Best Time to Drive from Pleasanton to San Rafael

Right now (7:06 pm PDT): about 62 minutes via I-580 East and I-80 East, usually 48 at this time.

Only 55% 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 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	45	46	48	50	51	51	51	52	52	54	61	63	64	53	47	46	45
Tue	45	46	48	54	52	51	51	51	51	55	64	70	71	57	47	47	45
Wed	45	46	48	54	53	51	51	51	52	55	64	75	73	58	48	47	45
Thu	45	46	49	57	53	51	50	50	51	54	65	72	73	59	49	47	46
Fri	45	46	48	49	50	51	51	52	56	65	73	76	70	57	50	47	45
Sat	45	45	45	46	47	48	50	51	52	53	54	53	52	49	48	48	45
Sun	45	45	45	45	46	48	48	49	52	52	51	52	50	48	48	48	45

About this drive

On weekdays the 50-mile drive from Pleasanton to San Rafael (via I-580 East and I-80 East) usually takes as little as 45 minutes and up to 76 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7:30 am or after 7 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 52 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3:30 pm on Saturdays (54 minutes).

About 47 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 3 miles surface streets (4 to 6 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Pleasanton 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 Pleasanton to San Rafael?

On weekdays, leave before 7:30 am or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 45 minutes then, versus up to 76 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 50-mile drive usually takes 45 to 76 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 52 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Pleasanton to San Rafael?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 76 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-580 East in Bay Area (37 miles) · I-80 East in Bay Area (10 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

San Rafael to Pleasanton (return trip) · Pleasanton to San Francisco · 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

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	45	46	48	50	51	51	51	52	52	54	61	63	64	53	47	46	45
Tue	45	46	48	54	52	51	51	51	51	55	64	70	71	57	47	47	45
Wed	45	46	48	54	53	51	51	51	52	55	64	75	73	58	48	47	45
Thu	45	46	49	57	53	51	50	50	51	54	65	72	73	59	49	47	46
Fri	45	46	48	49	50	51	51	52	56	65	73	76	70	57	50	47	45
Sat	45	45	45	46	47	48	50	51	52	53	54	53	52	49	48	48	45
Sun	45	45	45	45	46	48	48	49	52	52	51	52	50	48	48	48	45

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	45	46	48	50	51	51	51	52	52	54	61	63	64	53	47	46	45
Tue	45	46	48	54	52	51	51	51	51	55	64	70	71	57	47	47	45
Wed	45	46	48	54	53	51	51	51	52	55	64	75	73	58	48	47	45
Thu	45	46	49	57	53	51	50	50	51	54	65	72	73	59	49	47	46
Fri	45	46	48	49	50	51	51	52	56	65	73	76	70	57	50	47	45
Sat	45	45	45	46	47	48	50	51	52	53	54	53	52	49	48	48	45
Sun	45	45	45	45	46	48	48	49	52	52	51	52	50	48	48	48	45

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	45	46	48	50	51	51	51	52	52	54	61	63	64	53	47	46	45
Tue	45	46	48	54	52	51	51	51	51	55	64	70	71	57	47	47	45
Wed	45	46	48	54	53	51	51	51	52	55	64	75	73	58	48	47	45
Thu	45	46	49	57	53	51	50	50	51	54	65	72	73	59	49	47	46
Fri	45	46	48	49	50	51	51	52	56	65	73	76	70	57	50	47	45
Sat	45	45	45	46	47	48	50	51	52	53	54	53	52	49	48	48	45
Sun	45	45	45	45	46	48	48	49	52	52	51	52	50	48	48	48	45