Best Time to Drive from Oakland to Mountain View

Right now (8:32 am PDT): about 66 minutes via I-880 South, usually 62 at this time.

Only 56% 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 40-mile drive from Oakland to Mountain View (via I-880 South) usually takes as little as 38 minutes and up to 81 minutes, when leaving around 7:30 am 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 pm on Saturdays (49 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: Mountain View to Oakland

Freeway, about 35 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 5 miles: 8 to 18 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 downtown Oakland (Broadway) to central Mountain View (Castro 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 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	59	64	56	50	48	48	46	47	49	54	58	49	42	40	40
Tue	38	47	63	72	63	52	48	47	46	47	53	62	68	55	43	40	40
Wed	38	47	62	66	58	51	48	46	46	48	53	66	68	54	44	40	40
Thu	38	47	71	73	69	61	48	46	46	49	54	64	69	57	44	40	40
Fri	38	44	48	50	47	46	46	47	48	52	53	60	60	53	45	41	39
Sat	39	39	40	40	40	42	46	46	47	47	48	49	49	47	43	41	39
Sun	39	39	39	39	40	41	42	44	45	45	44	44	45	43	41	42	39

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 81 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 81 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 47 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Oakland to Mountain View?

Leaving around 7:30 am on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 81 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

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

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	59	64	56	50	48	48	46	47	49	54	58	49	42	40	40
Tue	38	47	63	72	63	52	48	47	46	47	53	62	68	55	43	40	40
Wed	38	47	62	66	58	51	48	46	46	48	53	66	68	54	44	40	40
Thu	38	47	71	73	69	61	48	46	46	49	54	64	69	57	44	40	40
Fri	38	44	48	50	47	46	46	47	48	52	53	60	60	53	45	41	39
Sat	39	39	40	40	40	42	46	46	47	47	48	49	49	47	43	41	39
Sun	39	39	39	39	40	41	42	44	45	45	44	44	45	43	41	42	39

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	39	45	59	64	56	50	48	48	46	47	49	54	58	49	42	40	40
Tue	38	47	63	72	63	52	48	47	46	47	53	62	68	55	43	40	40
Wed	38	47	62	66	58	51	48	46	46	48	53	66	68	54	44	40	40
Thu	38	47	71	73	69	61	48	46	46	49	54	64	69	57	44	40	40
Fri	38	44	48	50	47	46	46	47	48	52	53	60	60	53	45	41	39
Sat	39	39	40	40	40	42	46	46	47	47	48	49	49	47	43	41	39
Sun	39	39	39	39	40	41	42	44	45	45	44	44	45	43	41	42	39

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	39	45	59	64	56	50	48	48	46	47	49	54	58	49	42	40	40
Tue	38	47	63	72	63	52	48	47	46	47	53	62	68	55	43	40	40
Wed	38	47	62	66	58	51	48	46	46	48	53	66	68	54	44	40	40
Thu	38	47	71	73	69	61	48	46	46	49	54	64	69	57	44	40	40
Fri	38	44	48	50	47	46	46	47	48	52	53	60	60	53	45	41	39
Sat	39	39	40	40	40	42	46	46	47	47	48	49	49	47	43	41	39
Sun	39	39	39	39	40	41	42	44	45	45	44	44	45	43	41	42	39