Best Time to Drive from San Jose to Oakland

Right now (9:35 am PDT): about 54 minutes via I-880 North, usually 47 at this time.

Only 56% 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.

On weekdays the 41-mile drive from San Jose to Oakland (via I-880 North) usually takes as little as 37 minutes and up to 68 minutes, when leaving around 5 pm on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 8:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 45 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2:30 pm on Saturdays (49 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: Oakland to San Jose

Freeway, about 38 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 3 miles: 4 to 9 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 (East Santa Clara Street) to downtown Oakland (Broadway) 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 Oakland 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	37	40	44	53	48	45	44	44	45	48	58	57	59	54	45	39	38
Tue	37	39	44	59	54	46	43	43	44	48	58	65	68	62	53	42	38
Wed	37	39	44	58	51	45	44	44	45	51	60	67	68	63	53	43	38
Thu	37	39	45	61	54	45	43	44	45	49	62	67	68	63	52	44	38
Fri	37	40	43	49	45	43	44	44	46	53	61	64	60	57	49	42	38
Sat	38	38	38	38	39	40	43	45	46	48	48	49	47	45	43	41	38
Sun	38	38	38	38	38	39	40	42	42	42	44	43	42	44	42	41	38

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 Oakland?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 37 minutes then, versus up to 68 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 41-mile drive usually takes 37 to 68 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 45 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from San Jose to Oakland?

Leaving around 5 pm on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 68 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

Freeways on this drive

I-880 North in Bay Area (38 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

Oakland to San Jose (return trip) · San Jose to San Francisco · 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 · San Jose to SFO

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	37	40	44	53	48	45	44	44	45	48	58	57	59	54	45	39	38
Tue	37	39	44	59	54	46	43	43	44	48	58	65	68	62	53	42	38
Wed	37	39	44	58	51	45	44	44	45	51	60	67	68	63	53	43	38
Thu	37	39	45	61	54	45	43	44	45	49	62	67	68	63	52	44	38
Fri	37	40	43	49	45	43	44	44	46	53	61	64	60	57	49	42	38
Sat	38	38	38	38	39	40	43	45	46	48	48	49	47	45	43	41	38
Sun	38	38	38	38	38	39	40	42	42	42	44	43	42	44	42	41	38

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	37	40	44	53	48	45	44	44	45	48	58	57	59	54	45	39	38
Tue	37	39	44	59	54	46	43	43	44	48	58	65	68	62	53	42	38
Wed	37	39	44	58	51	45	44	44	45	51	60	67	68	63	53	43	38
Thu	37	39	45	61	54	45	43	44	45	49	62	67	68	63	52	44	38
Fri	37	40	43	49	45	43	44	44	46	53	61	64	60	57	49	42	38
Sat	38	38	38	38	39	40	43	45	46	48	48	49	47	45	43	41	38
Sun	38	38	38	38	38	39	40	42	42	42	44	43	42	44	42	41	38

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	37	40	44	53	48	45	44	44	45	48	58	57	59	54	45	39	38
Tue	37	39	44	59	54	46	43	43	44	48	58	65	68	62	53	42	38
Wed	37	39	44	58	51	45	44	44	45	51	60	67	68	63	53	43	38
Thu	37	39	45	61	54	45	43	44	45	49	62	67	68	63	52	44	38
Fri	37	40	43	49	45	43	44	44	46	53	61	64	60	57	49	42	38
Sat	38	38	38	38	39	40	43	45	46	48	48	49	47	45	43	41	38
Sun	38	38	38	38	38	39	40	42	42	42	44	43	42	44	42	41	38