Best Time to Drive from Palo Alto to Cupertino

Right now (5:06 pm PST): about 32 minutes via SR-85 South and US-101 South, usually 28 at this time.

Only 77% 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.

About this drive

On weekdays the 12-mile drive from Palo Alto to Cupertino (via SR-85 South and US-101 South) usually takes as little as 13 minutes and up to 28 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7:30 am or after 8:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 14 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4:30 pm on Saturdays (15 minutes).

About 10 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 3 miles surface streets (4 to 9 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Palo Alto to central Cupertino 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 Palo Alto to Cupertino?

On weekdays, leave before 7:30 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 13 minutes then, versus up to 28 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Palo Alto to Cupertino?

The 12-mile drive usually takes 13 to 28 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 14 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Palo Alto to Cupertino?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 28 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

SR-85 South in Bay Area (6 miles) · US-101 South in Bay Area (4 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

Cupertino to Palo Alto (return trip) · Palo Alto to San Francisco · Palo Alto to Oakland · Palo Alto to San Jose · Palo Alto to Berkeley · Palo Alto to Walnut Creek · Palo Alto to San Mateo · Palo Alto to Hayward · Palo Alto to Mountain View · Palo Alto to Pleasanton · Palo Alto to Santa Clara · Palo Alto to Richmond

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