Best Time to Drive from Oakland to Mountain View

Right now (3:35 pm PST): about 53 minutes via I-880 South, usually 56 at this time.

Only 49% 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 Oakland to Mountain View 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	39	45	57	60	54	49	47	47	46	47	49	54	59	50	42	40	40
Tue	38	46	62	68	61	51	48	47	45	47	51	59	65	55	43	40	40
Wed	38	46	63	66	60	51	48	46	46	48	52	64	68	55	45	41	40
Thu	38	46	62	65	60	52	48	46	46	48	52	63	68	58	45	40	40
Fri	39	44	49	49	47	46	46	46	47	51	52	59	61	53	45	41	40
Sat	40	40	40	41	41	42	44	45	46	46	47	48	49	47	43	41	40
Sun	40	40	40	40	40	41	42	43	44	45	45	45	46	45	42	43	40

About this drive

On weekdays the 40-mile drive from Oakland to Mountain View (via I-880 South) usually takes as little as 38 minutes and up to 68 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 47 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4:30 pm on Saturdays (49 minutes).

About 35 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 5 miles surface streets (8 to 17 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from downtown Oakland (Broadway) to central Mountain View (Castro 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 Oakland to Mountain View?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 38 minutes then, versus up to 68 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Oakland to Mountain View?

The 40-mile drive usually takes 38 to 68 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 47 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Oakland to Mountain View?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 68 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-880 South in Bay Area (21 miles) · US-101 South in Bay Area (6 miles) · SR-84 South in Bay Area (6 miles) · SR-85 South in Bay Area (1.5 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

Oakland to Mountain View over Thanksgiving: when to leave →

More drives

Mountain View to Oakland (return trip) · Oakland to San Jose · Oakland to Palo Alto · Oakland to Fremont · Oakland to Walnut Creek · Oakland to San Mateo · Oakland to Hayward · Oakland to Pleasanton · Oakland to Santa Clara · Oakland to Richmond · Oakland to Sacramento · Oakland to SFO

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	39	45	57	60	54	49	47	47	46	47	49	54	59	50	42	40	40
Tue	38	46	62	68	61	51	48	47	45	47	51	59	65	55	43	40	40
Wed	38	46	63	66	60	51	48	46	46	48	52	64	68	55	45	41	40
Thu	38	46	62	65	60	52	48	46	46	48	52	63	68	58	45	40	40
Fri	39	44	49	49	47	46	46	46	47	51	52	59	61	53	45	41	40
Sat	40	40	40	41	41	42	44	45	46	46	47	48	49	47	43	41	40
Sun	40	40	40	40	40	41	42	43	44	45	45	45	46	45	42	43	40

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	39	45	57	60	54	49	47	47	46	47	49	54	59	50	42	40	40
Tue	38	46	62	68	61	51	48	47	45	47	51	59	65	55	43	40	40
Wed	38	46	63	66	60	51	48	46	46	48	52	64	68	55	45	41	40
Thu	38	46	62	65	60	52	48	46	46	48	52	63	68	58	45	40	40
Fri	39	44	49	49	47	46	46	46	47	51	52	59	61	53	45	41	40
Sat	40	40	40	41	41	42	44	45	46	46	47	48	49	47	43	41	40
Sun	40	40	40	40	40	41	42	43	44	45	45	45	46	45	42	43	40

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	39	45	57	60	54	49	47	47	46	47	49	54	59	50	42	40	40
Tue	38	46	62	68	61	51	48	47	45	47	51	59	65	55	43	40	40
Wed	38	46	63	66	60	51	48	46	46	48	52	64	68	55	45	41	40
Thu	38	46	62	65	60	52	48	46	46	48	52	63	68	58	45	40	40
Fri	39	44	49	49	47	46	46	46	47	51	52	59	61	53	45	41	40
Sat	40	40	40	41	41	42	44	45	46	46	47	48	49	47	43	41	40
Sun	40	40	40	40	40	41	42	43	44	45	45	45	46	45	42	43	40