Best Time to Drive from SFO to OAK

Right now (1:04 pm PDT): about 37 minutes via I-880 North and SR-92 East and US-101 South, usually 41 at this time.

Only 40% 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 SFO to OAK 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	35	36	39	56	50	41	42	41	41	42	48	45	49	44	39	36	36
Tue	35	36	39	61	54	42	40	40	40	43	46	50	54	47	40	37	35
Wed	35	36	39	58	49	39	39	40	40	43	46	50	53	45	40	36	35
Thu	35	36	39	61	54	41	40	40	40	43	50	52	57	48	41	38	35
Fri	35	36	38	46	42	40	40	42	42	43	48	51	47	43	40	37	35
Sat	35	35	35	35	35	36	40	40	41	40	40	40	41	42	38	37	36
Sun	35	35	35	35	35	36	37	38	38	37	38	37	37	38	37	37	36

About this drive

On weekdays the 32-mile drive from SFO to OAK (via I-880 North and SR-92 East and US-101 South) usually takes as little as 35 minutes and up to 61 minutes, when leaving around 8 am on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7 am or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 41 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 5:30 pm on Saturdays (42 minutes).

About 22 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 9 miles surface streets (15 to 31 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) (Departures) to Oakland International Airport (OAK) (John Glenn Drive) 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 SFO to OAK?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 35 minutes then, versus up to 61 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from SFO to OAK?

The 32-mile drive usually takes 35 to 61 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 41 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from SFO to OAK?

Leaving around 8 am on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 61 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-880 North in Bay Area (8 miles) · SR-92 East in Bay Area (7 miles) · US-101 South in Bay Area (7 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

OAK to SFO (return trip) · SFO to SJC · SFO to San Francisco · SFO to Oakland · SFO to San Jose · SFO to Palo Alto · SFO to Berkeley · SFO to Fremont · SFO to Walnut Creek · SFO to Mountain View · SFO to Pleasanton · SFO to Santa Clara

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	35	36	39	56	50	41	42	41	41	42	48	45	49	44	39	36	36
Tue	35	36	39	61	54	42	40	40	40	43	46	50	54	47	40	37	35
Wed	35	36	39	58	49	39	39	40	40	43	46	50	53	45	40	36	35
Thu	35	36	39	61	54	41	40	40	40	43	50	52	57	48	41	38	35
Fri	35	36	38	46	42	40	40	42	42	43	48	51	47	43	40	37	35
Sat	35	35	35	35	35	36	40	40	41	40	40	40	41	42	38	37	36
Sun	35	35	35	35	35	36	37	38	38	37	38	37	37	38	37	37	36

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	35	36	39	56	50	41	42	41	41	42	48	45	49	44	39	36	36
Tue	35	36	39	61	54	42	40	40	40	43	46	50	54	47	40	37	35
Wed	35	36	39	58	49	39	39	40	40	43	46	50	53	45	40	36	35
Thu	35	36	39	61	54	41	40	40	40	43	50	52	57	48	41	38	35
Fri	35	36	38	46	42	40	40	42	42	43	48	51	47	43	40	37	35
Sat	35	35	35	35	35	36	40	40	41	40	40	40	41	42	38	37	36
Sun	35	35	35	35	35	36	37	38	38	37	38	37	37	38	37	37	36

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	35	36	39	56	50	41	42	41	41	42	48	45	49	44	39	36	36
Tue	35	36	39	61	54	42	40	40	40	43	46	50	54	47	40	37	35
Wed	35	36	39	58	49	39	39	40	40	43	46	50	53	45	40	36	35
Thu	35	36	39	61	54	41	40	40	40	43	50	52	57	48	41	38	35
Fri	35	36	38	46	42	40	40	42	42	43	48	51	47	43	40	37	35
Sat	35	35	35	35	35	36	40	40	41	40	40	40	41	42	38	37	36
Sun	35	35	35	35	35	36	37	38	38	37	38	37	37	38	37	37	36