Best Time to Drive from Vacaville to Santa Clara

Right now (6:10 pm PST): about 90 minutes via I-680 South, usually 81 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 Vacaville to Santa Clara 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	77	94	104	102	92	86	86	85	85	85	87	88	87	79	77	77	77
Tue	76	94	115	115	100	89	85	84	84	86	90	94	90	81	77	77	77
Wed	77	90	109	109	97	87	85	84	84	87	90	95	93	82	78	77	77
Thu	77	89	110	112	98	88	84	84	84	87	90	96	92	82	78	77	77
Fri	76	83	86	87	84	84	83	84	84	88	91	91	88	81	78	77	76
Sat	77	77	77	78	79	80	82	82	82	84	84	84	84	83	79	78	76
Sun	76	76	76	76	77	79	81	82	82	83	84	85	85	83	82	80	76

About this drive

On weekdays the 85-mile drive from Vacaville to Santa Clara (via I-680 South) usually takes as little as 76 minutes and up to 118 minutes, when leaving around 7:30 am on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 6 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 85 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4 pm on Sundays (85 minutes).

About 80 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 5 miles surface streets (6 to 14 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Vacaville to central Santa Clara 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 Vacaville to Santa Clara?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 6 pm. The drive usually takes about 76 minutes then, versus up to 118 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Vacaville to Santa Clara?

The 85-mile drive usually takes 76 to 118 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 85 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Vacaville to Santa Clara?

Leaving around 7:30 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 118 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-680 South in Bay Area (57 miles) · I-80 West in Bay Area (14 miles) · I-880 South in Bay Area (9 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

Santa Clara to Vacaville (return trip) · Vacaville to San Francisco · Vacaville to Sacramento · Vacaville to Oakland · Vacaville to Fremont · Vacaville to Santa Rosa · Vacaville to Elk Grove · Vacaville to Hayward · Vacaville to Sunnyvale · Vacaville to Roseville · Vacaville to Concord · Vacaville to Vallejo

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	77	94	104	102	92	86	86	85	85	85	87	88	87	79	77	77	77
Tue	76	94	115	115	100	89	85	84	84	86	90	94	90	81	77	77	77
Wed	77	90	109	109	97	87	85	84	84	87	90	95	93	82	78	77	77
Thu	77	89	110	112	98	88	84	84	84	87	90	96	92	82	78	77	77
Fri	76	83	86	87	84	84	83	84	84	88	91	91	88	81	78	77	76
Sat	77	77	77	78	79	80	82	82	82	84	84	84	84	83	79	78	76
Sun	76	76	76	76	77	79	81	82	82	83	84	85	85	83	82	80	76

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	77	94	104	102	92	86	86	85	85	85	87	88	87	79	77	77	77
Tue	76	94	115	115	100	89	85	84	84	86	90	94	90	81	77	77	77
Wed	77	90	109	109	97	87	85	84	84	87	90	95	93	82	78	77	77
Thu	77	89	110	112	98	88	84	84	84	87	90	96	92	82	78	77	77
Fri	76	83	86	87	84	84	83	84	84	88	91	91	88	81	78	77	76
Sat	77	77	77	78	79	80	82	82	82	84	84	84	84	83	79	78	76
Sun	76	76	76	76	77	79	81	82	82	83	84	85	85	83	82	80	76

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	77	94	104	102	92	86	86	85	85	85	87	88	87	79	77	77	77
Tue	76	94	115	115	100	89	85	84	84	86	90	94	90	81	77	77	77
Wed	77	90	109	109	97	87	85	84	84	87	90	95	93	82	78	77	77
Thu	77	89	110	112	98	88	84	84	84	87	90	96	92	82	78	77	77
Fri	76	83	86	87	84	84	83	84	84	88	91	91	88	81	78	77	76
Sat	77	77	77	78	79	80	82	82	82	84	84	84	84	83	79	78	76
Sun	76	76	76	76	77	79	81	82	82	83	84	85	85	83	82	80	76