Best Time to Drive from San Jose to Napa

Right now (6:02 pm PDT): about 113 minutes via I-680 North, usually 97 at this time.

On weekdays the 84-mile drive from San Jose to Napa (via I-680 North) usually takes as little as 77 minutes and up to 117 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 89 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3 pm on Saturdays (88 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: Napa to San Jose

Freeway, about 75 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 9 miles: 11 to 20 minutes on weekdays, estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time (we don't have street sensors yet). Drive times are measured from downtown San Jose to central Napa along the route shown. Starting or ending elsewhere in a big city can add or save several minutes.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from San Jose to Napa 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	80	87	96	95	91	90	87	88	88	91	101	102	100	91	82	79	78
Tue	80	89	96	97	94	89	87	86	87	91	105	113	110	97	89	80	77
Wed	79	88	97	95	93	89	88	87	87	95	107	117	112	99	89	82	77
Thu	79	87	96	99	95	89	87	86	87	95	109	116	111	99	90	82	77
Fri	79	82	89	88	88	86	86	88	92	104	112	112	103	93	85	81	78
Sat	77	77	77	79	81	82	85	86	86	87	88	87	84	82	81	81	78
Sun	77	77	77	77	78	81	83	83	84	84	84	84	82	82	81	80	77

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 Jose to Napa?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 77 minutes then, versus up to 117 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 84-mile drive usually takes 77 to 117 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 89 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from San Jose to Napa?

Leaving around 4 pm on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 117 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

Freeways on this drive

I-680 North in Bay Area (57 miles) · I-880 North in Bay Area (12 miles) · SR-12 West in Bay Area (5 miles) · I-80 West in Bay Area (1.4 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

Napa to San Jose (return trip) · San Jose to San Francisco · San Jose to Oakland · San Jose to Palo Alto · San Jose to Berkeley · San Jose to Fremont · San Jose to Walnut Creek · San Jose to San Mateo · San Jose to Hayward · San Jose to Mountain View · San Jose to Pleasanton · San Jose 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	80	87	96	95	91	90	87	88	88	91	101	102	100	91	82	79	78
Tue	80	89	96	97	94	89	87	86	87	91	105	113	110	97	89	80	77
Wed	79	88	97	95	93	89	88	87	87	95	107	117	112	99	89	82	77
Thu	79	87	96	99	95	89	87	86	87	95	109	116	111	99	90	82	77
Fri	79	82	89	88	88	86	86	88	92	104	112	112	103	93	85	81	78
Sat	77	77	77	79	81	82	85	86	86	87	88	87	84	82	81	81	78
Sun	77	77	77	77	78	81	83	83	84	84	84	84	82	82	81	80	77

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	80	87	96	95	91	90	87	88	88	91	101	102	100	91	82	79	78
Tue	80	89	96	97	94	89	87	86	87	91	105	113	110	97	89	80	77
Wed	79	88	97	95	93	89	88	87	87	95	107	117	112	99	89	82	77
Thu	79	87	96	99	95	89	87	86	87	95	109	116	111	99	90	82	77
Fri	79	82	89	88	88	86	86	88	92	104	112	112	103	93	85	81	78
Sat	77	77	77	79	81	82	85	86	86	87	88	87	84	82	81	81	78
Sun	77	77	77	77	78	81	83	83	84	84	84	84	82	82	81	80	77

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	80	87	96	95	91	90	87	88	88	91	101	102	100	91	82	79	78
Tue	80	89	96	97	94	89	87	86	87	91	105	113	110	97	89	80	77
Wed	79	88	97	95	93	89	88	87	87	95	107	117	112	99	89	82	77
Thu	79	87	96	99	95	89	87	86	87	95	109	116	111	99	90	82	77
Fri	79	82	89	88	88	86	86	88	92	104	112	112	103	93	85	81	78
Sat	77	77	77	79	81	82	85	86	86	87	88	87	84	82	81	81	78
Sun	77	77	77	77	78	81	83	83	84	84	84	84	82	82	81	80	77