Best Time to Drive from San Jose to San Francisco

Right now (9:35 am PDT): about 77 minutes via US-101 North, usually 58 at this time.

Only 57% 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 48-mile drive from San Jose to San Francisco (via US-101 North) usually takes as little as 42 minutes and up to 71 minutes, when leaving around 8:30 am on Tuesdays. 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 12 pm on Saturdays (49 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: San Francisco to San Jose

Freeway, about 47 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 1.6 miles: 2 to 4 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 San Francisco (Market Street) 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 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	54	62	58	52	49	48	47	48	50	54	56	51	47	45	44
Tue	42	46	55	71	67	55	50	48	47	47	51	59	64	58	49	45	44
Wed	43	46	56	70	65	53	49	48	47	48	51	58	63	56	50	45	44
Thu	42	46	56	70	64	54	50	48	47	48	52	61	66	59	50	45	46
Fri	42	45	51	56	51	49	49	48	47	49	52	55	58	53	48	45	43
Sat	43	44	43	44	45	46	48	49	49	49	48	48	47	46	46	46	43
Sun	43	43	43	43	44	46	47	48	47	47	48	47	47	47	47	46	43

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 42 minutes then, versus up to 71 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 48-mile drive usually takes 42 to 71 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 Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 71 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

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	54	62	58	52	49	48	47	48	50	54	56	51	47	45	44
Tue	42	46	55	71	67	55	50	48	47	47	51	59	64	58	49	45	44
Wed	43	46	56	70	65	53	49	48	47	48	51	58	63	56	50	45	44
Thu	42	46	56	70	64	54	50	48	47	48	52	61	66	59	50	45	46
Fri	42	45	51	56	51	49	49	48	47	49	52	55	58	53	48	45	43
Sat	43	44	43	44	45	46	48	49	49	49	48	48	47	46	46	46	43
Sun	43	43	43	43	44	46	47	48	47	47	48	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	54	62	58	52	49	48	47	48	50	54	56	51	47	45	44
Tue	42	46	55	71	67	55	50	48	47	47	51	59	64	58	49	45	44
Wed	43	46	56	70	65	53	49	48	47	48	51	58	63	56	50	45	44
Thu	42	46	56	70	64	54	50	48	47	48	52	61	66	59	50	45	46
Fri	42	45	51	56	51	49	49	48	47	49	52	55	58	53	48	45	43
Sat	43	44	43	44	45	46	48	49	49	49	48	48	47	46	46	46	43
Sun	43	43	43	43	44	46	47	48	47	47	48	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	54	62	58	52	49	48	47	48	50	54	56	51	47	45	44
Tue	42	46	55	71	67	55	50	48	47	47	51	59	64	58	49	45	44
Wed	43	46	56	70	65	53	49	48	47	48	51	58	63	56	50	45	44
Thu	42	46	56	70	64	54	50	48	47	48	52	61	66	59	50	45	46
Fri	42	45	51	56	51	49	49	48	47	49	52	55	58	53	48	45	43
Sat	43	44	43	44	45	46	48	49	49	49	48	48	47	46	46	46	43
Sun	43	43	43	43	44	46	47	48	47	47	48	47	47	47	47	46	43