Best Time to Drive from San Jose to San Rafael

Right now (8:49 pm PDT): about 60 minutes via I-880 North and I-580 East, usually 59 at this time.

Only 68% 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 Jose 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	58	60	62	68	69	65	65	65	67	75	89	96	96	83	67	61	59
Tue	58	59	62	70	71	66	65	65	67	76	95	109	107	91	77	65	59
Wed	58	59	62	71	72	67	66	66	68	78	94	111	107	93	77	65	59
Thu	58	59	63	72	71	66	65	65	67	76	98	113	108	92	77	65	59
Fri	58	59	62	66	66	65	66	68	72	86	100	110	100	85	73	65	59
Sat	58	58	59	59	60	62	65	68	70	72	74	75	72	69	66	64	59
Sun	59	58	58	58	59	61	62	64	67	68	68	69	66	66	65	64	59

About this drive

On weekdays the 64-mile drive from San Jose to San Rafael (via I-880 North and I-580 East) usually takes as little as 58 minutes and up to 113 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7:30 am or after 8:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 69 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4 pm on Saturdays (75 minutes).

About 60 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 4 miles surface streets (6 to 13 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from downtown San Jose 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 San Jose to San Rafael?

On weekdays, leave before 7:30 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 58 minutes then, versus up to 113 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 64-mile drive usually takes 58 to 113 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 69 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from San Jose to San Rafael?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 113 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-880 North in Bay Area (26 miles) · I-580 East in Bay Area (24 miles) · I-80 East in Bay Area (10 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

San Rafael to San Jose (return trip) · San Jose to San Francisco · San Jose to Oakland · San Jose to Palo Alto · San Jose to Berkeley · San Jose to Fremont · San Jose to Walnut Creek · San Jose to San Mateo · San Jose to Hayward · San Jose to Mountain View · San Jose to Pleasanton · San Jose 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	58	60	62	68	69	65	65	65	67	75	89	96	96	83	67	61	59
Tue	58	59	62	70	71	66	65	65	67	76	95	109	107	91	77	65	59
Wed	58	59	62	71	72	67	66	66	68	78	94	111	107	93	77	65	59
Thu	58	59	63	72	71	66	65	65	67	76	98	113	108	92	77	65	59
Fri	58	59	62	66	66	65	66	68	72	86	100	110	100	85	73	65	59
Sat	58	58	59	59	60	62	65	68	70	72	74	75	72	69	66	64	59
Sun	59	58	58	58	59	61	62	64	67	68	68	69	66	66	65	64	59

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	58	60	62	68	69	65	65	65	67	75	89	96	96	83	67	61	59
Tue	58	59	62	70	71	66	65	65	67	76	95	109	107	91	77	65	59
Wed	58	59	62	71	72	67	66	66	68	78	94	111	107	93	77	65	59
Thu	58	59	63	72	71	66	65	65	67	76	98	113	108	92	77	65	59
Fri	58	59	62	66	66	65	66	68	72	86	100	110	100	85	73	65	59
Sat	58	58	59	59	60	62	65	68	70	72	74	75	72	69	66	64	59
Sun	59	58	58	58	59	61	62	64	67	68	68	69	66	66	65	64	59

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	58	60	62	68	69	65	65	65	67	75	89	96	96	83	67	61	59
Tue	58	59	62	70	71	66	65	65	67	76	95	109	107	91	77	65	59
Wed	58	59	62	71	72	67	66	66	68	78	94	111	107	93	77	65	59
Thu	58	59	63	72	71	66	65	65	67	76	98	113	108	92	77	65	59
Fri	58	59	62	66	66	65	66	68	72	86	100	110	100	85	73	65	59
Sat	58	58	59	59	60	62	65	68	70	72	74	75	72	69	66	64	59
Sun	59	58	58	58	59	61	62	64	67	68	68	69	66	66	65	64	59