Best Time to Drive from Palo Alto to Fairfield

Right now (7:49 pm PDT): about 78 minutes via I-80 East and US-101 North, usually 75 at this time.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from Palo Alto to Fairfield 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	71	74	78	85	85	80	79	79	78	84	93	101	100	85	76	74	72
Tue	71	74	78	88	87	81	79	78	77	85	99	113	111	91	80	75	72
Wed	71	74	79	89	88	80	79	78	78	85	102	118	117	94	80	75	72
Thu	71	73	79	91	92	81	79	78	78	85	101	119	119	98	83	76	73
Fri	71	73	76	84	81	80	81	81	86	97	112	123	112	94	81	76	72
Sat	72	72	72	72	73	78	82	84	83	85	84	85	82	79	78	77	73
Sun	71	71	71	71	72	74	77	80	81	80	79	79	77	77	77	76	72

About this drive

On weekdays the 79-mile drive from Palo Alto to Fairfield (via I-80 East and US-101 North) usually takes as little as 71 minutes and up to 123 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7 am or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 81 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2:30 pm on Saturdays (86 minutes).

About 73 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 6 miles surface streets (7 to 13 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Palo Alto to central Fairfield 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 Palo Alto to Fairfield?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 71 minutes then, versus up to 123 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Palo Alto to Fairfield?

The 79-mile drive usually takes 71 to 123 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 81 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Palo Alto to Fairfield?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 123 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-80 East in Bay Area (40 miles) · US-101 North in Bay Area (33 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

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

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	71	74	78	85	85	80	79	79	78	84	93	101	100	85	76	74	72
Tue	71	74	78	88	87	81	79	78	77	85	99	113	111	91	80	75	72
Wed	71	74	79	89	88	80	79	78	78	85	102	118	117	94	80	75	72
Thu	71	73	79	91	92	81	79	78	78	85	101	119	119	98	83	76	73
Fri	71	73	76	84	81	80	81	81	86	97	112	123	112	94	81	76	72
Sat	72	72	72	72	73	78	82	84	83	85	84	85	82	79	78	77	73
Sun	71	71	71	71	72	74	77	80	81	80	79	79	77	77	77	76	72

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	71	74	78	85	85	80	79	79	78	84	93	101	100	85	76	74	72
Tue	71	74	78	88	87	81	79	78	77	85	99	113	111	91	80	75	72
Wed	71	74	79	89	88	80	79	78	78	85	102	118	117	94	80	75	72
Thu	71	73	79	91	92	81	79	78	78	85	101	119	119	98	83	76	73
Fri	71	73	76	84	81	80	81	81	86	97	112	123	112	94	81	76	72
Sat	72	72	72	72	73	78	82	84	83	85	84	85	82	79	78	77	73
Sun	71	71	71	71	72	74	77	80	81	80	79	79	77	77	77	76	72

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	71	74	78	85	85	80	79	79	78	84	93	101	100	85	76	74	72
Tue	71	74	78	88	87	81	79	78	77	85	99	113	111	91	80	75	72
Wed	71	74	79	89	88	80	79	78	78	85	102	118	117	94	80	75	72
Thu	71	73	79	91	92	81	79	78	78	85	101	119	119	98	83	76	73
Fri	71	73	76	84	81	80	81	81	86	97	112	123	112	94	81	76	72
Sat	72	72	72	72	73	78	82	84	83	85	84	85	82	79	78	77	73
Sun	71	71	71	71	72	74	77	80	81	80	79	79	77	77	77	76	72