Best Time to Drive from San Jose to Walnut Creek

Right now (3:35 pm PST): about 69 minutes via I-680 North, usually 75 at this time.

Only 27% 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 Walnut Creek 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	46	47	52	58	55	52	51	51	51	53	63	61	60	56	50	47	46
Tue	46	47	53	60	57	51	51	50	50	55	67	72	72	64	56	48	46
Wed	46	48	53	60	57	52	50	50	50	57	68	74	74	65	57	49	46
Thu	46	47	53	61	56	52	50	50	51	56	68	75	72	62	55	49	46
Fri	46	47	51	55	51	50	50	51	54	62	72	69	64	58	52	49	46
Sat	46	46	46	46	47	47	48	49	50	50	52	51	50	48	48	47	46
Sun	46	46	46	46	46	47	48	48	49	49	48	48	48	49	48	48	46

About this drive

On weekdays the 48-mile drive from San Jose to Walnut Creek (via I-680 North) usually takes as little as 46 minutes and up to 75 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7 am or after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 52 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3 pm on Saturdays (52 minutes).

About 43 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 5 miles surface streets (8 to 16 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 central Walnut Creek (North Main 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 Walnut Creek?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 46 minutes then, versus up to 75 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from San Jose to Walnut Creek?

The 48-mile drive usually takes 46 to 75 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 52 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from San Jose to Walnut Creek?

Leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 75 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-680 North in Bay Area (43 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

San Jose to Walnut Creek over Thanksgiving: when to leave →

More drives

Walnut Creek 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 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	46	47	52	58	55	52	51	51	51	53	63	61	60	56	50	47	46
Tue	46	47	53	60	57	51	51	50	50	55	67	72	72	64	56	48	46
Wed	46	48	53	60	57	52	50	50	50	57	68	74	74	65	57	49	46
Thu	46	47	53	61	56	52	50	50	51	56	68	75	72	62	55	49	46
Fri	46	47	51	55	51	50	50	51	54	62	72	69	64	58	52	49	46
Sat	46	46	46	46	47	47	48	49	50	50	52	51	50	48	48	47	46
Sun	46	46	46	46	46	47	48	48	49	49	48	48	48	49	48	48	46

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	46	47	52	58	55	52	51	51	51	53	63	61	60	56	50	47	46
Tue	46	47	53	60	57	51	51	50	50	55	67	72	72	64	56	48	46
Wed	46	48	53	60	57	52	50	50	50	57	68	74	74	65	57	49	46
Thu	46	47	53	61	56	52	50	50	51	56	68	75	72	62	55	49	46
Fri	46	47	51	55	51	50	50	51	54	62	72	69	64	58	52	49	46
Sat	46	46	46	46	47	47	48	49	50	50	52	51	50	48	48	47	46
Sun	46	46	46	46	46	47	48	48	49	49	48	48	48	49	48	48	46

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	46	47	52	58	55	52	51	51	51	53	63	61	60	56	50	47	46
Tue	46	47	53	60	57	51	51	50	50	55	67	72	72	64	56	48	46
Wed	46	48	53	60	57	52	50	50	50	57	68	74	74	65	57	49	46
Thu	46	47	53	61	56	52	50	50	51	56	68	75	72	62	55	49	46
Fri	46	47	51	55	51	50	50	51	54	62	72	69	64	58	52	49	46
Sat	46	46	46	46	47	47	48	49	50	50	52	51	50	48	48	47	46
Sun	46	46	46	46	46	47	48	48	49	49	48	48	48	49	48	48	46