Best Time to Drive from Concord to San Rafael

Right now (7:49 pm PDT): about 36 minutes via I-80 West and SR-4 West and I-580 East, usually 36 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.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from Concord to San Rafael 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	35	38	43	45	43	38	38	38	38	38	38	39	39	38	36	36	36
Tue	35	38	43	49	44	39	38	38	38	38	39	40	41	39	37	36	36
Wed	35	38	44	48	42	38	38	38	38	38	38	39	39	39	37	36	36
Thu	35	39	45	51	45	38	38	37	38	38	39	39	40	38	37	36	36
Fri	35	37	40	41	38	38	38	38	38	38	38	38	39	37	37	36	36
Sat	36	35	36	36	36	37	37	36	37	37	37	38	38	37	37	37	36
Sun	36	35	35	35	36	36	36	37	37	37	37	38	38	37	37	37	36

About this drive

On weekdays the 38-mile drive from Concord to San Rafael (via I-80 West and SR-4 West and I-580 East) usually takes as little as 35 minutes and up to 51 minutes, when leaving around 8 am on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 6 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 38 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4 pm on Sundays (38 minutes).

About 36 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 3 miles surface streets (4 to 6 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Concord 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 Concord to San Rafael?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 6 pm. The drive usually takes about 35 minutes then, versus up to 51 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 38-mile drive usually takes 35 to 51 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 38 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Concord to San Rafael?

Leaving around 8 am on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 51 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-80 West in Bay Area (13 miles) · SR-4 West in Bay Area (12 miles) · I-580 East in Bay Area (8 miles) · I-680 North in Bay Area (2 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

San Rafael to Concord (return trip) · Concord to San Jose · Concord to San Francisco · Concord to Sacramento · Concord to Oakland · Concord to Stockton · Concord to Fremont · Concord to Santa Rosa · Concord to Elk Grove · Concord to Modesto · Concord to Hayward · Concord to Sunnyvale

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	35	38	43	45	43	38	38	38	38	38	38	39	39	38	36	36	36
Tue	35	38	43	49	44	39	38	38	38	38	39	40	41	39	37	36	36
Wed	35	38	44	48	42	38	38	38	38	38	38	39	39	39	37	36	36
Thu	35	39	45	51	45	38	38	37	38	38	39	39	40	38	37	36	36
Fri	35	37	40	41	38	38	38	38	38	38	38	38	39	37	37	36	36
Sat	36	35	36	36	36	37	37	36	37	37	37	38	38	37	37	37	36
Sun	36	35	35	35	36	36	36	37	37	37	37	38	38	37	37	37	36

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	35	38	43	45	43	38	38	38	38	38	38	39	39	38	36	36	36
Tue	35	38	43	49	44	39	38	38	38	38	39	40	41	39	37	36	36
Wed	35	38	44	48	42	38	38	38	38	38	38	39	39	39	37	36	36
Thu	35	39	45	51	45	38	38	37	38	38	39	39	40	38	37	36	36
Fri	35	37	40	41	38	38	38	38	38	38	38	38	39	37	37	36	36
Sat	36	35	36	36	36	37	37	36	37	37	37	38	38	37	37	37	36
Sun	36	35	35	35	36	36	36	37	37	37	37	38	38	37	37	37	36

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	35	38	43	45	43	38	38	38	38	38	38	39	39	38	36	36	36
Tue	35	38	43	49	44	39	38	38	38	38	39	40	41	39	37	36	36
Wed	35	38	44	48	42	38	38	38	38	38	38	39	39	39	37	36	36
Thu	35	39	45	51	45	38	38	37	38	38	39	39	40	38	37	36	36
Fri	35	37	40	41	38	38	38	38	38	38	38	38	39	37	37	36	36
Sat	36	35	36	36	36	37	37	36	37	37	37	38	38	37	37	37	36
Sun	36	35	35	35	36	36	36	37	37	37	37	38	38	37	37	37	36