Best Time to Drive from Newark to San Francisco

Right now (6:17 pm PDT): about 41 minutes via US-101 North and SR-84 South, usually 40 at this time.

Only 74% 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 Newark 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	36	38	44	51	48	42	40	41	39	40	40	41	44	41	39	38	38
Tue	37	38	43	61	59	43	40	40	39	39	40	45	50	45	41	38	38
Wed	36	38	43	65	57	43	40	40	39	39	40	44	49	44	40	38	39
Thu	37	38	45	68	62	49	45	40	39	40	44	49	53	48	40	38	39
Fri	37	38	41	47	42	41	42	40	39	39	40	43	44	43	40	38	37
Sat	37	37	37	37	38	42	47	44	41	40	39	38	39	38	39	39	37
Sun	36	37	36	37	37	38	41	41	40	39	40	39	38	39	39	39	37

About this drive

On weekdays the 39-mile drive from Newark to San Francisco (via US-101 North and SR-84 South) usually takes as little as 36 minutes and up to 68 minutes, when leaving around 8 am on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 40 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 11 am on Saturdays (47 minutes).

About 33 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 5 miles surface streets (7 to 16 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Newark 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 Newark to San Francisco?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 36 minutes then, versus up to 68 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 39-mile drive usually takes 36 to 68 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 40 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Newark to San Francisco?

Leaving around 8 am on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 68 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

US-101 North in Bay Area (27 miles) · SR-84 South in Bay Area (7 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

San Francisco to Newark (return trip) · Newark to Brooklyn · Newark to East New York · Newark to San Jose · Newark to Borough Park · Newark to Sunset Park · Newark to Sheepshead Bay · Newark to Gravesend

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	36	38	44	51	48	42	40	41	39	40	40	41	44	41	39	38	38
Tue	37	38	43	61	59	43	40	40	39	39	40	45	50	45	41	38	38
Wed	36	38	43	65	57	43	40	40	39	39	40	44	49	44	40	38	39
Thu	37	38	45	68	62	49	45	40	39	40	44	49	53	48	40	38	39
Fri	37	38	41	47	42	41	42	40	39	39	40	43	44	43	40	38	37
Sat	37	37	37	37	38	42	47	44	41	40	39	38	39	38	39	39	37
Sun	36	37	36	37	37	38	41	41	40	39	40	39	38	39	39	39	37

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	36	38	44	51	48	42	40	41	39	40	40	41	44	41	39	38	38
Tue	37	38	43	61	59	43	40	40	39	39	40	45	50	45	41	38	38
Wed	36	38	43	65	57	43	40	40	39	39	40	44	49	44	40	38	39
Thu	37	38	45	68	62	49	45	40	39	40	44	49	53	48	40	38	39
Fri	37	38	41	47	42	41	42	40	39	39	40	43	44	43	40	38	37
Sat	37	37	37	37	38	42	47	44	41	40	39	38	39	38	39	39	37
Sun	36	37	36	37	37	38	41	41	40	39	40	39	38	39	39	39	37

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	36	38	44	51	48	42	40	41	39	40	40	41	44	41	39	38	38
Tue	37	38	43	61	59	43	40	40	39	39	40	45	50	45	41	38	38
Wed	36	38	43	65	57	43	40	40	39	39	40	44	49	44	40	38	39
Thu	37	38	45	68	62	49	45	40	39	40	44	49	53	48	40	38	39
Fri	37	38	41	47	42	41	42	40	39	39	40	43	44	43	40	38	37
Sat	37	37	37	37	38	42	47	44	41	40	39	38	39	38	39	39	37
Sun	36	37	36	37	37	38	41	41	40	39	40	39	38	39	39	39	37