Best Time to Drive from Oakland to SJC

Right now (10:32 pm PDT): about 37 minutes via I-880 South.

Only 60% 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 39-mile drive from Oakland to SJC (via I-880 South) usually takes as little as 36 minutes and up to 79 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 45 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3:30 pm on Saturdays (49 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: SJC to Oakland

Freeway, about 36 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 4 miles: 6 to 12 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 San José Mineta International Airport (SJC) 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 SJC 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	44	63	70	60	51	47	46	44	45	46	50	54	47	39	38	38
Tue	36	46	70	79	66	53	47	45	43	45	48	54	60	53	40	37	37
Wed	36	46	72	77	64	52	47	44	43	46	49	55	64	52	40	37	37
Thu	36	46	69	77	65	53	47	44	44	46	49	57	63	55	41	38	37
Fri	36	43	51	53	49	45	45	45	46	49	53	59	59	53	43	39	37
Sat	37	37	38	38	38	40	43	46	46	49	49	49	49	45	41	38	37
Sun	37	37	37	37	38	39	41	44	44	43	42	42	43	41	39	40	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 Oakland to SJC?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 36 minutes then, versus up to 79 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Oakland to SJC?

The 39-mile drive usually takes 36 to 79 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 45 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Oakland to SJC?

Leaving around 8 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 79 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

Freeways on this drive

I-880 South in Bay Area (36 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

SJC 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 Mountain View · Oakland to Pleasanton · Oakland to Santa Clara · Oakland to Richmond · Oakland to Sacramento

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	44	63	70	60	51	47	46	44	45	46	50	54	47	39	38	38
Tue	36	46	70	79	66	53	47	45	43	45	48	54	60	53	40	37	37
Wed	36	46	72	77	64	52	47	44	43	46	49	55	64	52	40	37	37
Thu	36	46	69	77	65	53	47	44	44	46	49	57	63	55	41	38	37
Fri	36	43	51	53	49	45	45	45	46	49	53	59	59	53	43	39	37
Sat	37	37	38	38	38	40	43	46	46	49	49	49	49	45	41	38	37
Sun	37	37	37	37	38	39	41	44	44	43	42	42	43	41	39	40	37

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	36	44	63	70	60	51	47	46	44	45	46	50	54	47	39	38	38
Tue	36	46	70	79	66	53	47	45	43	45	48	54	60	53	40	37	37
Wed	36	46	72	77	64	52	47	44	43	46	49	55	64	52	40	37	37
Thu	36	46	69	77	65	53	47	44	44	46	49	57	63	55	41	38	37
Fri	36	43	51	53	49	45	45	45	46	49	53	59	59	53	43	39	37
Sat	37	37	38	38	38	40	43	46	46	49	49	49	49	45	41	38	37
Sun	37	37	37	37	38	39	41	44	44	43	42	42	43	41	39	40	37

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	36	44	63	70	60	51	47	46	44	45	46	50	54	47	39	38	38
Tue	36	46	70	79	66	53	47	45	43	45	48	54	60	53	40	37	37
Wed	36	46	72	77	64	52	47	44	43	46	49	55	64	52	40	37	37
Thu	36	46	69	77	65	53	47	44	44	46	49	57	63	55	41	38	37
Fri	36	43	51	53	49	45	45	45	46	49	53	59	59	53	43	39	37
Sat	37	37	38	38	38	40	43	46	46	49	49	49	49	45	41	38	37
Sun	37	37	37	37	38	39	41	44	44	43	42	42	43	41	39	40	37