Best Time to Drive from Santa Clara to Fairfield

Right now (6:53 pm PDT): about 108 minutes via I-680 North, usually 87 at this time.

Only 77% 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 Santa Clara to Fairfield 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	72	73	77	82	81	80	79	79	80	83	96	102	97	88	76	73	72
Tue	71	73	78	85	85	80	79	78	79	85	103	116	108	97	85	75	71
Wed	71	73	78	85	85	81	79	78	79	88	106	120	110	98	86	76	71
Thu	71	73	78	87	85	81	78	78	79	89	109	120	111	99	87	76	71
Fri	71	73	75	78	79	78	78	80	85	100	113	114	102	90	79	75	71
Sat	71	71	71	72	73	75	77	79	79	80	82	81	80	77	75	74	72
Sun	71	71	71	71	72	73	75	75	76	76	77	77	76	76	75	74	71

About this drive

On weekdays the 79-mile drive from Santa Clara to Fairfield (via I-680 North) usually takes as little as 71 minutes and up to 120 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7:30 am or after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 81 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3 pm on Saturdays (82 minutes).

About 73 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 5 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 Santa Clara to central Fairfield 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 Santa Clara to Fairfield?

On weekdays, leave before 7:30 am or after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 71 minutes then, versus up to 120 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Santa Clara to Fairfield?

The 79-mile drive usually takes 71 to 120 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 81 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santa Clara to Fairfield?

Leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 120 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-680 North in Bay Area (58 miles) · I-880 North in Bay Area (13 miles) · I-80 East in Bay Area (3 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

Fairfield to Santa Clara (return trip) · Santa Clara to San Francisco · Santa Clara to Oakland · Santa Clara to Palo Alto · Santa Clara to Berkeley · Santa Clara to Fremont · Santa Clara to Walnut Creek · Santa Clara to San Mateo · Santa Clara to Hayward · Santa Clara to Pleasanton · Santa Clara to Richmond · Santa Clara 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	72	73	77	82	81	80	79	79	80	83	96	102	97	88	76	73	72
Tue	71	73	78	85	85	80	79	78	79	85	103	116	108	97	85	75	71
Wed	71	73	78	85	85	81	79	78	79	88	106	120	110	98	86	76	71
Thu	71	73	78	87	85	81	78	78	79	89	109	120	111	99	87	76	71
Fri	71	73	75	78	79	78	78	80	85	100	113	114	102	90	79	75	71
Sat	71	71	71	72	73	75	77	79	79	80	82	81	80	77	75	74	72
Sun	71	71	71	71	72	73	75	75	76	76	77	77	76	76	75	74	71

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	72	73	77	82	81	80	79	79	80	83	96	102	97	88	76	73	72
Tue	71	73	78	85	85	80	79	78	79	85	103	116	108	97	85	75	71
Wed	71	73	78	85	85	81	79	78	79	88	106	120	110	98	86	76	71
Thu	71	73	78	87	85	81	78	78	79	89	109	120	111	99	87	76	71
Fri	71	73	75	78	79	78	78	80	85	100	113	114	102	90	79	75	71
Sat	71	71	71	72	73	75	77	79	79	80	82	81	80	77	75	74	72
Sun	71	71	71	71	72	73	75	75	76	76	77	77	76	76	75	74	71

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	72	73	77	82	81	80	79	79	80	83	96	102	97	88	76	73	72
Tue	71	73	78	85	85	80	79	78	79	85	103	116	108	97	85	75	71
Wed	71	73	78	85	85	81	79	78	79	88	106	120	110	98	86	76	71
Thu	71	73	78	87	85	81	78	78	79	89	109	120	111	99	87	76	71
Fri	71	73	75	78	79	78	78	80	85	100	113	114	102	90	79	75	71
Sat	71	71	71	72	73	75	77	79	79	80	82	81	80	77	75	74	72
Sun	71	71	71	71	72	73	75	75	76	76	77	77	76	76	75	74	71