Best Time to Drive from Pittsburg to San Francisco

Right now (7:32 pm PDT): about 63 minutes via I-80 West and SR-4 West, usually 46 at this time.

Only 67% 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	79	64	58	53	51	50	50	51	49	51	46	44	44	43
Tue	42	62	93	87	68	60	54	49	48	49	51	50	63	51	44	44	43
Wed	41	61	91	90	70	60	56	50	49	48	50	54	63	51	44	44	43
Thu	42	62	94	92	69	60	56	52	51	51	56	62	73	55	45	44	43
Fri	42	52	69	69	54	49	49	50	51	51	55	54	61	53	47	45	43
Sat	42	43	43	44	45	48	61	65	64	61	61	61	63	57	50	47	43
Sun	42	42	42	43	44	45	50	54	63	61	60	58	57	51	48	46	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 99 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 12 pm on Saturdays (65 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 99 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 99 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 99 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

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	79	64	58	53	51	50	50	51	49	51	46	44	44	43
Tue	42	62	93	87	68	60	54	49	48	49	51	50	63	51	44	44	43
Wed	41	61	91	90	70	60	56	50	49	48	50	54	63	51	44	44	43
Thu	42	62	94	92	69	60	56	52	51	51	56	62	73	55	45	44	43
Fri	42	52	69	69	54	49	49	50	51	51	55	54	61	53	47	45	43
Sat	42	43	43	44	45	48	61	65	64	61	61	61	63	57	50	47	43
Sun	42	42	42	43	44	45	50	54	63	61	60	58	57	51	48	46	43

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	42	60	86	79	64	58	53	51	50	50	51	49	51	46	44	44	43
Tue	42	62	93	87	68	60	54	49	48	49	51	50	63	51	44	44	43
Wed	41	61	91	90	70	60	56	50	49	48	50	54	63	51	44	44	43
Thu	42	62	94	92	69	60	56	52	51	51	56	62	73	55	45	44	43
Fri	42	52	69	69	54	49	49	50	51	51	55	54	61	53	47	45	43
Sat	42	43	43	44	45	48	61	65	64	61	61	61	63	57	50	47	43
Sun	42	42	42	43	44	45	50	54	63	61	60	58	57	51	48	46	43

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	42	60	86	79	64	58	53	51	50	50	51	49	51	46	44	44	43
Tue	42	62	93	87	68	60	54	49	48	49	51	50	63	51	44	44	43
Wed	41	61	91	90	70	60	56	50	49	48	50	54	63	51	44	44	43
Thu	42	62	94	92	69	60	56	52	51	51	56	62	73	55	45	44	43
Fri	42	52	69	69	54	49	49	50	51	51	55	54	61	53	47	45	43
Sat	42	43	43	44	45	48	61	65	64	61	61	61	63	57	50	47	43
Sun	42	42	42	43	44	45	50	54	63	61	60	58	57	51	48	46	43