Best Time to Drive from SFO to SJC

Right now (1:04 pm PDT): about 37 minutes via US-101 South, usually 36 at this time.

Only 52% 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 SJC 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	32	33	37	48	46	38	37	37	38	40	46	49	51	43	37	34	33
Tue	32	33	38	53	57	44	38	37	37	41	52	62	64	52	39	34	33
Wed	32	33	38	52	52	42	37	37	37	42	53	62	66	51	40	34	33
Thu	32	33	38	51	51	41	37	36	37	42	56	63	68	53	42	35	33
Fri	32	33	35	39	38	36	37	37	38	43	49	54	49	41	38	34	33
Sat	32	32	32	33	33	34	35	37	36	37	37	38	39	40	36	35	33
Sun	32	32	32	32	33	34	35	36	36	35	36	36	37	36	35	35	33

About this drive

On weekdays the 34-mile drive from SFO to SJC (via US-101 South) usually takes as little as 32 minutes and up to 68 minutes, when leaving around 5 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7 am or after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 38 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 6 pm on Saturdays (40 minutes).

About 31 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 San Francisco International Airport (SFO) (Departures) to San José Mineta International Airport (SJC) 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 SJC?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 32 minutes then, versus up to 68 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 34-mile drive usually takes 32 to 68 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 38 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from SFO to SJC?

Leaving around 5 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 68 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

US-101 South in Bay Area (31 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

SJC to SFO (return trip) · SFO to OAK · 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	32	33	37	48	46	38	37	37	38	40	46	49	51	43	37	34	33
Tue	32	33	38	53	57	44	38	37	37	41	52	62	64	52	39	34	33
Wed	32	33	38	52	52	42	37	37	37	42	53	62	66	51	40	34	33
Thu	32	33	38	51	51	41	37	36	37	42	56	63	68	53	42	35	33
Fri	32	33	35	39	38	36	37	37	38	43	49	54	49	41	38	34	33
Sat	32	32	32	33	33	34	35	37	36	37	37	38	39	40	36	35	33
Sun	32	32	32	32	33	34	35	36	36	35	36	36	37	36	35	35	33

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	32	33	37	48	46	38	37	37	38	40	46	49	51	43	37	34	33
Tue	32	33	38	53	57	44	38	37	37	41	52	62	64	52	39	34	33
Wed	32	33	38	52	52	42	37	37	37	42	53	62	66	51	40	34	33
Thu	32	33	38	51	51	41	37	36	37	42	56	63	68	53	42	35	33
Fri	32	33	35	39	38	36	37	37	38	43	49	54	49	41	38	34	33
Sat	32	32	32	33	33	34	35	37	36	37	37	38	39	40	36	35	33
Sun	32	32	32	32	33	34	35	36	36	35	36	36	37	36	35	35	33

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	32	33	37	48	46	38	37	37	38	40	46	49	51	43	37	34	33
Tue	32	33	38	53	57	44	38	37	37	41	52	62	64	52	39	34	33
Wed	32	33	38	52	52	42	37	37	37	42	53	62	66	51	40	34	33
Thu	32	33	38	51	51	41	37	36	37	42	56	63	68	53	42	35	33
Fri	32	33	35	39	38	36	37	37	38	43	49	54	49	41	38	34	33
Sat	32	32	32	33	33	34	35	37	36	37	37	38	39	40	36	35	33
Sun	32	32	32	32	33	34	35	36	36	35	36	36	37	36	35	35	33