Best Time to Drive from San Francisco to Santa Rosa

Right now (6:17 pm PDT): about 55 minutes via US-101 North, usually 54 at this time.

Only 76% 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 San Francisco to Santa Rosa 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	50	54	58	61	57	57	55	57	56	56	66	71	69	56	54	52	51
Tue	50	55	58	61	57	56	55	54	54	54	68	79	79	63	54	53	50
Wed	50	52	56	59	54	53	53	53	53	54	66	78	80	62	52	50	50
Thu	50	53	59	63	54	56	55	55	55	58	70	83	83	65	52	51	50
Fri	50	51	54	54	53	53	53	53	55	61	74	83	74	58	52	51	50
Sat	50	50	49	50	50	51	52	52	53	52	52	52	52	51	50	50	50
Sun	50	50	50	50	51	53	54	56	56	56	55	54	53	53	52	51	50

About this drive

On weekdays the 55-mile drive from San Francisco to Santa Rosa (via US-101 North) usually takes as little as 50 minutes and up to 86 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7 am or after 7 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 55 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12:30 pm on Sundays (56 minutes).

About 53 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 1.7 miles surface streets (2 to 4 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from downtown San Francisco to central Santa Rosa 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 San Francisco to Santa Rosa?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 50 minutes then, versus up to 86 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from San Francisco to Santa Rosa?

The 55-mile drive usually takes 50 to 86 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 55 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from San Francisco to Santa Rosa?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 86 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

US-101 North in Bay Area (52 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

Santa Rosa to San Francisco (return trip) · San Francisco to San Jose · San Francisco to Palo Alto · 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

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	50	54	58	61	57	57	55	57	56	56	66	71	69	56	54	52	51
Tue	50	55	58	61	57	56	55	54	54	54	68	79	79	63	54	53	50
Wed	50	52	56	59	54	53	53	53	53	54	66	78	80	62	52	50	50
Thu	50	53	59	63	54	56	55	55	55	58	70	83	83	65	52	51	50
Fri	50	51	54	54	53	53	53	53	55	61	74	83	74	58	52	51	50
Sat	50	50	49	50	50	51	52	52	53	52	52	52	52	51	50	50	50
Sun	50	50	50	50	51	53	54	56	56	56	55	54	53	53	52	51	50

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	50	54	58	61	57	57	55	57	56	56	66	71	69	56	54	52	51
Tue	50	55	58	61	57	56	55	54	54	54	68	79	79	63	54	53	50
Wed	50	52	56	59	54	53	53	53	53	54	66	78	80	62	52	50	50
Thu	50	53	59	63	54	56	55	55	55	58	70	83	83	65	52	51	50
Fri	50	51	54	54	53	53	53	53	55	61	74	83	74	58	52	51	50
Sat	50	50	49	50	50	51	52	52	53	52	52	52	52	51	50	50	50
Sun	50	50	50	50	51	53	54	56	56	56	55	54	53	53	52	51	50

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	50	54	58	61	57	57	55	57	56	56	66	71	69	56	54	52	51
Tue	50	55	58	61	57	56	55	54	54	54	68	79	79	63	54	53	50
Wed	50	52	56	59	54	53	53	53	53	54	66	78	80	62	52	50	50
Thu	50	53	59	63	54	56	55	55	55	58	70	83	83	65	52	51	50
Fri	50	51	54	54	53	53	53	53	55	61	74	83	74	58	52	51	50
Sat	50	50	49	50	50	51	52	52	53	52	52	52	52	51	50	50	50
Sun	50	50	50	50	51	53	54	56	56	56	55	54	53	53	52	51	50