Best Time to Drive from Pacifica to Sunnyvale

Right now (5:50 pm PDT): about 41 minutes via I-280 South, usually 41 at this time.

Only 20% 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 Pacifica to Sunnyvale 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	40	40	42	50	52	43	44	43	44	44	49	45	47	43	40	40	40
Tue	40	40	43	51	52	46	44	43	44	42	48	52	56	51	43	41	40
Wed	40	40	41	50	55	43	46	49	51	52	53	70	56	53	45	41	40
Thu	40	40	42	51	50	44	42	43	42	42	48	54	54	51	47	41	40
Fri	40	40	42	42	42	43	44	43	44	44	48	49	51	47	45	41	40
Sat	40	40	40	40	41	41	42	44	43	42	42	42	42	42	41	40	40
Sun	40	40	40	40	41	41	42	42	42	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	40

About this drive

On weekdays the 40-mile drive from Pacifica to Sunnyvale (via I-280 South) usually takes as little as 40 minutes and up to 70 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7:30 am or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 44 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12 pm on Saturdays (44 minutes).

About 31 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 9 miles surface streets (12 to 21 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Pacifica to central Sunnyvale 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 Pacifica to Sunnyvale?

On weekdays, leave before 7:30 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 40 minutes then, versus up to 70 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Pacifica to Sunnyvale?

The 40-mile drive usually takes 40 to 70 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 44 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Pacifica to Sunnyvale?

Leaving around 4 pm on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 70 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-280 South in Bay Area (31 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

Sunnyvale to Pacifica (return trip) · Pacifica to San Jose · Pacifica to San Francisco · Pacifica to Oakland · Pacifica to Stockton · Pacifica to Fremont · Pacifica to Santa Rosa · Pacifica to Hayward

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	40	40	42	50	52	43	44	43	44	44	49	45	47	43	40	40	40
Tue	40	40	43	51	52	46	44	43	44	42	48	52	56	51	43	41	40
Wed	40	40	41	50	55	43	46	49	51	52	53	70	56	53	45	41	40
Thu	40	40	42	51	50	44	42	43	42	42	48	54	54	51	47	41	40
Fri	40	40	42	42	42	43	44	43	44	44	48	49	51	47	45	41	40
Sat	40	40	40	40	41	41	42	44	43	42	42	42	42	42	41	40	40
Sun	40	40	40	40	41	41	42	42	42	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	40

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	40	40	42	50	52	43	44	43	44	44	49	45	47	43	40	40	40
Tue	40	40	43	51	52	46	44	43	44	42	48	52	56	51	43	41	40
Wed	40	40	41	50	55	43	46	49	51	52	53	70	56	53	45	41	40
Thu	40	40	42	51	50	44	42	43	42	42	48	54	54	51	47	41	40
Fri	40	40	42	42	42	43	44	43	44	44	48	49	51	47	45	41	40
Sat	40	40	40	40	41	41	42	44	43	42	42	42	42	42	41	40	40
Sun	40	40	40	40	41	41	42	42	42	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	40

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	40	40	42	50	52	43	44	43	44	44	49	45	47	43	40	40	40
Tue	40	40	43	51	52	46	44	43	44	42	48	52	56	51	43	41	40
Wed	40	40	41	50	55	43	46	49	51	52	53	70	56	53	45	41	40
Thu	40	40	42	51	50	44	42	43	42	42	48	54	54	51	47	41	40
Fri	40	40	42	42	42	43	44	43	44	44	48	49	51	47	45	41	40
Sat	40	40	40	40	41	41	42	44	43	42	42	42	42	42	41	40	40
Sun	40	40	40	40	41	41	42	42	42	41	41	41	41	41	41	41	40