Best Time to Drive from Hayward to San Francisco

Right now (8:17 am PDT): about 41 minutes via I-580 East and I-80 West, usually 45 at this time.

Only 32% 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.

On weekdays the 27-mile drive from Hayward to San Francisco (via I-580 East and I-80 West) usually takes as little as 29 minutes and up to 57 minutes, when leaving around 5 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 7 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 33 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12 pm on Saturdays (41 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: San Francisco to Hayward

Freeway, about 21 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 6 miles: 11 to 22 minutes on weekdays, estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time (we don't have street sensors yet). Drive times are measured from central Hayward (Mission Boulevard) to downtown San Francisco (Market Street) along the route shown. Starting or ending elsewhere in a big city can add or save several minutes.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from Hayward 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	29	35	37	40	39	38	35	33	32	32	34	36	38	33	30	30	29
Tue	29	35	39	41	41	39	37	33	32	31	34	40	49	42	32	30	29
Wed	29	34	37	44	42	39	38	33	32	32	34	39	48	38	30	30	29
Thu	29	35	37	51	41	38	37	33	32	33	36	44	57	43	30	30	29
Fri	29	32	34	34	35	33	32	32	34	35	38	41	47	40	33	30	29
Sat	29	29	29	29	29	31	37	41	40	39	41	38	37	36	32	30	29
Sun	29	29	29	29	30	31	32	34	36	39	38	36	34	32	31	30	29

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 Hayward to San Francisco?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 29 minutes then, versus up to 57 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 27-mile drive usually takes 29 to 57 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 33 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Hayward to San Francisco?

Leaving around 5 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 57 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

Freeways on this drive

I-580 East in Bay Area (15 miles) · I-80 West in Bay Area (6 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

San Francisco to Hayward (return trip) · Hayward to Oakland · Hayward to San Jose · Hayward to Palo Alto · Hayward to Berkeley · Hayward to Fremont · Hayward to Mountain View · Hayward to Pleasanton · Hayward to Santa Clara · Hayward to Richmond · Hayward to SFO · Hayward to SJC

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	29	35	37	40	39	38	35	33	32	32	34	36	38	33	30	30	29
Tue	29	35	39	41	41	39	37	33	32	31	34	40	49	42	32	30	29
Wed	29	34	37	44	42	39	38	33	32	32	34	39	48	38	30	30	29
Thu	29	35	37	51	41	38	37	33	32	33	36	44	57	43	30	30	29
Fri	29	32	34	34	35	33	32	32	34	35	38	41	47	40	33	30	29
Sat	29	29	29	29	29	31	37	41	40	39	41	38	37	36	32	30	29
Sun	29	29	29	29	30	31	32	34	36	39	38	36	34	32	31	30	29

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	29	35	37	40	39	38	35	33	32	32	34	36	38	33	30	30	29
Tue	29	35	39	41	41	39	37	33	32	31	34	40	49	42	32	30	29
Wed	29	34	37	44	42	39	38	33	32	32	34	39	48	38	30	30	29
Thu	29	35	37	51	41	38	37	33	32	33	36	44	57	43	30	30	29
Fri	29	32	34	34	35	33	32	32	34	35	38	41	47	40	33	30	29
Sat	29	29	29	29	29	31	37	41	40	39	41	38	37	36	32	30	29
Sun	29	29	29	29	30	31	32	34	36	39	38	36	34	32	31	30	29

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	29	35	37	40	39	38	35	33	32	32	34	36	38	33	30	30	29
Tue	29	35	39	41	41	39	37	33	32	31	34	40	49	42	32	30	29
Wed	29	34	37	44	42	39	38	33	32	32	34	39	48	38	30	30	29
Thu	29	35	37	51	41	38	37	33	32	33	36	44	57	43	30	30	29
Fri	29	32	34	34	35	33	32	32	34	35	38	41	47	40	33	30	29
Sat	29	29	29	29	29	31	37	41	40	39	41	38	37	36	32	30	29
Sun	29	29	29	29	30	31	32	34	36	39	38	36	34	32	31	30	29