Best Time to Drive from San Francisco to Palo Alto

Right now (9:01 am PDT): about 32 minutes via US-101 South, usually 32 at this time.

On weekdays the 33-mile drive from San Francisco to Palo Alto (via US-101 South) usually takes as little as 30 minutes and up to 45 minutes, when leaving around 8:30 am on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 33 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4:30 pm on Saturdays (34 minutes).

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from San Francisco to Palo Alto 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	31	32	33	38	37	34	34	34	34	34	35	35	35	33	32	32	31
Tue	31	32	35	43	42	36	34	33	33	34	36	39	37	35	32	32	31
Wed	31	32	35	42	40	36	34	33	33	34	36	39	39	35	32	32	31
Thu	31	32	35	42	42	36	34	33	33	34	38	39	39	35	32	32	31
Fri	31	32	33	35	34	33	33	33	34	34	36	36	36	34	32	32	31
Sat	31	31	31	31	32	32	33	33	33	33	33	34	34	33	32	32	31
Sun	31	31	31	31	31	32	32	33	33	33	33	33	33	32	32	32	31

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. Surface streets at each end are estimated.

Questions

What is the best time to drive from San Francisco to Palo Alto?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 30 minutes then, versus up to 45 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from San Francisco to Palo Alto?

The 33-mile drive usually takes 30 to 45 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 33 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from San Francisco to Palo Alto?

Leaving around 8:30 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 45 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

More drives

Palo Alto to San Francisco (return trip) · San Francisco to San Jose · San Francisco to Berkeley · San Francisco to Fremont · San Francisco to Walnut Creek · San Francisco to San Mateo · San Francisco to Hayward · San Francisco to Mountain View · San Francisco to Pleasanton · San Francisco to Santa Clara · San Francisco to Richmond · San Francisco to Sacramento

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	31	32	33	38	37	34	34	34	34	34	35	35	35	33	32	32	31
Tue	31	32	35	43	42	36	34	33	33	34	36	39	37	35	32	32	31
Wed	31	32	35	42	40	36	34	33	33	34	36	39	39	35	32	32	31
Thu	31	32	35	42	42	36	34	33	33	34	38	39	39	35	32	32	31
Fri	31	32	33	35	34	33	33	33	34	34	36	36	36	34	32	32	31
Sat	31	31	31	31	32	32	33	33	33	33	33	34	34	33	32	32	31
Sun	31	31	31	31	31	32	32	33	33	33	33	33	33	32	32	32	31

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	31	32	33	38	37	34	34	34	34	34	35	35	35	33	32	32	31
Tue	31	32	35	43	42	36	34	33	33	34	36	39	37	35	32	32	31
Wed	31	32	35	42	40	36	34	33	33	34	36	39	39	35	32	32	31
Thu	31	32	35	42	42	36	34	33	33	34	38	39	39	35	32	32	31
Fri	31	32	33	35	34	33	33	33	34	34	36	36	36	34	32	32	31
Sat	31	31	31	31	32	32	33	33	33	33	33	34	34	33	32	32	31
Sun	31	31	31	31	31	32	32	33	33	33	33	33	33	32	32	32	31

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	31	32	33	38	37	34	34	34	34	34	35	35	35	33	32	32	31
Tue	31	32	35	43	42	36	34	33	33	34	36	39	37	35	32	32	31
Wed	31	32	35	42	40	36	34	33	33	34	36	39	39	35	32	32	31
Thu	31	32	35	42	42	36	34	33	33	34	38	39	39	35	32	32	31
Fri	31	32	33	35	34	33	33	33	34	34	36	36	36	34	32	32	31
Sat	31	31	31	31	32	32	33	33	33	33	33	34	34	33	32	32	31
Sun	31	31	31	31	31	32	32	33	33	33	33	33	33	32	32	32	31