Best Time to Drive from Pleasanton to San Jose

Right now (10:18 am PDT): about 32 minutes via I-680 South, usually 31 at this time.

Only 41% 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 Pleasanton to San Jose 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	28	31	47	48	39	35	32	31	31	31	36	38	42	37	31	29	29
Tue	28	31	47	54	52	43	34	31	31	30	37	44	49	42	31	29	29
Wed	28	32	47	53	46	40	34	31	31	31	36	43	49	45	32	30	29
Thu	28	31	47	52	50	41	34	30	31	31	38	44	48	43	32	30	28
Fri	28	30	33	34	32	31	31	30	31	32	41	45	43	42	32	29	29
Sat	29	29	29	29	29	29	30	31	32	31	34	34	40	43	41	29	29
Sun	29	29	29	29	29	29	29	30	30	30	30	30	30	38	30	30	29

About this drive

On weekdays the 28-mile drive from Pleasanton to San Jose (via I-680 South) usually takes as little as 28 minutes and up to 55 minutes, when leaving around 8:30 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 31 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 6 pm on Saturdays (43 minutes).

About 23 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 5 miles surface streets (8 to 19 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Pleasanton to downtown San Jose (East Santa Clara Street) 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 Pleasanton to San Jose?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 28 minutes then, versus up to 55 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Pleasanton to San Jose?

The 28-mile drive usually takes 28 to 55 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 31 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Pleasanton to San Jose?

Leaving around 8:30 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 55 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-680 South in Bay Area (23 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

San Jose to Pleasanton (return trip) · Pleasanton to San Francisco · Pleasanton to Oakland · Pleasanton to Palo Alto · Pleasanton to Berkeley · Pleasanton to Fremont · Pleasanton to Walnut Creek · Pleasanton to San Mateo · Pleasanton to Hayward · Pleasanton to Mountain View · Pleasanton to Santa Clara · Pleasanton 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	28	31	47	48	39	35	32	31	31	31	36	38	42	37	31	29	29
Tue	28	31	47	54	52	43	34	31	31	30	37	44	49	42	31	29	29
Wed	28	32	47	53	46	40	34	31	31	31	36	43	49	45	32	30	29
Thu	28	31	47	52	50	41	34	30	31	31	38	44	48	43	32	30	28
Fri	28	30	33	34	32	31	31	30	31	32	41	45	43	42	32	29	29
Sat	29	29	29	29	29	29	30	31	32	31	34	34	40	43	41	29	29
Sun	29	29	29	29	29	29	29	30	30	30	30	30	30	38	30	30	29

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	28	31	47	48	39	35	32	31	31	31	36	38	42	37	31	29	29
Tue	28	31	47	54	52	43	34	31	31	30	37	44	49	42	31	29	29
Wed	28	32	47	53	46	40	34	31	31	31	36	43	49	45	32	30	29
Thu	28	31	47	52	50	41	34	30	31	31	38	44	48	43	32	30	28
Fri	28	30	33	34	32	31	31	30	31	32	41	45	43	42	32	29	29
Sat	29	29	29	29	29	29	30	31	32	31	34	34	40	43	41	29	29
Sun	29	29	29	29	29	29	29	30	30	30	30	30	30	38	30	30	29

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	28	31	47	48	39	35	32	31	31	31	36	38	42	37	31	29	29
Tue	28	31	47	54	52	43	34	31	31	30	37	44	49	42	31	29	29
Wed	28	32	47	53	46	40	34	31	31	31	36	43	49	45	32	30	29
Thu	28	31	47	52	50	41	34	30	31	31	38	44	48	43	32	30	28
Fri	28	30	33	34	32	31	31	30	31	32	41	45	43	42	32	29	29
Sat	29	29	29	29	29	29	30	31	32	31	34	34	40	43	41	29	29
Sun	29	29	29	29	29	29	29	30	30	30	30	30	30	38	30	30	29