Best Time to Drive from Richmond to SJC

Right now (2:48 pm PDT): about 68 minutes via I-880 South, usually 67 at this time.

Only 53% 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 Richmond to SJC 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	47	59	88	91	79	66	63	62	60	60	65	68	70	58	51	49	49
Tue	47	63	93	113	91	72	62	59	57	60	68	75	79	66	53	49	48
Wed	46	62	93	102	85	67	62	59	58	61	67	77	82	66	53	49	48
Thu	46	61	92	104	87	69	63	59	60	63	72	83	83	70	53	49	48
Fri	47	56	67	71	66	59	60	60	62	67	75	79	76	66	56	51	48
Sat	48	48	49	50	50	54	61	62	63	65	67	68	70	66	59	54	49
Sun	48	48	48	48	49	51	56	58	60	61	62	61	62	60	57	54	48

About this drive

On weekdays the 52-mile drive from Richmond to SJC (via I-880 South) usually takes as little as 46 minutes and up to 113 minutes, when leaving around 8 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 61 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4:30 pm on Saturdays (71 minutes).

About 48 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 4 miles surface streets (6 to 14 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Richmond (Macdonald Avenue) to San José Mineta International Airport (SJC) 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 Richmond to SJC?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 46 minutes then, versus up to 113 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Richmond to SJC?

The 52-mile drive usually takes 46 to 113 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 61 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Richmond to SJC?

Leaving around 8 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 113 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-880 South in Bay Area (40 miles) · I-80 West in Bay Area (8 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

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

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	47	59	88	91	79	66	63	62	60	60	65	68	70	58	51	49	49
Tue	47	63	93	113	91	72	62	59	57	60	68	75	79	66	53	49	48
Wed	46	62	93	102	85	67	62	59	58	61	67	77	82	66	53	49	48
Thu	46	61	92	104	87	69	63	59	60	63	72	83	83	70	53	49	48
Fri	47	56	67	71	66	59	60	60	62	67	75	79	76	66	56	51	48
Sat	48	48	49	50	50	54	61	62	63	65	67	68	70	66	59	54	49
Sun	48	48	48	48	49	51	56	58	60	61	62	61	62	60	57	54	48

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	47	59	88	91	79	66	63	62	60	60	65	68	70	58	51	49	49
Tue	47	63	93	113	91	72	62	59	57	60	68	75	79	66	53	49	48
Wed	46	62	93	102	85	67	62	59	58	61	67	77	82	66	53	49	48
Thu	46	61	92	104	87	69	63	59	60	63	72	83	83	70	53	49	48
Fri	47	56	67	71	66	59	60	60	62	67	75	79	76	66	56	51	48
Sat	48	48	49	50	50	54	61	62	63	65	67	68	70	66	59	54	49
Sun	48	48	48	48	49	51	56	58	60	61	62	61	62	60	57	54	48

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	47	59	88	91	79	66	63	62	60	60	65	68	70	58	51	49	49
Tue	47	63	93	113	91	72	62	59	57	60	68	75	79	66	53	49	48
Wed	46	62	93	102	85	67	62	59	58	61	67	77	82	66	53	49	48
Thu	46	61	92	104	87	69	63	59	60	63	72	83	83	70	53	49	48
Fri	47	56	67	71	66	59	60	60	62	67	75	79	76	66	56	51	48
Sat	48	48	49	50	50	54	61	62	63	65	67	68	70	66	59	54	49
Sun	48	48	48	48	49	51	56	58	60	61	62	61	62	60	57	54	48