Best Time to Drive from Santa Clara to Oakland

Right now (11:50 pm PST): about 45 minutes via I-880 North.

Only 33% 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 Oakland 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	40	43	47	56	52	49	47	46	47	51	65	62	64	58	48	42	41
Tue	40	42	49	62	55	50	47	46	47	52	65	70	72	67	58	44	41
Wed	40	42	48	62	53	50	47	46	48	54	65	71	73	68	58	45	40
Thu	40	42	49	64	55	49	47	46	47	54	68	72	74	68	59	46	40
Fri	40	42	46	51	48	46	46	47	49	57	67	70	68	58	51	44	40
Sat	40	41	41	41	41	42	44	45	45	47	47	48	47	46	45	43	41
Sun	40	40	41	41	41	42	42	44	43	44	44	44	44	45	45	44	41

About this drive

On weekdays the 41-mile drive from Santa Clara to Oakland (via I-880 North) usually takes as little as 40 minutes and up to 74 minutes, when leaving around 5 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7 am or after 8:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 48 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4:30 pm on Saturdays (48 minutes).

About 35 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 6 miles surface streets (10 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 (Lincoln Street) to downtown Oakland (Broadway) 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 Oakland?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 40 minutes then, versus up to 74 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 41-mile drive usually takes 40 to 74 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 48 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santa Clara to Oakland?

Leaving around 5 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 74 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-880 North in Bay Area (35 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

Santa Clara to Oakland over Thanksgiving: when to leave →

More drives

Oakland to Santa Clara (return trip) · Santa Clara to San Francisco · 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 · Santa Clara to OAK

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	40	43	47	56	52	49	47	46	47	51	65	62	64	58	48	42	41
Tue	40	42	49	62	55	50	47	46	47	52	65	70	72	67	58	44	41
Wed	40	42	48	62	53	50	47	46	48	54	65	71	73	68	58	45	40
Thu	40	42	49	64	55	49	47	46	47	54	68	72	74	68	59	46	40
Fri	40	42	46	51	48	46	46	47	49	57	67	70	68	58	51	44	40
Sat	40	41	41	41	41	42	44	45	45	47	47	48	47	46	45	43	41
Sun	40	40	41	41	41	42	42	44	43	44	44	44	44	45	45	44	41

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	40	43	47	56	52	49	47	46	47	51	65	62	64	58	48	42	41
Tue	40	42	49	62	55	50	47	46	47	52	65	70	72	67	58	44	41
Wed	40	42	48	62	53	50	47	46	48	54	65	71	73	68	58	45	40
Thu	40	42	49	64	55	49	47	46	47	54	68	72	74	68	59	46	40
Fri	40	42	46	51	48	46	46	47	49	57	67	70	68	58	51	44	40
Sat	40	41	41	41	41	42	44	45	45	47	47	48	47	46	45	43	41
Sun	40	40	41	41	41	42	42	44	43	44	44	44	44	45	45	44	41

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	40	43	47	56	52	49	47	46	47	51	65	62	64	58	48	42	41
Tue	40	42	49	62	55	50	47	46	47	52	65	70	72	67	58	44	41
Wed	40	42	48	62	53	50	47	46	48	54	65	71	73	68	58	45	40
Thu	40	42	49	64	55	49	47	46	47	54	68	72	74	68	59	46	40
Fri	40	42	46	51	48	46	46	47	49	57	67	70	68	58	51	44	40
Sat	40	41	41	41	41	42	44	45	45	47	47	48	47	46	45	43	41
Sun	40	40	41	41	41	42	42	44	43	44	44	44	44	45	45	44	41