Traffic Predict
Best Time to Drive from San Mateo to SJC
Right now (1:18 pm PDT): about 31 minutes via US-101 South, usually 31 at this time.
Only 52% 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
| Leave | 5am | 6am | 7am | 8am | 9am | 10am | 11am | 12pm | 1pm | 2pm | 3pm | 4pm | 5pm | 6pm | 7pm | 8pm | 9pm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon | 28 | 28 | 31 | 41 | 41 | 33 | 31 | 31 | 32 | 34 | 39 | 41 | 44 | 35 | 31 | 29 | 28 |
| Tue | 28 | 28 | 31 | 46 | 52 | 40 | 34 | 32 | 32 | 34 | 44 | 53 | 56 | 47 | 34 | 30 | 28 |
| Wed | 28 | 28 | 31 | 46 | 48 | 37 | 33 | 32 | 32 | 35 | 46 | 53 | 58 | 46 | 35 | 30 | 28 |
| Thu | 28 | 28 | 31 | 46 | 47 | 36 | 32 | 31 | 32 | 35 | 46 | 55 | 62 | 48 | 36 | 30 | 28 |
| Fri | 28 | 28 | 30 | 34 | 33 | 31 | 31 | 32 | 32 | 36 | 43 | 45 | 43 | 35 | 33 | 29 | 28 |
| Sat | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 31 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 33 | 31 | 30 | 28 |
| Sun | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 31 | 30 | 31 | 31 | 32 | 31 | 30 | 30 | 28 |
About this drive
On weekdays the 29-mile drive from San Mateo to SJC (via US-101 South) usually takes as little as 28 minutes and up to 62 minutes, when leaving around 5 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 32 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 5:30 pm on Saturdays (33 minutes).
About 25 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 3 miles surface streets (6 to 13 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central San Mateo (South El Camino Real) to San José Mineta International Airport (SJC) 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 Mateo to SJC?
On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 28 minutes then, versus up to 62 minutes at the worst times.
How long does it take to drive from San Mateo to SJC?
The 29-mile drive usually takes 28 to 62 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 32 minutes midday.
When is traffic worst from San Mateo to SJC?
Leaving around 5 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 62 minutes.
Freeways on this drive
US-101 South in Bay Area (25 miles)
Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow
More drives
SJC to San Mateo (return trip) · San Mateo to San Francisco · San Mateo to Oakland · San Mateo to San Jose · San Mateo to Palo Alto · San Mateo to Berkeley · San Mateo to Fremont · San Mateo to Walnut Creek · San Mateo to Mountain View · San Mateo to Santa Clara · San Mateo to Richmond · San Mateo to OAK