Traffic Predict
Best Time to Drive from SJC to Walnut Creek
Right now (1:05 pm PST): about 49 minutes via I-680 North and I-880 North, usually 52 at this time.
Only 24% 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
| Leave | 5am | 6am | 7am | 8am | 9am | 10am | 11am | 12pm | 1pm | 2pm | 3pm | 4pm | 5pm | 6pm | 7pm | 8pm | 9pm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon | 44 | 45 | 48 | 52 | 53 | 50 | 49 | 49 | 49 | 51 | 61 | 63 | 63 | 57 | 49 | 46 | 45 |
| Tue | 44 | 45 | 49 | 56 | 56 | 51 | 49 | 48 | 49 | 52 | 64 | 73 | 74 | 65 | 56 | 47 | 44 |
| Wed | 44 | 46 | 48 | 55 | 56 | 51 | 49 | 49 | 49 | 54 | 67 | 75 | 75 | 65 | 56 | 48 | 44 |
| Thu | 44 | 46 | 49 | 56 | 56 | 51 | 49 | 48 | 49 | 54 | 68 | 76 | 76 | 66 | 55 | 48 | 44 |
| Fri | 44 | 45 | 47 | 49 | 50 | 48 | 48 | 49 | 52 | 59 | 68 | 71 | 66 | 59 | 51 | 47 | 45 |
| Sat | 45 | 44 | 45 | 45 | 45 | 46 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 50 | 49 | 48 | 47 | 46 | 45 |
| Sun | 44 | 45 | 44 | 44 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 46 | 47 | 47 | 47 | 48 | 48 | 48 | 47 | 46 | 45 |
About this drive
On weekdays the 46-mile drive from SJC to Walnut Creek (via I-680 North and I-880 North) usually takes as little as 44 minutes and up to 77 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7:30 am or after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 50 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3:30 pm on Saturdays (50 minutes).
About 41 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 5 miles surface streets (8 to 20 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 Walnut Creek (North Main 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 Walnut Creek?
On weekdays, leave before 7:30 am or after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 44 minutes then, versus up to 77 minutes at the worst times.
How long does it take to drive from SJC to Walnut Creek?
The 46-mile drive usually takes 44 to 77 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 50 minutes midday.
When is traffic worst from SJC to Walnut Creek?
Leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 77 minutes.
Freeways on this drive
I-680 North in Bay Area (32 miles) · I-880 North in Bay Area (8 miles)
Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow
SJC to Walnut Creek over Thanksgiving: when to leave →
More drives
Walnut Creek 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 San Mateo · SJC to Hayward · SJC to Mountain View · SJC to Pleasanton