Best Time to Drive from Palo Alto to Modesto

Right now (7:09 pm PDT): about 139 minutes via I-580 West and I-680 North, usually 139 at this time.

Only 39% 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 Palo Alto to Modesto 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	102	203	212	135	116	115	112	111	110	110	134	140	160	145	109	104	102
Tue	102	203	206	174	131	119	113	111	109	126	128	148	163	143	116	106	102
Wed	102	205	212	190	139	121	112	110	109	120	131	147	175	153	127	113	102
Thu	102	205	209	175	116	114	110	108	109	118	127	144	164	142	139	144	103
Fri	106	213	170	147	136	110	109	109	114	137	135	143	133	122	112	111	106
Sat	102	102	102	102	103	103	104	104	107	119	111	106	106	106	107	105	103
Sun	102	102	102	102	102	103	104	104	104	104	105	131	196	132	106	105	102

About this drive

On weekdays the 87-mile drive from Palo Alto to Modesto (via I-580 West and I-680 North) usually takes as little as 102 minutes and up to 221 minutes, when leaving around 6:30 am on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 5:30 am or after 8:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 112 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 5 pm on Sundays (196 minutes).

About 49 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 38 miles surface streets (49 to 122 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 Modesto 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 Modesto?

On weekdays, leave before 5:30 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 102 minutes then, versus up to 221 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 87-mile drive usually takes 102 to 221 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 112 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Palo Alto to Modesto?

Leaving around 6:30 am on Fridays is usually slowest, about 221 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-580 West in Bay Area (20 miles) · I-680 North in Bay Area (10 miles) · US-101 South in Bay Area (8 miles) · I-880 North in Bay Area (6 miles) · SR-237 East in Bay Area (5 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

Modesto 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

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	102	203	212	135	116	115	112	111	110	110	134	140	160	145	109	104	102
Tue	102	203	206	174	131	119	113	111	109	126	128	148	163	143	116	106	102
Wed	102	205	212	190	139	121	112	110	109	120	131	147	175	153	127	113	102
Thu	102	205	209	175	116	114	110	108	109	118	127	144	164	142	139	144	103
Fri	106	213	170	147	136	110	109	109	114	137	135	143	133	122	112	111	106
Sat	102	102	102	102	103	103	104	104	107	119	111	106	106	106	107	105	103
Sun	102	102	102	102	102	103	104	104	104	104	105	131	196	132	106	105	102

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	102	203	212	135	116	115	112	111	110	110	134	140	160	145	109	104	102
Tue	102	203	206	174	131	119	113	111	109	126	128	148	163	143	116	106	102
Wed	102	205	212	190	139	121	112	110	109	120	131	147	175	153	127	113	102
Thu	102	205	209	175	116	114	110	108	109	118	127	144	164	142	139	144	103
Fri	106	213	170	147	136	110	109	109	114	137	135	143	133	122	112	111	106
Sat	102	102	102	102	103	103	104	104	107	119	111	106	106	106	107	105	103
Sun	102	102	102	102	102	103	104	104	104	104	105	131	196	132	106	105	102

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	102	203	212	135	116	115	112	111	110	110	134	140	160	145	109	104	102
Tue	102	203	206	174	131	119	113	111	109	126	128	148	163	143	116	106	102
Wed	102	205	212	190	139	121	112	110	109	120	131	147	175	153	127	113	102
Thu	102	205	209	175	116	114	110	108	109	118	127	144	164	142	139	144	103
Fri	106	213	170	147	136	110	109	109	114	137	135	143	133	122	112	111	106
Sat	102	102	102	102	103	103	104	104	107	119	111	106	106	106	107	105	103
Sun	102	102	102	102	102	103	104	104	104	104	105	131	196	132	106	105	102