Best Time to Drive from OAK to Santa Clara

Right now (1:18 pm PDT): about 46 minutes via I-880 South, usually 46 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 Santa Clara 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	36	42	62	75	64	52	47	46	44	48	49	49	52	42	38	37	37
Tue	36	44	69	85	74	56	48	44	43	50	50	52	56	52	40	37	37
Wed	35	44	73	83	72	56	48	44	43	51	52	54	59	52	42	37	37
Thu	35	44	69	81	72	56	48	44	43	51	51	55	60	53	43	38	37
Fri	36	42	51	54	50	45	45	44	45	52	54	56	56	48	42	38	37
Sat	37	37	37	38	38	40	44	45	46	47	47	48	48	46	43	39	37
Sun	37	37	37	37	38	39	40	43	43	43	42	42	43	42	40	39	37

About this drive

On weekdays the 35-mile drive from OAK to Santa Clara (via I-880 South) usually takes as little as 35 minutes and up to 85 minutes, when leaving around 8 am on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 46 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 5 pm on Saturdays (48 minutes).

About 28 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 7 miles surface streets (12 to 23 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 central Santa Clara (Lincoln 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 Santa Clara?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 35 minutes then, versus up to 85 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from OAK to Santa Clara?

The 35-mile drive usually takes 35 to 85 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 46 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from OAK to Santa Clara?

Leaving around 8 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 85 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-880 South in Bay Area (28 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

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

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	36	42	62	75	64	52	47	46	44	48	49	49	52	42	38	37	37
Tue	36	44	69	85	74	56	48	44	43	50	50	52	56	52	40	37	37
Wed	35	44	73	83	72	56	48	44	43	51	52	54	59	52	42	37	37
Thu	35	44	69	81	72	56	48	44	43	51	51	55	60	53	43	38	37
Fri	36	42	51	54	50	45	45	44	45	52	54	56	56	48	42	38	37
Sat	37	37	37	38	38	40	44	45	46	47	47	48	48	46	43	39	37
Sun	37	37	37	37	38	39	40	43	43	43	42	42	43	42	40	39	37

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	36	42	62	75	64	52	47	46	44	48	49	49	52	42	38	37	37
Tue	36	44	69	85	74	56	48	44	43	50	50	52	56	52	40	37	37
Wed	35	44	73	83	72	56	48	44	43	51	52	54	59	52	42	37	37
Thu	35	44	69	81	72	56	48	44	43	51	51	55	60	53	43	38	37
Fri	36	42	51	54	50	45	45	44	45	52	54	56	56	48	42	38	37
Sat	37	37	37	38	38	40	44	45	46	47	47	48	48	46	43	39	37
Sun	37	37	37	37	38	39	40	43	43	43	42	42	43	42	40	39	37

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	36	42	62	75	64	52	47	46	44	48	49	49	52	42	38	37	37
Tue	36	44	69	85	74	56	48	44	43	50	50	52	56	52	40	37	37
Wed	35	44	73	83	72	56	48	44	43	51	52	54	59	52	42	37	37
Thu	35	44	69	81	72	56	48	44	43	51	51	55	60	53	43	38	37
Fri	36	42	51	54	50	45	45	44	45	52	54	56	56	48	42	38	37
Sat	37	37	37	38	38	40	44	45	46	47	47	48	48	46	43	39	37
Sun	37	37	37	37	38	39	40	43	43	43	42	42	43	42	40	39	37