Best Time to Drive from Pleasanton to San Francisco

Right now (10:50 pm PST): about 50 minutes via I-580 East.

Only 16% 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 Pleasanton 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	40	47	54	58	50	50	47	46	45	44	47	48	50	44	42	41	40
Tue	40	47	58	71	56	51	47	45	44	45	50	54	59	49	42	41	40
Wed	40	47	55	61	53	50	48	45	44	45	50	60	62	50	42	42	40
Thu	40	48	54	69	52	51	49	46	45	46	52	63	69	53	43	42	41
Fri	40	44	48	47	47	46	44	44	47	51	55	57	60	49	44	42	40
Sat	40	41	41	41	42	44	50	51	51	52	51	49	48	47	43	43	41
Sun	40	41	40	41	41	42	44	46	49	49	48	47	46	44	43	42	40

About this drive

On weekdays the 40-mile drive from Pleasanton to San Francisco (via I-580 East) usually takes as little as 40 minutes and up to 71 minutes, when leaving around 8 am on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 7 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 46 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12:30 pm on Saturdays (52 minutes).

About 34 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 6 miles surface streets (10 to 27 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Pleasanton to downtown San Francisco (Market Street) 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 Pleasanton to San Francisco?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 40 minutes then, versus up to 71 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 40-mile drive usually takes 40 to 71 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 46 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Pleasanton to San Francisco?

Leaving around 8 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 71 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-580 East in Bay Area (25 miles) · I-80 West in Bay Area (6 miles) · I-680 North in Bay Area (3 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

Pleasanton to San Francisco over Thanksgiving: when to leave →

More drives

San Francisco to Pleasanton (return trip) · Pleasanton to Oakland · Pleasanton to San Jose · Pleasanton to Palo Alto · Pleasanton to Berkeley · Pleasanton to Fremont · Pleasanton to Walnut Creek · Pleasanton to San Mateo · Pleasanton to Hayward · Pleasanton to Mountain View · Pleasanton to Santa Clara · Pleasanton 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	40	47	54	58	50	50	47	46	45	44	47	48	50	44	42	41	40
Tue	40	47	58	71	56	51	47	45	44	45	50	54	59	49	42	41	40
Wed	40	47	55	61	53	50	48	45	44	45	50	60	62	50	42	42	40
Thu	40	48	54	69	52	51	49	46	45	46	52	63	69	53	43	42	41
Fri	40	44	48	47	47	46	44	44	47	51	55	57	60	49	44	42	40
Sat	40	41	41	41	42	44	50	51	51	52	51	49	48	47	43	43	41
Sun	40	41	40	41	41	42	44	46	49	49	48	47	46	44	43	42	40

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	40	47	54	58	50	50	47	46	45	44	47	48	50	44	42	41	40
Tue	40	47	58	71	56	51	47	45	44	45	50	54	59	49	42	41	40
Wed	40	47	55	61	53	50	48	45	44	45	50	60	62	50	42	42	40
Thu	40	48	54	69	52	51	49	46	45	46	52	63	69	53	43	42	41
Fri	40	44	48	47	47	46	44	44	47	51	55	57	60	49	44	42	40
Sat	40	41	41	41	42	44	50	51	51	52	51	49	48	47	43	43	41
Sun	40	41	40	41	41	42	44	46	49	49	48	47	46	44	43	42	40

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	40	47	54	58	50	50	47	46	45	44	47	48	50	44	42	41	40
Tue	40	47	58	71	56	51	47	45	44	45	50	54	59	49	42	41	40
Wed	40	47	55	61	53	50	48	45	44	45	50	60	62	50	42	42	40
Thu	40	48	54	69	52	51	49	46	45	46	52	63	69	53	43	42	41
Fri	40	44	48	47	47	46	44	44	47	51	55	57	60	49	44	42	40
Sat	40	41	41	41	42	44	50	51	51	52	51	49	48	47	43	43	41
Sun	40	41	40	41	41	42	44	46	49	49	48	47	46	44	43	42	40