Best Time to Drive from OAK to San Jose

Right now (7:48 pm PDT): about 40 minutes via I-880 South, usually 37 at this time.

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.

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	60	71	61	50	45	44	42	42	44	45	50	42	36	35	35
Tue	34	42	69	82	70	52	46	43	41	43	45	49	54	47	38	35	35
Wed	33	42	74	81	67	52	46	42	41	44	46	50	58	48	38	35	35
Thu	33	42	70	80	67	52	46	42	41	44	46	51	58	49	39	35	35
Fri	34	40	48	51	48	43	43	42	43	45	49	52	53	47	41	37	35
Sat	35	35	35	36	36	38	43	44	45	47	47	47	47	45	40	37	35
Sun	35	35	35	35	36	37	38	41	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 33 minutes and up to 82 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 2:30 pm on Saturdays (47 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 33 minutes then, versus up to 82 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 82 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 82 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	60	71	61	50	45	44	42	42	44	45	50	42	36	35	35
Tue	34	42	69	82	70	52	46	43	41	43	45	49	54	47	38	35	35
Wed	33	42	74	81	67	52	46	42	41	44	46	50	58	48	38	35	35
Thu	33	42	70	80	67	52	46	42	41	44	46	51	58	49	39	35	35
Fri	34	40	48	51	48	43	43	42	43	45	49	52	53	47	41	37	35
Sat	35	35	35	36	36	38	43	44	45	47	47	47	47	45	40	37	35
Sun	35	35	35	35	36	37	38	41	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	60	71	61	50	45	44	42	42	44	45	50	42	36	35	35
Tue	34	42	69	82	70	52	46	43	41	43	45	49	54	47	38	35	35
Wed	33	42	74	81	67	52	46	42	41	44	46	50	58	48	38	35	35
Thu	33	42	70	80	67	52	46	42	41	44	46	51	58	49	39	35	35
Fri	34	40	48	51	48	43	43	42	43	45	49	52	53	47	41	37	35
Sat	35	35	35	36	36	38	43	44	45	47	47	47	47	45	40	37	35
Sun	35	35	35	35	36	37	38	41	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	60	71	61	50	45	44	42	42	44	45	50	42	36	35	35
Tue	34	42	69	82	70	52	46	43	41	43	45	49	54	47	38	35	35
Wed	33	42	74	81	67	52	46	42	41	44	46	50	58	48	38	35	35
Thu	33	42	70	80	67	52	46	42	41	44	46	51	58	49	39	35	35
Fri	34	40	48	51	48	43	43	42	43	45	49	52	53	47	41	37	35
Sat	35	35	35	36	36	38	43	44	45	47	47	47	47	45	40	37	35
Sun	35	35	35	35	36	37	38	41	41	41	40	40	41	40	38	37	35