Best Time to Drive from OAK to Santa Clara

Right now (8:47 am PDT): about 86 minutes via I-880 South, usually 68 at this time.

Only 53% 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 35-mile drive from OAK to Santa Clara (via I-880 South) usually takes as little as 35 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 46 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3:30 pm on Saturdays (47 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: Santa Clara to OAK

Freeway, about 28 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 7 miles: 12 to 23 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 central Santa Clara (Lincoln 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 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	61	73	63	52	47	46	44	48	49	49	53	42	38	37	37
Tue	36	44	68	82	71	55	47	44	43	50	50	53	57	51	40	37	37
Wed	35	45	71	79	68	54	47	44	43	50	51	53	61	51	41	37	37
Thu	36	45	68	78	67	53	47	44	43	50	51	55	60	53	42	37	37
Fri	36	42	51	53	49	44	44	43	45	51	54	56	56	48	42	38	37
Sat	37	37	38	38	38	39	43	45	46	47	47	47	47	44	41	38	37
Sun	37	37	37	37	38	39	40	43	43	42	42	41	42	40	39	39	37

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 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 35 minutes then, versus up to 82 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 82 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 82 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

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	61	73	63	52	47	46	44	48	49	49	53	42	38	37	37
Tue	36	44	68	82	71	55	47	44	43	50	50	53	57	51	40	37	37
Wed	35	45	71	79	68	54	47	44	43	50	51	53	61	51	41	37	37
Thu	36	45	68	78	67	53	47	44	43	50	51	55	60	53	42	37	37
Fri	36	42	51	53	49	44	44	43	45	51	54	56	56	48	42	38	37
Sat	37	37	38	38	38	39	43	45	46	47	47	47	47	44	41	38	37
Sun	37	37	37	37	38	39	40	43	43	42	42	41	42	40	39	39	37

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	36	42	61	73	63	52	47	46	44	48	49	49	53	42	38	37	37
Tue	36	44	68	82	71	55	47	44	43	50	50	53	57	51	40	37	37
Wed	35	45	71	79	68	54	47	44	43	50	51	53	61	51	41	37	37
Thu	36	45	68	78	67	53	47	44	43	50	51	55	60	53	42	37	37
Fri	36	42	51	53	49	44	44	43	45	51	54	56	56	48	42	38	37
Sat	37	37	38	38	38	39	43	45	46	47	47	47	47	44	41	38	37
Sun	37	37	37	37	38	39	40	43	43	42	42	41	42	40	39	39	37

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	36	42	61	73	63	52	47	46	44	48	49	49	53	42	38	37	37
Tue	36	44	68	82	71	55	47	44	43	50	50	53	57	51	40	37	37
Wed	35	45	71	79	68	54	47	44	43	50	51	53	61	51	41	37	37
Thu	36	45	68	78	67	53	47	44	43	50	51	55	60	53	42	37	37
Fri	36	42	51	53	49	44	44	43	45	51	54	56	56	48	42	38	37
Sat	37	37	38	38	38	39	43	45	46	47	47	47	47	44	41	38	37
Sun	37	37	37	37	38	39	40	43	43	42	42	41	42	40	39	39	37