Best Time to Drive from Hayward to San Rafael

Right now (6:06 pm PDT): about 54 minutes via I-580 East and I-80 East, usually 44 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 Hayward 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	33	34	34	36	36	36	36	36	37	39	45	50	52	44	35	34	34
Tue	33	34	34	37	37	36	36	36	37	38	47	53	61	51	36	35	34
Wed	33	34	34	38	38	36	37	37	37	39	47	56	62	51	38	35	34
Thu	33	34	34	39	37	36	36	35	37	39	45	55	65	54	37	35	34
Fri	33	34	34	36	36	36	36	37	40	46	54	62	64	51	39	36	34
Sat	33	33	33	33	34	35	37	38	40	41	43	42	41	37	36	36	34
Sun	33	33	33	33	34	35	36	37	39	40	39	39	38	36	36	36	34

About this drive

On weekdays the 37-mile drive from Hayward to San Rafael (via I-580 East and I-80 East) usually takes as little as 33 minutes and up to 66 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 8 am or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 37 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3:30 pm on Saturdays (43 minutes).

About 34 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 3 miles surface streets (3 to 6 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Hayward 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 Hayward to San Rafael?

On weekdays, leave before 8 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 33 minutes then, versus up to 66 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 37-mile drive usually takes 33 to 66 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 37 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Hayward to San Rafael?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 66 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

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

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

San Rafael to Hayward (return trip) · Hayward to San Francisco · 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

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	33	34	34	36	36	36	36	36	37	39	45	50	52	44	35	34	34
Tue	33	34	34	37	37	36	36	36	37	38	47	53	61	51	36	35	34
Wed	33	34	34	38	38	36	37	37	37	39	47	56	62	51	38	35	34
Thu	33	34	34	39	37	36	36	35	37	39	45	55	65	54	37	35	34
Fri	33	34	34	36	36	36	36	37	40	46	54	62	64	51	39	36	34
Sat	33	33	33	33	34	35	37	38	40	41	43	42	41	37	36	36	34
Sun	33	33	33	33	34	35	36	37	39	40	39	39	38	36	36	36	34

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	33	34	34	36	36	36	36	36	37	39	45	50	52	44	35	34	34
Tue	33	34	34	37	37	36	36	36	37	38	47	53	61	51	36	35	34
Wed	33	34	34	38	38	36	37	37	37	39	47	56	62	51	38	35	34
Thu	33	34	34	39	37	36	36	35	37	39	45	55	65	54	37	35	34
Fri	33	34	34	36	36	36	36	37	40	46	54	62	64	51	39	36	34
Sat	33	33	33	33	34	35	37	38	40	41	43	42	41	37	36	36	34
Sun	33	33	33	33	34	35	36	37	39	40	39	39	38	36	36	36	34

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	33	34	34	36	36	36	36	36	37	39	45	50	52	44	35	34	34
Tue	33	34	34	37	37	36	36	36	37	38	47	53	61	51	36	35	34
Wed	33	34	34	38	38	36	37	37	37	39	47	56	62	51	38	35	34
Thu	33	34	34	39	37	36	36	35	37	39	45	55	65	54	37	35	34
Fri	33	34	34	36	36	36	36	37	40	46	54	62	64	51	39	36	34
Sat	33	33	33	33	34	35	37	38	40	41	43	42	41	37	36	36	34
Sun	33	33	33	33	34	35	36	37	39	40	39	39	38	36	36	36	34