Best Time to Drive from Pittsburg to San Francisco

Right now (8:49 pm PDT): about 45 minutes via I-80 West and SR-4 West, usually 44 at this time.

Only 68% 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 Pittsburg 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	42	60	86	80	62	54	51	50	49	49	52	49	52	46	44	44	43
Tue	42	61	95	91	69	59	54	48	48	49	51	50	58	50	44	44	43
Wed	41	60	90	87	69	60	54	50	49	48	51	53	63	52	44	43	43
Thu	42	62	93	89	67	59	55	51	50	51	55	62	72	56	46	44	43
Fri	42	51	69	69	54	49	49	50	51	52	55	56	64	55	48	45	43
Sat	42	43	43	44	46	49	60	63	62	61	62	61	63	57	51	47	44
Sun	42	42	42	43	44	46	51	56	66	62	62	59	60	56	52	47	43

About this drive

On weekdays the 48-mile drive from Pittsburg to San Francisco (via I-80 West and SR-4 West) usually takes as little as 41 minutes and up to 96 minutes, when leaving around 7:30 am on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 5:30 am or after 7 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 50 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1 pm on Sundays (66 minutes).

About 46 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 2 miles surface streets (3 to 6 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Pittsburg 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 Pittsburg to San Francisco?

On weekdays, leave before 5:30 am or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 41 minutes then, versus up to 96 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 48-mile drive usually takes 41 to 96 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 50 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Pittsburg to San Francisco?

Leaving around 7:30 am on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 96 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-80 West in Bay Area (23 miles) · SR-4 West in Bay Area (22 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

San Francisco to Pittsburg (return trip) · Pittsburg to San Jose · Pittsburg to Sacramento · Pittsburg to Oakland · Pittsburg to Stockton · Pittsburg to Fremont · Pittsburg to Modesto · Pittsburg to Santa Rosa · Pittsburg to Elk Grove · Pittsburg to Hayward · Pittsburg to Sunnyvale · Pittsburg to Roseville

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	42	60	86	80	62	54	51	50	49	49	52	49	52	46	44	44	43
Tue	42	61	95	91	69	59	54	48	48	49	51	50	58	50	44	44	43
Wed	41	60	90	87	69	60	54	50	49	48	51	53	63	52	44	43	43
Thu	42	62	93	89	67	59	55	51	50	51	55	62	72	56	46	44	43
Fri	42	51	69	69	54	49	49	50	51	52	55	56	64	55	48	45	43
Sat	42	43	43	44	46	49	60	63	62	61	62	61	63	57	51	47	44
Sun	42	42	42	43	44	46	51	56	66	62	62	59	60	56	52	47	43

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	42	60	86	80	62	54	51	50	49	49	52	49	52	46	44	44	43
Tue	42	61	95	91	69	59	54	48	48	49	51	50	58	50	44	44	43
Wed	41	60	90	87	69	60	54	50	49	48	51	53	63	52	44	43	43
Thu	42	62	93	89	67	59	55	51	50	51	55	62	72	56	46	44	43
Fri	42	51	69	69	54	49	49	50	51	52	55	56	64	55	48	45	43
Sat	42	43	43	44	46	49	60	63	62	61	62	61	63	57	51	47	44
Sun	42	42	42	43	44	46	51	56	66	62	62	59	60	56	52	47	43

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	42	60	86	80	62	54	51	50	49	49	52	49	52	46	44	44	43
Tue	42	61	95	91	69	59	54	48	48	49	51	50	58	50	44	44	43
Wed	41	60	90	87	69	60	54	50	49	48	51	53	63	52	44	43	43
Thu	42	62	93	89	67	59	55	51	50	51	55	62	72	56	46	44	43
Fri	42	51	69	69	54	49	49	50	51	52	55	56	64	55	48	45	43
Sat	42	43	43	44	46	49	60	63	62	61	62	61	63	57	51	47	44
Sun	42	42	42	43	44	46	51	56	66	62	62	59	60	56	52	47	43