Best Time to Drive from SJC to Oakland

Right now (12:33 pm PDT): about 42 minutes via I-880 North, usually 45 at this time.

Only 54% 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 SJC 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	38	40	44	54	49	45	45	44	45	48	58	58	59	55	45	40	38
Tue	37	39	45	60	53	47	44	43	44	48	57	65	68	63	54	43	38
Wed	37	39	44	59	52	46	44	44	45	50	59	67	68	64	54	43	38
Thu	37	39	45	62	54	46	44	44	45	48	62	68	70	64	54	44	38
Fri	37	40	43	49	45	43	44	44	46	52	62	64	62	57	49	42	38
Sat	38	38	38	38	39	40	43	45	44	46	47	48	47	45	43	41	38
Sun	38	38	38	38	38	39	40	41	41	42	43	42	42	43	42	41	38

About this drive

On weekdays the 40-mile drive from SJC to Oakland (via I-880 North) usually takes as little as 37 minutes and up to 70 minutes, when leaving around 5 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 8:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 45 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2:30 pm on Saturdays (48 minutes).

About 36 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 4 miles surface streets (6 to 13 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from San José Mineta International Airport (SJC) 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 SJC to Oakland?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 37 minutes then, versus up to 70 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 40-mile drive usually takes 37 to 70 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 45 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from SJC to Oakland?

Leaving around 5 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 70 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-880 North in Bay Area (36 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

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

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	38	40	44	54	49	45	45	44	45	48	58	58	59	55	45	40	38
Tue	37	39	45	60	53	47	44	43	44	48	57	65	68	63	54	43	38
Wed	37	39	44	59	52	46	44	44	45	50	59	67	68	64	54	43	38
Thu	37	39	45	62	54	46	44	44	45	48	62	68	70	64	54	44	38
Fri	37	40	43	49	45	43	44	44	46	52	62	64	62	57	49	42	38
Sat	38	38	38	38	39	40	43	45	44	46	47	48	47	45	43	41	38
Sun	38	38	38	38	38	39	40	41	41	42	43	42	42	43	42	41	38

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	38	40	44	54	49	45	45	44	45	48	58	58	59	55	45	40	38
Tue	37	39	45	60	53	47	44	43	44	48	57	65	68	63	54	43	38
Wed	37	39	44	59	52	46	44	44	45	50	59	67	68	64	54	43	38
Thu	37	39	45	62	54	46	44	44	45	48	62	68	70	64	54	44	38
Fri	37	40	43	49	45	43	44	44	46	52	62	64	62	57	49	42	38
Sat	38	38	38	38	39	40	43	45	44	46	47	48	47	45	43	41	38
Sun	38	38	38	38	38	39	40	41	41	42	43	42	42	43	42	41	38

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	38	40	44	54	49	45	45	44	45	48	58	58	59	55	45	40	38
Tue	37	39	45	60	53	47	44	43	44	48	57	65	68	63	54	43	38
Wed	37	39	44	59	52	46	44	44	45	50	59	67	68	64	54	43	38
Thu	37	39	45	62	54	46	44	44	45	48	62	68	70	64	54	44	38
Fri	37	40	43	49	45	43	44	44	46	52	62	64	62	57	49	42	38
Sat	38	38	38	38	39	40	43	45	44	46	47	48	47	45	43	41	38
Sun	38	38	38	38	38	39	40	41	41	42	43	42	42	43	42	41	38