Best Time to Drive from Santa Clara to San Francisco

Right now (11:21 am PST): about 57 minutes via US-101 North, usually 48 at this time.

Only 47% 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 San Francisco 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	41	44	54	65	56	51	47	47	45	46	50	53	57	51	45	43	42
Tue	41	44	55	73	64	55	49	46	45	46	51	58	62	58	50	44	43
Wed	41	44	56	72	63	54	48	47	45	47	52	58	64	59	51	45	43
Thu	41	44	57	72	64	56	50	47	45	48	53	59	66	60	52	44	44
Fri	41	43	49	57	51	49	48	46	46	48	52	54	59	53	48	44	43
Sat	42	42	42	43	43	45	47	48	48	47	47	46	46	46	45	45	43
Sun	42	42	42	42	42	44	45	46	46	45	46	45	46	45	45	45	42

About this drive

On weekdays the 45-mile drive from Santa Clara to San Francisco (via US-101 North) usually takes as little as 41 minutes and up to 73 minutes, when leaving around 8 am on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 46 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12:30 pm on Saturdays (49 minutes).

About 42 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 3 miles surface streets (5 to 11 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 San Francisco (Market Street) 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 San Francisco?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 41 minutes then, versus up to 73 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Santa Clara to San Francisco?

The 45-mile drive usually takes 41 to 73 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 46 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santa Clara to San Francisco?

Leaving around 8 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 73 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

US-101 North in Bay Area (42 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

Santa Clara to San Francisco over Thanksgiving: when to leave →

More drives

San Francisco to Santa Clara (return trip) · 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 · 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	41	44	54	65	56	51	47	47	45	46	50	53	57	51	45	43	42
Tue	41	44	55	73	64	55	49	46	45	46	51	58	62	58	50	44	43
Wed	41	44	56	72	63	54	48	47	45	47	52	58	64	59	51	45	43
Thu	41	44	57	72	64	56	50	47	45	48	53	59	66	60	52	44	44
Fri	41	43	49	57	51	49	48	46	46	48	52	54	59	53	48	44	43
Sat	42	42	42	43	43	45	47	48	48	47	47	46	46	46	45	45	43
Sun	42	42	42	42	42	44	45	46	46	45	46	45	46	45	45	45	42

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	41	44	54	65	56	51	47	47	45	46	50	53	57	51	45	43	42
Tue	41	44	55	73	64	55	49	46	45	46	51	58	62	58	50	44	43
Wed	41	44	56	72	63	54	48	47	45	47	52	58	64	59	51	45	43
Thu	41	44	57	72	64	56	50	47	45	48	53	59	66	60	52	44	44
Fri	41	43	49	57	51	49	48	46	46	48	52	54	59	53	48	44	43
Sat	42	42	42	43	43	45	47	48	48	47	47	46	46	46	45	45	43
Sun	42	42	42	42	42	44	45	46	46	45	46	45	46	45	45	45	42

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	41	44	54	65	56	51	47	47	45	46	50	53	57	51	45	43	42
Tue	41	44	55	73	64	55	49	46	45	46	51	58	62	58	50	44	43
Wed	41	44	56	72	63	54	48	47	45	47	52	58	64	59	51	45	43
Thu	41	44	57	72	64	56	50	47	45	48	53	59	66	60	52	44	44
Fri	41	43	49	57	51	49	48	46	46	48	52	54	59	53	48	44	43
Sat	42	42	42	43	43	45	47	48	48	47	47	46	46	46	45	45	43
Sun	42	42	42	42	42	44	45	46	46	45	46	45	46	45	45	45	42