Best Time to Drive from San Jose to Orinda

Right now (6:18 pm PDT): about 84 minutes via I-880 North, usually 65 at this time.

Only 65% 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 Jose to Orinda 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	41	43	45	51	51	49	49	49	49	59	71	73	68	60	50	44	42
Tue	41	42	45	52	53	49	47	47	49	56	67	76	79	71	59	48	42
Wed	41	43	45	52	53	49	48	48	50	58	69	78	78	70	58	48	42
Thu	41	43	46	52	54	49	47	48	49	57	72	84	80	71	59	49	42
Fri	41	43	45	47	48	47	47	49	53	61	70	73	68	62	54	47	42
Sat	42	42	42	42	43	44	48	50	51	54	55	55	53	51	48	46	43
Sun	42	42	42	42	42	43	45	46	46	48	48	49	47	48	47	46	42

About this drive

On weekdays the 46-mile drive from San Jose to Orinda (via I-880 North) usually takes as little as 41 minutes and up to 84 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7:30 am or after 8:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 51 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4 pm on Saturdays (55 minutes).

About 44 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 3 miles surface streets (3 to 7 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from downtown San Jose to central Orinda 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 Jose to Orinda?

On weekdays, leave before 7:30 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 41 minutes then, versus up to 84 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 46-mile drive usually takes 41 to 84 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 51 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from San Jose to Orinda?

Leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 84 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-880 North in Bay Area (34 miles) · I-580 East in Bay Area (7 miles) · SR-24 East in Bay Area (3 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

Orinda 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	41	43	45	51	51	49	49	49	49	59	71	73	68	60	50	44	42
Tue	41	42	45	52	53	49	47	47	49	56	67	76	79	71	59	48	42
Wed	41	43	45	52	53	49	48	48	50	58	69	78	78	70	58	48	42
Thu	41	43	46	52	54	49	47	48	49	57	72	84	80	71	59	49	42
Fri	41	43	45	47	48	47	47	49	53	61	70	73	68	62	54	47	42
Sat	42	42	42	42	43	44	48	50	51	54	55	55	53	51	48	46	43
Sun	42	42	42	42	42	43	45	46	46	48	48	49	47	48	47	46	42

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	41	43	45	51	51	49	49	49	49	59	71	73	68	60	50	44	42
Tue	41	42	45	52	53	49	47	47	49	56	67	76	79	71	59	48	42
Wed	41	43	45	52	53	49	48	48	50	58	69	78	78	70	58	48	42
Thu	41	43	46	52	54	49	47	48	49	57	72	84	80	71	59	49	42
Fri	41	43	45	47	48	47	47	49	53	61	70	73	68	62	54	47	42
Sat	42	42	42	42	43	44	48	50	51	54	55	55	53	51	48	46	43
Sun	42	42	42	42	42	43	45	46	46	48	48	49	47	48	47	46	42

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	41	43	45	51	51	49	49	49	49	59	71	73	68	60	50	44	42
Tue	41	42	45	52	53	49	47	47	49	56	67	76	79	71	59	48	42
Wed	41	43	45	52	53	49	48	48	50	58	69	78	78	70	58	48	42
Thu	41	43	46	52	54	49	47	48	49	57	72	84	80	71	59	49	42
Fri	41	43	45	47	48	47	47	49	53	61	70	73	68	62	54	47	42
Sat	42	42	42	42	43	44	48	50	51	54	55	55	53	51	48	46	43
Sun	42	42	42	42	42	43	45	46	46	48	48	49	47	48	47	46	42