	35	35	35	35	35	37	38	41	41	41	40	39	39	38	37	36	35