Traffic Predict
When to Leave for SFO: Drive Times by Time of Day
How long it usually takes to drive to San Francisco International Airport (SFO) on a weekday, by the time you leave, from 12 cities. The slowest in the table: from Pleasanton at 8 am, about 51 minutes.
Plan to reach the airport about 2 hours before a domestic flight and 3 hours before an international one; the columns on the right give the latest time to leave to be at the curb by 7 am or 5 pm on a normal weekday.
Driving to SFO
| From | 6 am | 8 am | noon | 5 pm | Be there by 7 am | By 5 pm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berkeley | 29 min | 37 min | 29 min | 31 min | leave 6:25 am | leave 4:30 pm |
| Fremont | 33 min | 42 min | 34 min | 43 min | leave 6:25 am | leave 4:15 pm |
| Hayward | 25 min | 31 min | 25 min | 25 min | leave 6:30 am | leave 4:35 pm |
| Mountain View | 26 min | 31 min | 28 min | 35 min | leave 6:30 am | leave 4:25 pm |
| Oakland | 26 min | 32 min | 26 min | 26 min | leave 6:30 am | leave 4:30 pm |
| Palo Alto | 20 min | 22 min | 21 min | 25 min | leave 6:35 am | leave 4:35 pm |
| Pleasanton | 42 min | 51 min | 42 min | 43 min | leave 6:15 am | leave 4:15 pm |
| Richmond | 32 min | 45 min | 33 min | 35 min | leave 6:20 am | leave 4:25 pm |
| San Francisco | 13 min | 16 min | 14 min | 15 min | leave 6:45 am | leave 4:45 pm |
| San Jose | 35 min | 47 min | 36 min | 44 min | leave 6:20 am | leave 4:15 pm |
| Santa Clara | 32 min | 41 min | 33 min | 41 min | leave 6:25 am | leave 4:20 pm |
| Walnut Creek | 39 min | 46 min | 37 min | 40 min | leave 6:20 am | leave 4:20 pm |
Typical Tuesday drive times from our freeway sensors, from the city centre to the terminals; weekends are usually faster, Friday afternoons slower. Crashes and weather are not included.
Leaving SFO
| To | 6 am | 8 am | noon | 5 pm |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berkeley | 25 min | 30 min | 26 min | 36 min |
| Fremont | 37 min | 49 min | 35 min | 43 min |
| Mountain View | 26 min | 35 min | 28 min | 35 min |
| Oakland | 23 min | 29 min | 24 min | 28 min |
| Palo Alto | 21 min | 29 min | 22 min | 25 min |
| Pleasanton | 42 min | 44 min | 42 min | 50 min |
| Richmond | 28 min | 34 min | 30 min | 40 min |
| San Francisco | 13 min | 18 min | 14 min | 16 min |
| San Jose | 34 min | 45 min | 37 min | 59 min |
| Santa Clara | 32 min | 42 min | 34 min | 51 min |
| Walnut Creek | 35 min | 41 min | 37 min | 55 min |
Questions
How early should I leave for SFO?
Aim to reach SFO about 2 hours before a domestic flight (3 hours for international). The table above gives the latest time to leave from each city to be there by 7 am or 5 pm on a normal weekday; allow extra time on Friday afternoons, holidays and rainy days.
How long does it take to drive from Berkeley to SFO?
On a weekday it usually takes about 29 minutes leaving at 6 am and about 31 minutes leaving at 5 pm.