Best Time to Drive from San Ramon to Palo Alto

Right now (5:50 pm PDT): about 51 minutes via I-680 South, usually 48 at this time.

Only 70% 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 Ramon to Palo Alto 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	39	43	57	61	58	49	44	44	43	44	46	46	48	44	41	40	40
Tue	39	43	60	73	71	57	47	44	43	44	46	49	51	46	43	40	40
Wed	39	43	59	67	64	54	46	44	43	44	47	51	51	47	43	40	40
Thu	39	43	57	69	68	57	47	44	43	45	46	50	52	48	44	40	40
Fri	39	42	46	47	46	45	44	44	44	44	46	49	49	46	44	40	40
Sat	40	40	40	40	40	41	42	42	42	43	43	44	45	46	44	41	40
Sun	40	40	40	40	40	40	42	42	42	42	42	42	43	44	42	41	40

About this drive

On weekdays the 43-mile drive from San Ramon to Palo Alto (via I-680 South) usually takes as little as 39 minutes and up to 74 minutes, when leaving around 8:30 am on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 44 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 6 pm on Saturdays (46 minutes).

About 39 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 4 miles surface streets (5 to 10 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central San Ramon to central Palo Alto 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 Ramon to Palo Alto?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 39 minutes then, versus up to 74 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from San Ramon to Palo Alto?

The 43-mile drive usually takes 39 to 74 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 44 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from San Ramon to Palo Alto?

Leaving around 8:30 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 74 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-680 South in Bay Area (23 miles) · SR-237 West in Bay Area (6 miles) · I-880 South in Bay Area (5 miles) · US-101 North in Bay Area (5 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

Palo Alto to San Ramon (return trip) · San Ramon to San Jose · San Ramon to San Francisco · San Ramon to Sacramento · San Ramon to Oakland · San Ramon to Stockton · San Ramon to Fremont · San Ramon to Modesto · San Ramon to Santa Rosa · San Ramon to Elk Grove · San Ramon to Sunnyvale · San Ramon to Concord

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	39	43	57	61	58	49	44	44	43	44	46	46	48	44	41	40	40
Tue	39	43	60	73	71	57	47	44	43	44	46	49	51	46	43	40	40
Wed	39	43	59	67	64	54	46	44	43	44	47	51	51	47	43	40	40
Thu	39	43	57	69	68	57	47	44	43	45	46	50	52	48	44	40	40
Fri	39	42	46	47	46	45	44	44	44	44	46	49	49	46	44	40	40
Sat	40	40	40	40	40	41	42	42	42	43	43	44	45	46	44	41	40
Sun	40	40	40	40	40	40	42	42	42	42	42	42	43	44	42	41	40

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	39	43	57	61	58	49	44	44	43	44	46	46	48	44	41	40	40
Tue	39	43	60	73	71	57	47	44	43	44	46	49	51	46	43	40	40
Wed	39	43	59	67	64	54	46	44	43	44	47	51	51	47	43	40	40
Thu	39	43	57	69	68	57	47	44	43	45	46	50	52	48	44	40	40
Fri	39	42	46	47	46	45	44	44	44	44	46	49	49	46	44	40	40
Sat	40	40	40	40	40	41	42	42	42	43	43	44	45	46	44	41	40
Sun	40	40	40	40	40	40	42	42	42	42	42	42	43	44	42	41	40

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	39	43	57	61	58	49	44	44	43	44	46	46	48	44	41	40	40
Tue	39	43	60	73	71	57	47	44	43	44	46	49	51	46	43	40	40
Wed	39	43	59	67	64	54	46	44	43	44	47	51	51	47	43	40	40
Thu	39	43	57	69	68	57	47	44	43	45	46	50	52	48	44	40	40
Fri	39	42	46	47	46	45	44	44	44	44	46	49	49	46	44	40	40
Sat	40	40	40	40	40	41	42	42	42	43	43	44	45	46	44	41	40
Sun	40	40	40	40	40	40	42	42	42	42	42	42	43	44	42	41	40