Best Time to Drive from Milpitas to San Rafael

Right now (4:50 pm PST): about 61 minutes via I-580 East and I-880 North, usually 58 at this time.

Only 73% 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 Milpitas 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	52	53	55	57	57	57	58	58	59	66	77	81	82	69	62	55	52
Tue	52	53	55	58	56	57	57	57	59	66	82	93	96	79	67	58	53
Wed	52	53	55	59	57	57	58	58	60	67	82	94	95	81	68	58	52
Thu	52	53	56	61	57	56	57	58	59	65	84	96	97	80	67	59	53
Fri	52	53	54	56	57	57	58	59	63	73	89	94	90	76	66	58	52
Sat	52	52	52	52	53	55	57	59	60	62	63	64	63	59	58	56	52
Sun	52	52	52	52	53	54	55	56	59	59	59	59	58	58	57	57	52

About this drive

On weekdays the 57-mile drive from Milpitas to San Rafael (via I-580 East and I-880 North) usually takes as little as 52 minutes and up to 99 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7:30 am or after 8:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 60 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3:30 pm on Saturdays (64 minutes).

About 54 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 3 miles surface streets (4 to 8 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Milpitas 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 Milpitas to San Rafael?

On weekdays, leave before 7:30 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 52 minutes then, versus up to 99 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 57-mile drive usually takes 52 to 99 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 60 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Milpitas to San Rafael?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 99 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-580 East in Bay Area (24 miles) · I-880 North in Bay Area (20 miles) · I-80 East in Bay Area (10 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

San Rafael to Milpitas (return trip) · Milpitas to San Jose · Milpitas to San Francisco · Milpitas to Oakland · Milpitas to Stockton · Milpitas to Fremont · Milpitas to Modesto · Milpitas to Hayward · Milpitas to Salinas · Milpitas to Sunnyvale · Milpitas to Concord · Milpitas 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	52	53	55	57	57	57	58	58	59	66	77	81	82	69	62	55	52
Tue	52	53	55	58	56	57	57	57	59	66	82	93	96	79	67	58	53
Wed	52	53	55	59	57	57	58	58	60	67	82	94	95	81	68	58	52
Thu	52	53	56	61	57	56	57	58	59	65	84	96	97	80	67	59	53
Fri	52	53	54	56	57	57	58	59	63	73	89	94	90	76	66	58	52
Sat	52	52	52	52	53	55	57	59	60	62	63	64	63	59	58	56	52
Sun	52	52	52	52	53	54	55	56	59	59	59	59	58	58	57	57	52

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	52	53	55	57	57	57	58	58	59	66	77	81	82	69	62	55	52
Tue	52	53	55	58	56	57	57	57	59	66	82	93	96	79	67	58	53
Wed	52	53	55	59	57	57	58	58	60	67	82	94	95	81	68	58	52
Thu	52	53	56	61	57	56	57	58	59	65	84	96	97	80	67	59	53
Fri	52	53	54	56	57	57	58	59	63	73	89	94	90	76	66	58	52
Sat	52	52	52	52	53	55	57	59	60	62	63	64	63	59	58	56	52
Sun	52	52	52	52	53	54	55	56	59	59	59	59	58	58	57	57	52

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	52	53	55	57	57	57	58	58	59	66	77	81	82	69	62	55	52
Tue	52	53	55	58	56	57	57	57	59	66	82	93	96	79	67	58	53
Wed	52	53	55	59	57	57	58	58	60	67	82	94	95	81	68	58	52
Thu	52	53	56	61	57	56	57	58	59	65	84	96	97	80	67	59	53
Fri	52	53	54	56	57	57	58	59	63	73	89	94	90	76	66	58	52
Sat	52	52	52	52	53	55	57	59	60	62	63	64	63	59	58	56	52
Sun	52	52	52	52	53	54	55	56	59	59	59	59	58	58	57	57	52