Best Time to Drive from Berkeley to San Rafael

Right now (6:49 pm PDT): about 24 minutes via I-580 East and I-80 East, usually 20 at this time.

Only 61% 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.

About this drive

On weekdays the 18-mile drive from Berkeley to San Rafael (via I-580 East and I-80 East) usually takes as little as 18 minutes and up to 28 minutes, when leaving around 3:30 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 7 am or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 21 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 5:30 pm on Saturdays (25 minutes).

About 15 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 3 miles surface streets (4 to 12 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Berkeley to central San Rafael 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 Berkeley to San Rafael?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 18 minutes then, versus up to 28 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Berkeley to San Rafael?

The 18-mile drive usually takes 18 to 28 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 21 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Berkeley to San Rafael?

Leaving around 3:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 28 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-580 East in Bay Area (8 miles) · I-80 East in Bay Area (7 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

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

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