Best Time to Drive from Santa Clara to Napa

Right now (3:20 pm PST): about 90 minutes via I-680 North, usually 90 at this time.

Only 45% 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 Napa 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	81	89	98	96	95	91	89	89	89	92	102	110	109	101	85	81	79
Tue	81	90	98	100	97	90	89	88	89	93	112	122	121	111	95	83	79
Wed	81	90	99	99	98	91	89	88	89	96	113	126	122	111	95	83	79
Thu	81	90	99	102	97	91	89	88	89	97	115	127	123	111	95	84	79
Fri	80	84	89	89	90	88	89	90	94	108	119	120	111	101	88	83	80
Sat	79	79	79	80	82	84	86	87	88	89	89	90	88	87	84	82	80
Sun	79	79	79	79	80	82	85	85	86	86	86	87	85	85	84	82	79

About this drive

On weekdays the 85-mile drive from Santa Clara to Napa (via I-680 North) usually takes as little as 79 minutes and up to 127 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 91 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3:30 pm on Saturdays (90 minutes).

About 76 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 9 miles surface streets (12 to 20 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 Napa 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 Napa?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 79 minutes then, versus up to 127 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 85-mile drive usually takes 79 to 127 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 91 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santa Clara to Napa?

Leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 127 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-680 North in Bay Area (57 miles) · I-880 North in Bay Area (13 miles) · SR-12 West in Bay Area (5 miles) · I-80 West in Bay Area (1.4 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

Napa 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	81	89	98	96	95	91	89	89	89	92	102	110	109	101	85	81	79
Tue	81	90	98	100	97	90	89	88	89	93	112	122	121	111	95	83	79
Wed	81	90	99	99	98	91	89	88	89	96	113	126	122	111	95	83	79
Thu	81	90	99	102	97	91	89	88	89	97	115	127	123	111	95	84	79
Fri	80	84	89	89	90	88	89	90	94	108	119	120	111	101	88	83	80
Sat	79	79	79	80	82	84	86	87	88	89	89	90	88	87	84	82	80
Sun	79	79	79	79	80	82	85	85	86	86	86	87	85	85	84	82	79

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	81	89	98	96	95	91	89	89	89	92	102	110	109	101	85	81	79
Tue	81	90	98	100	97	90	89	88	89	93	112	122	121	111	95	83	79
Wed	81	90	99	99	98	91	89	88	89	96	113	126	122	111	95	83	79
Thu	81	90	99	102	97	91	89	88	89	97	115	127	123	111	95	84	79
Fri	80	84	89	89	90	88	89	90	94	108	119	120	111	101	88	83	80
Sat	79	79	79	80	82	84	86	87	88	89	89	90	88	87	84	82	80
Sun	79	79	79	79	80	82	85	85	86	86	86	87	85	85	84	82	79

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	81	89	98	96	95	91	89	89	89	92	102	110	109	101	85	81	79
Tue	81	90	98	100	97	90	89	88	89	93	112	122	121	111	95	83	79
Wed	81	90	99	99	98	91	89	88	89	96	113	126	122	111	95	83	79
Thu	81	90	99	102	97	91	89	88	89	97	115	127	123	111	95	84	79
Fri	80	84	89	89	90	88	89	90	94	108	119	120	111	101	88	83	80
Sat	79	79	79	80	82	84	86	87	88	89	89	90	88	87	84	82	80
Sun	79	79	79	79	80	82	85	85	86	86	86	87	85	85	84	82	79