Best Time to Drive from Walnut Creek to San Jose

Right now (12:33 pm PDT): about 49 minutes via I-680 South, usually 48 at this time.

Only 50% 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 Walnut Creek to San Jose 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	44	51	65	67	58	51	49	50	49	49	55	56	62	51	46	46	46
Tue	44	50	67	74	69	58	51	49	48	49	57	64	69	57	47	46	46
Wed	45	51	65	71	63	56	50	49	48	49	55	64	70	59	48	46	46
Thu	44	50	66	70	65	57	49	49	49	49	58	64	70	58	48	46	45
Fri	45	48	52	52	50	49	49	48	48	51	62	65	65	59	48	46	46
Sat	45	46	45	45	46	46	47	48	48	49	50	51	56	57	48	46	45
Sun	45	46	46	45	45	46	47	47	48	47	48	48	48	52	47	47	45

About this drive

On weekdays the 48-mile drive from Walnut Creek to San Jose (via I-680 South) usually takes as little as 44 minutes and up to 74 minutes, when leaving around 8 am on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 7 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 49 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 6 pm on Saturdays (57 minutes).

About 44 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 central Walnut Creek (North Main Street) to downtown San Jose (East Santa Clara 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 Walnut Creek to San Jose?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 44 minutes then, versus up to 74 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Walnut Creek to San Jose?

The 48-mile drive usually takes 44 to 74 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 49 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Walnut Creek to San Jose?

Leaving around 8 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 74 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-680 South in Bay Area (44 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

San Jose to Walnut Creek (return trip) · Walnut Creek to San Francisco · Walnut Creek to Oakland · Walnut Creek to Palo Alto · Walnut Creek to Berkeley · Walnut Creek to Fremont · Walnut Creek to San Mateo · Walnut Creek to Mountain View · Walnut Creek to Pleasanton · Walnut Creek to Santa Clara · Walnut Creek to Richmond · Walnut Creek to SFO

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	44	51	65	67	58	51	49	50	49	49	55	56	62	51	46	46	46
Tue	44	50	67	74	69	58	51	49	48	49	57	64	69	57	47	46	46
Wed	45	51	65	71	63	56	50	49	48	49	55	64	70	59	48	46	46
Thu	44	50	66	70	65	57	49	49	49	49	58	64	70	58	48	46	45
Fri	45	48	52	52	50	49	49	48	48	51	62	65	65	59	48	46	46
Sat	45	46	45	45	46	46	47	48	48	49	50	51	56	57	48	46	45
Sun	45	46	46	45	45	46	47	47	48	47	48	48	48	52	47	47	45

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	44	51	65	67	58	51	49	50	49	49	55	56	62	51	46	46	46
Tue	44	50	67	74	69	58	51	49	48	49	57	64	69	57	47	46	46
Wed	45	51	65	71	63	56	50	49	48	49	55	64	70	59	48	46	46
Thu	44	50	66	70	65	57	49	49	49	49	58	64	70	58	48	46	45
Fri	45	48	52	52	50	49	49	48	48	51	62	65	65	59	48	46	46
Sat	45	46	45	45	46	46	47	48	48	49	50	51	56	57	48	46	45
Sun	45	46	46	45	45	46	47	47	48	47	48	48	48	52	47	47	45

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	44	51	65	67	58	51	49	50	49	49	55	56	62	51	46	46	46
Tue	44	50	67	74	69	58	51	49	48	49	57	64	69	57	47	46	46
Wed	45	51	65	71	63	56	50	49	48	49	55	64	70	59	48	46	46
Thu	44	50	66	70	65	57	49	49	49	49	58	64	70	58	48	46	45
Fri	45	48	52	52	50	49	49	48	48	51	62	65	65	59	48	46	46
Sat	45	46	45	45	46	46	47	48	48	49	50	51	56	57	48	46	45
Sun	45	46	46	45	45	46	47	47	48	47	48	48	48	52	47	47	45