Traffic Predict

Best Time to Drive from Oakland to San Francisco

Right now (11:31 am PDT): about 21 minutes via I-80 West, usually 19 at this time.

On weekdays the 12-mile drive from Oakland to San Francisco (via I-80 West) usually takes as little as 17 minutes and up to 35 minutes, when leaving around 5:30 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 19 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1:30 pm on Saturdays (28 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: San Francisco to Oakland

Freeway, about 6 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 5 miles: 12 to 18 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 downtown Oakland (Broadway) 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 Oakland to San Francisco by day and time you leave (local time)
Leave5am6am7am8am9am10am11am12pm1pm2pm3pm4pm5pm6pm7pm8pm9pm
Mon1721232422222019191819192120181818
Tue1722262623242220181819212426181818
Wed1722252523242420181819212724181817
Thu1721242423232220181819223330191817
Fri1719202020191818192021233128201818
Sat1717171818182327272726252624201818
Sun1717171818191921222525242320181818

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 Oakland to San Francisco?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 17 minutes then, versus up to 35 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 12-mile drive usually takes 17 to 35 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 19 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Oakland to San Francisco?

Leaving around 5:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 35 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

More drives

San Francisco to Oakland (return trip) · Oakland to San Jose · Oakland to Palo Alto · Oakland to Fremont · Oakland to Walnut Creek · Oakland to San Mateo · Oakland to Hayward · Oakland to Mountain View · Oakland to Pleasanton · Oakland to Santa Clara · Oakland to Richmond · Oakland to Sacramento

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