Best Time to Drive from San Jose to San Francisco

Right now (12:33 pm PDT): about 50 minutes via US-101 North, usually 48 at this time.

Only 55% 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 San Francisco 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	43	46	58	68	59	52	49	49	47	48	50	54	57	52	47	45	44
Tue	43	46	58	77	68	56	51	48	47	47	51	60	64	59	51	46	45
Wed	43	46	59	78	69	54	50	49	47	48	51	58	64	58	51	46	45
Thu	43	46	59	75	69	57	52	49	47	49	52	59	66	60	51	46	45
Fri	43	45	53	60	52	51	51	48	48	49	51	55	57	53	48	45	43
Sat	43	44	44	44	45	50	55	51	49	50	49	49	48	48	47	47	44
Sun	43	44	43	43	44	46	48	50	48	47	47	47	47	47	47	46	43

About this drive

On weekdays the 48-mile drive from San Jose to San Francisco (via US-101 North) usually takes as little as 43 minutes and up to 78 minutes, when leaving around 8:30 am on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 48 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 11 am on Saturdays (55 minutes).

About 47 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 1.6 miles surface streets (2 to 5 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from downtown San Jose (East Santa Clara Street) to downtown San Francisco (Market Street) 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 San Francisco?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 43 minutes then, versus up to 78 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 48-mile drive usually takes 43 to 78 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 48 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from San Jose to San Francisco?

Leaving around 8:30 am on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 78 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

US-101 North in Bay Area (44 miles) · SR-87 North in Bay Area (3 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

San Francisco to San Jose (return trip) · 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 · 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	43	46	58	68	59	52	49	49	47	48	50	54	57	52	47	45	44
Tue	43	46	58	77	68	56	51	48	47	47	51	60	64	59	51	46	45
Wed	43	46	59	78	69	54	50	49	47	48	51	58	64	58	51	46	45
Thu	43	46	59	75	69	57	52	49	47	49	52	59	66	60	51	46	45
Fri	43	45	53	60	52	51	51	48	48	49	51	55	57	53	48	45	43
Sat	43	44	44	44	45	50	55	51	49	50	49	49	48	48	47	47	44
Sun	43	44	43	43	44	46	48	50	48	47	47	47	47	47	47	46	43

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	43	46	58	68	59	52	49	49	47	48	50	54	57	52	47	45	44
Tue	43	46	58	77	68	56	51	48	47	47	51	60	64	59	51	46	45
Wed	43	46	59	78	69	54	50	49	47	48	51	58	64	58	51	46	45
Thu	43	46	59	75	69	57	52	49	47	49	52	59	66	60	51	46	45
Fri	43	45	53	60	52	51	51	48	48	49	51	55	57	53	48	45	43
Sat	43	44	44	44	45	50	55	51	49	50	49	49	48	48	47	47	44
Sun	43	44	43	43	44	46	48	50	48	47	47	47	47	47	47	46	43

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	43	46	58	68	59	52	49	49	47	48	50	54	57	52	47	45	44
Tue	43	46	58	77	68	56	51	48	47	47	51	60	64	59	51	46	45
Wed	43	46	59	78	69	54	50	49	47	48	51	58	64	58	51	46	45
Thu	43	46	59	75	69	57	52	49	47	49	52	59	66	60	51	46	45
Fri	43	45	53	60	52	51	51	48	48	49	51	55	57	53	48	45	43
Sat	43	44	44	44	45	50	55	51	49	50	49	49	48	48	47	47	44
Sun	43	44	43	43	44	46	48	50	48	47	47	47	47	47	47	46	43