Best Time to Drive from SJC to Richmond

Right now (5:50 pm PST): about 97 minutes via I-880 North, usually 75 at this time.

Only 25% 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 Richmond 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	48	51	56	64	61	57	56	56	57	66	80	83	83	69	58	51	49
Tue	48	51	57	71	65	58	56	55	57	67	83	95	95	78	66	54	49
Wed	48	51	57	70	64	57	57	56	58	69	84	97	96	80	66	54	49
Thu	48	51	58	73	64	57	56	56	57	66	86	92	93	80	65	55	49
Fri	48	51	55	60	57	56	56	58	63	75	90	95	88	75	63	54	49
Sat	49	49	49	50	50	52	56	58	61	63	64	64	61	57	55	53	49
Sun	49	49	49	49	49	51	52	54	56	57	57	57	55	55	54	53	49

About this drive

On weekdays the 52-mile drive from SJC to Richmond (via I-880 North) usually takes as little as 48 minutes and up to 99 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7 am or after 8:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 59 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3 pm on Saturdays (64 minutes).

About 47 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 5 miles surface streets (7 to 16 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 central Richmond (Macdonald Avenue) 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 Richmond?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 48 minutes then, versus up to 99 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 52-mile drive usually takes 48 to 99 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 59 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from SJC to Richmond?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 99 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-880 North in Bay Area (40 miles) · I-80 East in Bay Area (4 miles) · I-580 East in Bay Area (3 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

SJC to Richmond over Thanksgiving: when to leave →

More drives

Richmond to SJC (return trip) · SJC to SFO · SJC to OAK · SJC to San Francisco · SJC to Oakland · 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

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	48	51	56	64	61	57	56	56	57	66	80	83	83	69	58	51	49
Tue	48	51	57	71	65	58	56	55	57	67	83	95	95	78	66	54	49
Wed	48	51	57	70	64	57	57	56	58	69	84	97	96	80	66	54	49
Thu	48	51	58	73	64	57	56	56	57	66	86	92	93	80	65	55	49
Fri	48	51	55	60	57	56	56	58	63	75	90	95	88	75	63	54	49
Sat	49	49	49	50	50	52	56	58	61	63	64	64	61	57	55	53	49
Sun	49	49	49	49	49	51	52	54	56	57	57	57	55	55	54	53	49

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	48	51	56	64	61	57	56	56	57	66	80	83	83	69	58	51	49
Tue	48	51	57	71	65	58	56	55	57	67	83	95	95	78	66	54	49
Wed	48	51	57	70	64	57	57	56	58	69	84	97	96	80	66	54	49
Thu	48	51	58	73	64	57	56	56	57	66	86	92	93	80	65	55	49
Fri	48	51	55	60	57	56	56	58	63	75	90	95	88	75	63	54	49
Sat	49	49	49	50	50	52	56	58	61	63	64	64	61	57	55	53	49
Sun	49	49	49	49	49	51	52	54	56	57	57	57	55	55	54	53	49

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	48	51	56	64	61	57	56	56	57	66	80	83	83	69	58	51	49
Tue	48	51	57	71	65	58	56	55	57	67	83	95	95	78	66	54	49
Wed	48	51	57	70	64	57	57	56	58	69	84	97	96	80	66	54	49
Thu	48	51	58	73	64	57	56	56	57	66	86	92	93	80	65	55	49
Fri	48	51	55	60	57	56	56	58	63	75	90	95	88	75	63	54	49
Sat	49	49	49	50	50	52	56	58	61	63	64	64	61	57	55	53	49
Sun	49	49	49	49	49	51	52	54	56	57	57	57	55	55	54	53	49