Best Time to Drive from Palo Alto to San Rafael

Right now (12:51 am PST): about 54 minutes via US-101 North and I-80 East.

Only 75% 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 Palo Alto 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	54	55	60	67	66	62	60	60	59	62	68	71	78	66	58	56	54
Tue	54	55	59	71	71	64	61	59	59	63	69	78	85	71	63	57	55
Wed	54	55	60	71	71	62	61	60	59	63	69	78	87	74	63	58	54
Thu	54	55	61	70	70	63	60	59	59	61	66	76	85	74	64	58	56
Fri	54	55	58	64	62	61	62	61	62	67	73	81	84	72	62	58	56
Sat	54	54	54	55	55	58	61	63	65	64	64	65	64	61	60	59	55
Sun	54	54	54	54	55	56	58	60	61	62	61	62	60	59	59	58	55

About this drive

On weekdays the 59-mile drive from Palo Alto to San Rafael (via US-101 North and I-80 East) usually takes as little as 53 minutes and up to 87 minutes, when leaving around 5 pm on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7 am or after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 61 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3:30 pm on Saturdays (66 minutes).

About 55 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 4 miles surface streets (6 to 12 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 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 Palo Alto to San Rafael?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 53 minutes then, versus up to 87 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Palo Alto to San Rafael?

The 59-mile drive usually takes 53 to 87 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 61 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Palo Alto to San Rafael?

Leaving around 5 pm on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 87 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

US-101 North in Bay Area (33 miles) · I-80 East in Bay Area (14 miles) · I-580 East in Bay Area (8 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

San Rafael 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	54	55	60	67	66	62	60	60	59	62	68	71	78	66	58	56	54
Tue	54	55	59	71	71	64	61	59	59	63	69	78	85	71	63	57	55
Wed	54	55	60	71	71	62	61	60	59	63	69	78	87	74	63	58	54
Thu	54	55	61	70	70	63	60	59	59	61	66	76	85	74	64	58	56
Fri	54	55	58	64	62	61	62	61	62	67	73	81	84	72	62	58	56
Sat	54	54	54	55	55	58	61	63	65	64	64	65	64	61	60	59	55
Sun	54	54	54	54	55	56	58	60	61	62	61	62	60	59	59	58	55

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	54	55	60	67	66	62	60	60	59	62	68	71	78	66	58	56	54
Tue	54	55	59	71	71	64	61	59	59	63	69	78	85	71	63	57	55
Wed	54	55	60	71	71	62	61	60	59	63	69	78	87	74	63	58	54
Thu	54	55	61	70	70	63	60	59	59	61	66	76	85	74	64	58	56
Fri	54	55	58	64	62	61	62	61	62	67	73	81	84	72	62	58	56
Sat	54	54	54	55	55	58	61	63	65	64	64	65	64	61	60	59	55
Sun	54	54	54	54	55	56	58	60	61	62	61	62	60	59	59	58	55

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	54	55	60	67	66	62	60	60	59	62	68	71	78	66	58	56	54
Tue	54	55	59	71	71	64	61	59	59	63	69	78	85	71	63	57	55
Wed	54	55	60	71	71	62	61	60	59	63	69	78	87	74	63	58	54
Thu	54	55	61	70	70	63	60	59	59	61	66	76	85	74	64	58	56
Fri	54	55	58	64	62	61	62	61	62	67	73	81	84	72	62	58	56
Sat	54	54	54	55	55	58	61	63	65	64	64	65	64	61	60	59	55
Sun	54	54	54	54	55	56	58	60	61	62	61	62	60	59	59	58	55