Best Time to Drive from Fairfield to San Francisco

Right now (9:05 pm PDT): about 44 minutes via I-80 West, usually 43 at this time.

Only 76% 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 Fairfield 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	43	58	70	69	60	55	53	51	50	50	52	49	52	47	44	44	43
Tue	43	59	77	77	66	59	55	49	48	49	52	51	59	50	44	44	43
Wed	42	58	71	72	65	61	56	50	49	48	51	56	64	53	44	44	43
Thu	43	58	73	75	65	60	57	53	51	51	56	63	73	55	46	44	43
Fri	42	51	59	59	55	50	50	51	53	53	58	59	65	56	49	45	43
Sat	43	43	44	44	46	51	65	68	67	64	64	63	64	58	52	49	45
Sun	43	43	43	43	44	46	52	57	67	64	64	60	62	59	54	48	43

About this drive

On weekdays the 48-mile drive from Fairfield to San Francisco (via I-80 West) usually takes as little as 42 minutes and up to 80 minutes, when leaving around 7:30 am on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 5:30 am or after 7 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 51 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12 pm on Saturdays (68 minutes).

About 44 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 3 miles surface streets (4 to 7 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Fairfield 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 Fairfield to San Francisco?

On weekdays, leave before 5:30 am or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 42 minutes then, versus up to 80 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Fairfield to San Francisco?

The 48-mile drive usually takes 42 to 80 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 51 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Fairfield to San Francisco?

Leaving around 7:30 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 80 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-80 West in Bay Area (44 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

San Francisco to Fairfield (return trip) · Fairfield to San Jose · Fairfield to Sacramento · Fairfield to Oakland · Fairfield to Fremont · Fairfield to Santa Rosa · Fairfield to Elk Grove · Fairfield to Hayward · Fairfield to Sunnyvale · Fairfield to Roseville · Fairfield to Concord · Fairfield to Santa Clara

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	43	58	70	69	60	55	53	51	50	50	52	49	52	47	44	44	43
Tue	43	59	77	77	66	59	55	49	48	49	52	51	59	50	44	44	43
Wed	42	58	71	72	65	61	56	50	49	48	51	56	64	53	44	44	43
Thu	43	58	73	75	65	60	57	53	51	51	56	63	73	55	46	44	43
Fri	42	51	59	59	55	50	50	51	53	53	58	59	65	56	49	45	43
Sat	43	43	44	44	46	51	65	68	67	64	64	63	64	58	52	49	45
Sun	43	43	43	43	44	46	52	57	67	64	64	60	62	59	54	48	43

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	43	58	70	69	60	55	53	51	50	50	52	49	52	47	44	44	43
Tue	43	59	77	77	66	59	55	49	48	49	52	51	59	50	44	44	43
Wed	42	58	71	72	65	61	56	50	49	48	51	56	64	53	44	44	43
Thu	43	58	73	75	65	60	57	53	51	51	56	63	73	55	46	44	43
Fri	42	51	59	59	55	50	50	51	53	53	58	59	65	56	49	45	43
Sat	43	43	44	44	46	51	65	68	67	64	64	63	64	58	52	49	45
Sun	43	43	43	43	44	46	52	57	67	64	64	60	62	59	54	48	43

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	43	58	70	69	60	55	53	51	50	50	52	49	52	47	44	44	43
Tue	43	59	77	77	66	59	55	49	48	49	52	51	59	50	44	44	43
Wed	42	58	71	72	65	61	56	50	49	48	51	56	64	53	44	44	43
Thu	43	58	73	75	65	60	57	53	51	51	56	63	73	55	46	44	43
Fri	42	51	59	59	55	50	50	51	53	53	58	59	65	56	49	45	43
Sat	43	43	44	44	46	51	65	68	67	64	64	63	64	58	52	49	45
Sun	43	43	43	43	44	46	52	57	67	64	64	60	62	59	54	48	43