Best Time to Drive from Livermore to San Francisco

Right now (7:32 pm PDT): about 48 minutes via I-580 East, usually 41 at this time.

Only 60% 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 Livermore 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	40	49	50	53	50	53	48	46	46	45	48	51	52	43	41	41	40
Tue	40	49	54	55	53	54	50	46	44	46	52	58	69	50	42	41	40
Wed	40	50	54	57	57	54	51	46	45	46	53	61	65	50	41	42	40
Thu	40	49	52	61	54	53	50	47	45	46	54	71	76	54	42	42	40
Fri	40	45	48	47	48	47	45	45	48	54	57	61	65	51	45	42	40
Sat	40	40	40	40	41	43	55	58	58	54	54	50	50	48	43	42	40
Sun	40	40	40	40	41	42	44	47	53	52	50	49	47	43	41	42	40

About this drive

On weekdays the 45-mile drive from Livermore to San Francisco (via I-580 East) usually takes as little as 40 minutes and up to 77 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 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 47 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12 pm on Saturdays (58 minutes).

About 42 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 2 miles surface streets (3 to 4 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Livermore 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 Livermore to San Francisco?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 40 minutes then, versus up to 77 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 45-mile drive usually takes 40 to 77 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 47 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Livermore to San Francisco?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 77 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-580 East in Bay Area (34 miles) · I-80 West in Bay Area (8 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

San Francisco to Livermore (return trip) · Livermore to San Jose

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	40	49	50	53	50	53	48	46	46	45	48	51	52	43	41	41	40
Tue	40	49	54	55	53	54	50	46	44	46	52	58	69	50	42	41	40
Wed	40	50	54	57	57	54	51	46	45	46	53	61	65	50	41	42	40
Thu	40	49	52	61	54	53	50	47	45	46	54	71	76	54	42	42	40
Fri	40	45	48	47	48	47	45	45	48	54	57	61	65	51	45	42	40
Sat	40	40	40	40	41	43	55	58	58	54	54	50	50	48	43	42	40
Sun	40	40	40	40	41	42	44	47	53	52	50	49	47	43	41	42	40

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	40	49	50	53	50	53	48	46	46	45	48	51	52	43	41	41	40
Tue	40	49	54	55	53	54	50	46	44	46	52	58	69	50	42	41	40
Wed	40	50	54	57	57	54	51	46	45	46	53	61	65	50	41	42	40
Thu	40	49	52	61	54	53	50	47	45	46	54	71	76	54	42	42	40
Fri	40	45	48	47	48	47	45	45	48	54	57	61	65	51	45	42	40
Sat	40	40	40	40	41	43	55	58	58	54	54	50	50	48	43	42	40
Sun	40	40	40	40	41	42	44	47	53	52	50	49	47	43	41	42	40

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	40	49	50	53	50	53	48	46	46	45	48	51	52	43	41	41	40
Tue	40	49	54	55	53	54	50	46	44	46	52	58	69	50	42	41	40
Wed	40	50	54	57	57	54	51	46	45	46	53	61	65	50	41	42	40
Thu	40	49	52	61	54	53	50	47	45	46	54	71	76	54	42	42	40
Fri	40	45	48	47	48	47	45	45	48	54	57	61	65	51	45	42	40
Sat	40	40	40	40	41	43	55	58	58	54	54	50	50	48	43	42	40
Sun	40	40	40	40	41	42	44	47	53	52	50	49	47	43	41	42	40