Best Time to Drive from Richmond to Pleasanton

Right now (11:21 am PST): about 53 minutes via I-580 West and I-80 West, usually 45 at this time.

Only 14% 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 Richmond to Pleasanton 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	39	43	58	66	57	48	44	44	44	44	47	47	48	44	41	40	40
Tue	39	43	65	78	64	50	45	44	43	44	48	50	52	49	43	41	41
Wed	39	42	59	72	59	48	45	44	44	44	47	50	54	50	43	41	40
Thu	39	43	59	75	63	49	45	44	45	45	51	53	55	50	44	41	41
Fri	39	42	46	58	50	44	45	45	46	47	53	53	51	49	45	43	41
Sat	39	41	41	41	41	42	45	45	45	45	48	47	48	47	45	44	41
Sun	40	40	41	40	40	41	44	45	47	47	48	47	47	49	47	46	41

About this drive

On weekdays the 40-mile drive from Richmond to Pleasanton (via I-580 West and I-80 West) usually takes as little as 39 minutes and up to 78 minutes, when leaving around 8 am on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 45 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 6 pm on Sundays (49 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 21 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Richmond (Macdonald Avenue) to central Pleasanton 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 Richmond to Pleasanton?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 39 minutes then, versus up to 78 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Richmond to Pleasanton?

The 40-mile drive usually takes 39 to 78 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 45 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Richmond to Pleasanton?

Leaving around 8 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 78 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-580 West in Bay Area (23 miles) · I-80 West in Bay Area (8 miles) · I-680 South in Bay Area (3 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

Richmond to Pleasanton over Thanksgiving: when to leave →

More drives

Pleasanton to Richmond (return trip) · Richmond to San Francisco · Richmond to Oakland · Richmond to San Jose · Richmond to Palo Alto · Richmond to Berkeley · Richmond to Fremont · Richmond to Walnut Creek · Richmond to San Mateo · Richmond to Hayward · Richmond to Mountain View · Richmond 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	39	43	58	66	57	48	44	44	44	44	47	47	48	44	41	40	40
Tue	39	43	65	78	64	50	45	44	43	44	48	50	52	49	43	41	41
Wed	39	42	59	72	59	48	45	44	44	44	47	50	54	50	43	41	40
Thu	39	43	59	75	63	49	45	44	45	45	51	53	55	50	44	41	41
Fri	39	42	46	58	50	44	45	45	46	47	53	53	51	49	45	43	41
Sat	39	41	41	41	41	42	45	45	45	45	48	47	48	47	45	44	41
Sun	40	40	41	40	40	41	44	45	47	47	48	47	47	49	47	46	41

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	39	43	58	66	57	48	44	44	44	44	47	47	48	44	41	40	40
Tue	39	43	65	78	64	50	45	44	43	44	48	50	52	49	43	41	41
Wed	39	42	59	72	59	48	45	44	44	44	47	50	54	50	43	41	40
Thu	39	43	59	75	63	49	45	44	45	45	51	53	55	50	44	41	41
Fri	39	42	46	58	50	44	45	45	46	47	53	53	51	49	45	43	41
Sat	39	41	41	41	41	42	45	45	45	45	48	47	48	47	45	44	41
Sun	40	40	41	40	40	41	44	45	47	47	48	47	47	49	47	46	41

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	39	43	58	66	57	48	44	44	44	44	47	47	48	44	41	40	40
Tue	39	43	65	78	64	50	45	44	43	44	48	50	52	49	43	41	41
Wed	39	42	59	72	59	48	45	44	44	44	47	50	54	50	43	41	40
Thu	39	43	59	75	63	49	45	44	45	45	51	53	55	50	44	41	41
Fri	39	42	46	58	50	44	45	45	46	47	53	53	51	49	45	43	41
Sat	39	41	41	41	41	42	45	45	45	45	48	47	48	47	45	44	41
Sun	40	40	41	40	40	41	44	45	47	47	48	47	47	49	47	46	41