Best Time to Drive from SJC to San Francisco

Right now (2:51 pm PST): about 50 minutes via US-101 North, usually 47 at this time.

Only 27% 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 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	57	51	47	47	45	46	48	52	56	51	45	43	42
Tue	41	44	55	73	65	55	49	46	45	46	49	56	61	57	49	44	43
Wed	41	44	56	73	64	53	48	47	45	46	49	56	62	58	50	44	42
Thu	41	44	57	72	65	55	50	47	46	47	51	57	64	60	51	44	44
Fri	41	43	49	57	51	49	48	46	46	47	50	53	57	54	48	44	42
Sat	42	42	42	43	43	45	48	48	48	47	47	47	47	46	46	45	43
Sun	42	42	42	42	42	44	45	46	46	45	46	45	46	46	45	45	42

About this drive

On weekdays the 46-mile drive from SJC 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 45 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 1.6 miles surface streets (2 to 5 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 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 SJC 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 SJC to San Francisco?

The 46-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 SJC 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 (44 miles) · SR-87 North in Bay Area (1.2 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

SJC to San Francisco over Thanksgiving: when to leave →

More drives

San Francisco to SJC (return trip) · SJC to SFO · SJC to OAK · 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 · 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	41	44	54	65	57	51	47	47	45	46	48	52	56	51	45	43	42
Tue	41	44	55	73	65	55	49	46	45	46	49	56	61	57	49	44	43
Wed	41	44	56	73	64	53	48	47	45	46	49	56	62	58	50	44	42
Thu	41	44	57	72	65	55	50	47	46	47	51	57	64	60	51	44	44
Fri	41	43	49	57	51	49	48	46	46	47	50	53	57	54	48	44	42
Sat	42	42	42	43	43	45	48	48	48	47	47	47	47	46	46	45	43
Sun	42	42	42	42	42	44	45	46	46	45	46	45	46	46	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	57	51	47	47	45	46	48	52	56	51	45	43	42
Tue	41	44	55	73	65	55	49	46	45	46	49	56	61	57	49	44	43
Wed	41	44	56	73	64	53	48	47	45	46	49	56	62	58	50	44	42
Thu	41	44	57	72	65	55	50	47	46	47	51	57	64	60	51	44	44
Fri	41	43	49	57	51	49	48	46	46	47	50	53	57	54	48	44	42
Sat	42	42	42	43	43	45	48	48	48	47	47	47	47	46	46	45	43
Sun	42	42	42	42	42	44	45	46	46	45	46	45	46	46	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	57	51	47	47	45	46	48	52	56	51	45	43	42
Tue	41	44	55	73	65	55	49	46	45	46	49	56	61	57	49	44	43
Wed	41	44	56	73	64	53	48	47	45	46	49	56	62	58	50	44	42
Thu	41	44	57	72	65	55	50	47	46	47	51	57	64	60	51	44	44
Fri	41	43	49	57	51	49	48	46	46	47	50	53	57	54	48	44	42
Sat	42	42	42	43	43	45	48	48	48	47	47	47	47	46	46	45	43
Sun	42	42	42	42	42	44	45	46	46	45	46	45	46	46	45	45	42