Best Time to Drive from San Francisco to Cupertino

Right now (7:32 pm PDT): about 44 minutes via I-280 South and US-101 South, usually 45 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 San Francisco to Cupertino 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	42	43	44	47	51	48	47	48	47	47	52	48	48	46	44	44	43
Tue	42	42	45	49	50	49	48	47	46	46	51	54	53	48	45	43	43
Wed	42	42	43	49	54	47	49	52	52	53	54	75	55	49	46	44	42
Thu	42	42	44	49	49	48	46	46	45	45	53	53	51	49	48	44	43
Fri	42	42	44	44	45	45	46	46	46	46	50	50	49	47	45	43	42
Sat	42	42	42	42	43	44	45	45	45	44	44	44	45	45	45	44	43
Sun	42	42	42	42	43	44	45	45	45	45	44	45	45	45	45	45	43

About this drive

On weekdays the 46-mile drive from San Francisco to Cupertino (via I-280 South and US-101 South) usually takes as little as 42 minutes and up to 75 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7:30 am or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 48 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 7 pm on Sundays (45 minutes).

About 45 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 1.3 miles surface streets (2 to 3 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from downtown San Francisco 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 San Francisco to Cupertino?

On weekdays, leave before 7:30 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 42 minutes then, versus up to 75 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from San Francisco to Cupertino?

The 46-mile drive usually takes 42 to 75 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 48 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from San Francisco to Cupertino?

Leaving around 4 pm on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 75 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-280 South in Bay Area (27 miles) · US-101 South in Bay Area (11 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

Cupertino to San Francisco (return trip) · San Francisco to San Jose · San Francisco to Palo Alto · San Francisco to Berkeley · San Francisco to Fremont · San Francisco to Walnut Creek · San Francisco to San Mateo · San Francisco to Hayward · San Francisco to Mountain View · San Francisco to Pleasanton · San Francisco to Santa Clara · San Francisco 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	42	43	44	47	51	48	47	48	47	47	52	48	48	46	44	44	43
Tue	42	42	45	49	50	49	48	47	46	46	51	54	53	48	45	43	43
Wed	42	42	43	49	54	47	49	52	52	53	54	75	55	49	46	44	42
Thu	42	42	44	49	49	48	46	46	45	45	53	53	51	49	48	44	43
Fri	42	42	44	44	45	45	46	46	46	46	50	50	49	47	45	43	42
Sat	42	42	42	42	43	44	45	45	45	44	44	44	45	45	45	44	43
Sun	42	42	42	42	43	44	45	45	45	45	44	45	45	45	45	45	43

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	42	43	44	47	51	48	47	48	47	47	52	48	48	46	44	44	43
Tue	42	42	45	49	50	49	48	47	46	46	51	54	53	48	45	43	43
Wed	42	42	43	49	54	47	49	52	52	53	54	75	55	49	46	44	42
Thu	42	42	44	49	49	48	46	46	45	45	53	53	51	49	48	44	43
Fri	42	42	44	44	45	45	46	46	46	46	50	50	49	47	45	43	42
Sat	42	42	42	42	43	44	45	45	45	44	44	44	45	45	45	44	43
Sun	42	42	42	42	43	44	45	45	45	45	44	45	45	45	45	45	43

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	42	43	44	47	51	48	47	48	47	47	52	48	48	46	44	44	43
Tue	42	42	45	49	50	49	48	47	46	46	51	54	53	48	45	43	43
Wed	42	42	43	49	54	47	49	52	52	53	54	75	55	49	46	44	42
Thu	42	42	44	49	49	48	46	46	45	45	53	53	51	49	48	44	43
Fri	42	42	44	44	45	45	46	46	46	46	50	50	49	47	45	43	42
Sat	42	42	42	42	43	44	45	45	45	44	44	44	45	45	45	44	43
Sun	42	42	42	42	43	44	45	45	45	45	44	45	45	45	45	45	43