Best Time to Drive from Pittsburg to San Rafael

Right now (5:06 pm PST): about 45 minutes via SR-4 West and I-80 West, usually 44 at this time.

Only 65% 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 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	40	48	67	63	51	46	45	45	45	45	45	45	44	43	42	42	41
Tue	40	48	69	69	52	45	45	44	44	45	45	45	45	44	43	42	41
Wed	40	48	71	68	53	45	45	44	44	44	44	44	44	44	43	42	41
Thu	40	50	72	70	51	45	45	44	44	44	45	44	44	43	43	42	41
Fri	40	44	58	57	45	44	44	44	44	44	44	44	44	43	43	42	41
Sat	41	41	42	42	42	43	43	43	43	43	43	43	43	43	43	43	41
Sun	41	41	41	41	42	43	43	43	43	43	43	44	44	43	43	43	42

About this drive

On weekdays the 46-mile drive from Pittsburg to San Rafael (via SR-4 West and I-80 West) usually takes as little as 40 minutes and up to 74 minutes, when leaving around 7:30 am on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 6 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 44 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4 pm on Sundays (44 minutes).

About 44 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 1.9 miles surface streets (3 to 5 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Pittsburg 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 Pittsburg to San Rafael?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 6 pm. The drive usually takes about 40 minutes then, versus up to 74 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 46-mile drive usually takes 40 to 74 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 44 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Pittsburg to San Rafael?

Leaving around 7:30 am on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 74 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

SR-4 West in Bay Area (22 miles) · I-80 West in Bay Area (13 miles) · I-580 East in Bay Area (8 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

San Rafael to Pittsburg (return trip) · Pittsburg to San Jose · Pittsburg to San Francisco · 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

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	40	48	67	63	51	46	45	45	45	45	45	45	44	43	42	42	41
Tue	40	48	69	69	52	45	45	44	44	45	45	45	45	44	43	42	41
Wed	40	48	71	68	53	45	45	44	44	44	44	44	44	44	43	42	41
Thu	40	50	72	70	51	45	45	44	44	44	45	44	44	43	43	42	41
Fri	40	44	58	57	45	44	44	44	44	44	44	44	44	43	43	42	41
Sat	41	41	42	42	42	43	43	43	43	43	43	43	43	43	43	43	41
Sun	41	41	41	41	42	43	43	43	43	43	43	44	44	43	43	43	42

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	40	48	67	63	51	46	45	45	45	45	45	45	44	43	42	42	41
Tue	40	48	69	69	52	45	45	44	44	45	45	45	45	44	43	42	41
Wed	40	48	71	68	53	45	45	44	44	44	44	44	44	44	43	42	41
Thu	40	50	72	70	51	45	45	44	44	44	45	44	44	43	43	42	41
Fri	40	44	58	57	45	44	44	44	44	44	44	44	44	43	43	42	41
Sat	41	41	42	42	42	43	43	43	43	43	43	43	43	43	43	43	41
Sun	41	41	41	41	42	43	43	43	43	43	43	44	44	43	43	43	42

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	40	48	67	63	51	46	45	45	45	45	45	45	44	43	42	42	41
Tue	40	48	69	69	52	45	45	44	44	45	45	45	45	44	43	42	41
Wed	40	48	71	68	53	45	45	44	44	44	44	44	44	44	43	42	41
Thu	40	50	72	70	51	45	45	44	44	44	45	44	44	43	43	42	41
Fri	40	44	58	57	45	44	44	44	44	44	44	44	44	43	43	42	41
Sat	41	41	42	42	42	43	43	43	43	43	43	43	43	43	43	43	41
Sun	41	41	41	41	42	43	43	43	43	43	43	44	44	43	43	43	42