Best Time to Drive from Walnut Creek to Santa Clara

Right now (8:03 pm PDT): about 47 minutes via I-680 South, usually 47 at this time.

Only 49% 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 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	45	51	66	71	62	53	50	51	50	55	57	56	58	49	46	46	46
Tue	45	51	70	82	79	63	52	49	49	55	57	59	61	58	49	46	46
Wed	45	50	68	77	72	61	51	50	50	55	58	60	63	59	50	46	46
Thu	45	50	69	77	74	62	51	49	49	56	58	60	64	59	51	46	46
Fri	45	49	53	53	52	50	50	49	50	57	59	60	60	53	49	47	46
Sat	46	46	46	46	46	47	48	48	48	49	49	50	56	58	49	46	46
Sun	46	46	46	46	46	47	48	48	48	48	48	48	49	53	48	47	46

About this drive

On weekdays the 47-mile drive from Walnut Creek to Santa Clara (via I-680 South) usually takes as little as 45 minutes and up to 82 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 51 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 6 pm on Saturdays (58 minutes).

About 40 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 6 miles surface streets (10 to 23 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 central Santa Clara (Lincoln 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 Santa Clara?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 45 minutes then, versus up to 82 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Walnut Creek to Santa Clara?

The 47-mile drive usually takes 45 to 82 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 51 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Walnut Creek to Santa Clara?

Leaving around 8 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 82 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-680 South in Bay Area (35 miles) · I-880 South in Bay Area (6 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

Santa Clara to Walnut Creek (return trip) · Walnut Creek to San Francisco · Walnut Creek to Oakland · Walnut Creek to San Jose · 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 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	45	51	66	71	62	53	50	51	50	55	57	56	58	49	46	46	46
Tue	45	51	70	82	79	63	52	49	49	55	57	59	61	58	49	46	46
Wed	45	50	68	77	72	61	51	50	50	55	58	60	63	59	50	46	46
Thu	45	50	69	77	74	62	51	49	49	56	58	60	64	59	51	46	46
Fri	45	49	53	53	52	50	50	49	50	57	59	60	60	53	49	47	46
Sat	46	46	46	46	46	47	48	48	48	49	49	50	56	58	49	46	46
Sun	46	46	46	46	46	47	48	48	48	48	48	48	49	53	48	47	46

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	45	51	66	71	62	53	50	51	50	55	57	56	58	49	46	46	46
Tue	45	51	70	82	79	63	52	49	49	55	57	59	61	58	49	46	46
Wed	45	50	68	77	72	61	51	50	50	55	58	60	63	59	50	46	46
Thu	45	50	69	77	74	62	51	49	49	56	58	60	64	59	51	46	46
Fri	45	49	53	53	52	50	50	49	50	57	59	60	60	53	49	47	46
Sat	46	46	46	46	46	47	48	48	48	49	49	50	56	58	49	46	46
Sun	46	46	46	46	46	47	48	48	48	48	48	48	49	53	48	47	46

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	45	51	66	71	62	53	50	51	50	55	57	56	58	49	46	46	46
Tue	45	51	70	82	79	63	52	49	49	55	57	59	61	58	49	46	46
Wed	45	50	68	77	72	61	51	50	50	55	58	60	63	59	50	46	46
Thu	45	50	69	77	74	62	51	49	49	56	58	60	64	59	51	46	46
Fri	45	49	53	53	52	50	50	49	50	57	59	60	60	53	49	47	46
Sat	46	46	46	46	46	47	48	48	48	49	49	50	56	58	49	46	46
Sun	46	46	46	46	46	47	48	48	48	48	48	48	49	53	48	47	46