Best Time to Drive from Palo Alto to Modesto

Right now (7:36 pm PST): about 163 minutes via I-580 West and I-680 North, usually 118 at this time.

Only 40% 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	209	172	123	115	113	111	110	109	125	136	146	127	108	105	103
Tue	102	203	206	178	135	118	112	111	109	119	128	142	159	143	117	106	102
Wed	102	208	212	209	136	122	111	110	109	118	131	148	163	148	128	110	101
Thu	102	204	209	161	121	115	111	108	110	122	130	146	153	142	124	115	102
Fri	102	209	141	123	123	111	110	111	115	137	135	126	124	115	108	105	102
Sat	101	102	102	102	102	103	103	104	105	105	110	107	118	109	107	104	103
Sun	102	102	102	102	102	103	103	104	104	104	105	137	171	127	107	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 101 minutes and up to 214 minutes, when leaving around 6:30 am on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 5:30 am or after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 112 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 5 pm on Sundays (171 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 pm. The drive usually takes about 101 minutes then, versus up to 214 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 87-mile drive usually takes 101 to 214 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 Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 214 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	209	172	123	115	113	111	110	109	125	136	146	127	108	105	103
Tue	102	203	206	178	135	118	112	111	109	119	128	142	159	143	117	106	102
Wed	102	208	212	209	136	122	111	110	109	118	131	148	163	148	128	110	101
Thu	102	204	209	161	121	115	111	108	110	122	130	146	153	142	124	115	102
Fri	102	209	141	123	123	111	110	111	115	137	135	126	124	115	108	105	102
Sat	101	102	102	102	102	103	103	104	105	105	110	107	118	109	107	104	103
Sun	102	102	102	102	102	103	103	104	104	104	105	137	171	127	107	105	102

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	102	203	209	172	123	115	113	111	110	109	125	136	146	127	108	105	103
Tue	102	203	206	178	135	118	112	111	109	119	128	142	159	143	117	106	102
Wed	102	208	212	209	136	122	111	110	109	118	131	148	163	148	128	110	101
Thu	102	204	209	161	121	115	111	108	110	122	130	146	153	142	124	115	102
Fri	102	209	141	123	123	111	110	111	115	137	135	126	124	115	108	105	102
Sat	101	102	102	102	102	103	103	104	105	105	110	107	118	109	107	104	103
Sun	102	102	102	102	102	103	103	104	104	104	105	137	171	127	107	105	102

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	102	203	209	172	123	115	113	111	110	109	125	136	146	127	108	105	103
Tue	102	203	206	178	135	118	112	111	109	119	128	142	159	143	117	106	102
Wed	102	208	212	209	136	122	111	110	109	118	131	148	163	148	128	110	101
Thu	102	204	209	161	121	115	111	108	110	122	130	146	153	142	124	115	102
Fri	102	209	141	123	123	111	110	111	115	137	135	126	124	115	108	105	102
Sat	101	102	102	102	102	103	103	104	105	105	110	107	118	109	107	104	103
Sun	102	102	102	102	102	103	103	104	104	104	105	137	171	127	107	105	102