Best Time to Drive from Fremont to San Rafael

Right now (6:03 pm PDT): about 86 minutes via I-580 East and I-880 North and I-80 East, usually 69 at this time.

Only 65% 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 Fremont 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	46	46	50	55	55	53	52	52	52	60	68	72	72	59	51	48	46
Tue	46	46	50	56	54	52	52	51	52	59	70	81	85	66	54	51	46
Wed	45	46	51	57	55	53	52	52	53	60	73	83	88	68	56	51	46
Thu	45	46	51	58	54	51	51	52	52	58	70	85	89	69	56	52	46
Fri	45	46	49	52	53	51	52	54	57	67	79	88	85	69	59	51	46
Sat	46	45	46	46	46	48	51	56	57	58	61	59	58	54	50	50	46
Sun	46	46	45	45	46	48	49	50	53	53	53	53	51	50	50	50	46

About this drive

On weekdays the 49-mile drive from Fremont to San Rafael (via I-580 East and I-880 North and I-80 East) usually takes as little as 45 minutes and up to 90 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7 am or after 8:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 54 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3 pm on Saturdays (61 minutes).

About 45 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 4 miles surface streets (6 to 11 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Fremont 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 Fremont to San Rafael?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 45 minutes then, versus up to 90 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 49-mile drive usually takes 45 to 90 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 54 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Fremont to San Rafael?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 90 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-580 East in Bay Area (24 miles) · I-880 North in Bay Area (11 miles) · I-80 East in Bay Area (10 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

San Rafael to Fremont (return trip) · Fremont to San Francisco · Fremont to Oakland · Fremont to San Jose · Fremont to Palo Alto · Fremont to Berkeley · Fremont to Walnut Creek · Fremont to San Mateo · Fremont to Hayward · Fremont to Mountain View · Fremont to Santa Clara · Fremont to Richmond

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	46	50	55	55	53	52	52	52	60	68	72	72	59	51	48	46
Tue	46	46	50	56	54	52	52	51	52	59	70	81	85	66	54	51	46
Wed	45	46	51	57	55	53	52	52	53	60	73	83	88	68	56	51	46
Thu	45	46	51	58	54	51	51	52	52	58	70	85	89	69	56	52	46
Fri	45	46	49	52	53	51	52	54	57	67	79	88	85	69	59	51	46
Sat	46	45	46	46	46	48	51	56	57	58	61	59	58	54	50	50	46
Sun	46	46	45	45	46	48	49	50	53	53	53	53	51	50	50	50	46

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	46	46	50	55	55	53	52	52	52	60	68	72	72	59	51	48	46
Tue	46	46	50	56	54	52	52	51	52	59	70	81	85	66	54	51	46
Wed	45	46	51	57	55	53	52	52	53	60	73	83	88	68	56	51	46
Thu	45	46	51	58	54	51	51	52	52	58	70	85	89	69	56	52	46
Fri	45	46	49	52	53	51	52	54	57	67	79	88	85	69	59	51	46
Sat	46	45	46	46	46	48	51	56	57	58	61	59	58	54	50	50	46
Sun	46	46	45	45	46	48	49	50	53	53	53	53	51	50	50	50	46

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	46	46	50	55	55	53	52	52	52	60	68	72	72	59	51	48	46
Tue	46	46	50	56	54	52	52	51	52	59	70	81	85	66	54	51	46
Wed	45	46	51	57	55	53	52	52	53	60	73	83	88	68	56	51	46
Thu	45	46	51	58	54	51	51	52	52	58	70	85	89	69	56	52	46
Fri	45	46	49	52	53	51	52	54	57	67	79	88	85	69	59	51	46
Sat	46	45	46	46	46	48	51	56	57	58	61	59	58	54	50	50	46
Sun	46	46	45	45	46	48	49	50	53	53	53	53	51	50	50	50	46