Best Time to Drive from Alum Rock to San Francisco

Right now (11:51 pm PST): about 61 minutes via US-101 North.

Only 70% 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 Alum Rock to San Francisco 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	46	51	65	80	68	58	53	52	51	51	54	56	59	54	50	48	47
Tue	46	50	70	92	84	62	55	52	50	52	54	60	64	59	52	48	48
Wed	46	51	74	92	80	61	54	52	51	52	55	60	66	60	53	48	48
Thu	46	50	72	96	79	63	55	53	51	53	56	62	67	62	54	49	49
Fri	46	50	59	68	57	55	54	52	51	53	55	57	60	56	52	49	47
Sat	47	47	47	48	48	50	53	54	53	53	52	52	52	51	50	50	47
Sun	47	47	47	47	47	49	50	51	51	51	51	50	51	50	50	50	47

About this drive

On weekdays the 52-mile drive from Alum Rock to San Francisco (via US-101 North) usually takes as little as 46 minutes and up to 96 minutes, when leaving around 8 am on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 52 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12:30 pm on Saturdays (54 minutes).

About 50 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 2 miles surface streets (3 to 6 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Alum Rock to downtown San Francisco 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 Alum Rock to San Francisco?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 46 minutes then, versus up to 96 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Alum Rock to San Francisco?

The 52-mile drive usually takes 46 to 96 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 52 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Alum Rock to San Francisco?

Leaving around 8 am on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 96 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

US-101 North in Bay Area (48 miles) · I-680 South in Bay Area (2 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

San Francisco to Alum Rock (return trip) · Alum Rock to Oakland · Alum Rock to Stockton

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	46	51	65	80	68	58	53	52	51	51	54	56	59	54	50	48	47
Tue	46	50	70	92	84	62	55	52	50	52	54	60	64	59	52	48	48
Wed	46	51	74	92	80	61	54	52	51	52	55	60	66	60	53	48	48
Thu	46	50	72	96	79	63	55	53	51	53	56	62	67	62	54	49	49
Fri	46	50	59	68	57	55	54	52	51	53	55	57	60	56	52	49	47
Sat	47	47	47	48	48	50	53	54	53	53	52	52	52	51	50	50	47
Sun	47	47	47	47	47	49	50	51	51	51	51	50	51	50	50	50	47

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	46	51	65	80	68	58	53	52	51	51	54	56	59	54	50	48	47
Tue	46	50	70	92	84	62	55	52	50	52	54	60	64	59	52	48	48
Wed	46	51	74	92	80	61	54	52	51	52	55	60	66	60	53	48	48
Thu	46	50	72	96	79	63	55	53	51	53	56	62	67	62	54	49	49
Fri	46	50	59	68	57	55	54	52	51	53	55	57	60	56	52	49	47
Sat	47	47	47	48	48	50	53	54	53	53	52	52	52	51	50	50	47
Sun	47	47	47	47	47	49	50	51	51	51	51	50	51	50	50	50	47

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	46	51	65	80	68	58	53	52	51	51	54	56	59	54	50	48	47
Tue	46	50	70	92	84	62	55	52	50	52	54	60	64	59	52	48	48
Wed	46	51	74	92	80	61	54	52	51	52	55	60	66	60	53	48	48
Thu	46	50	72	96	79	63	55	53	51	53	56	62	67	62	54	49	49
Fri	46	50	59	68	57	55	54	52	51	53	55	57	60	56	52	49	47
Sat	47	47	47	48	48	50	53	54	53	53	52	52	52	51	50	50	47
Sun	47	47	47	47	47	49	50	51	51	51	51	50	51	50	50	50	47