Best Time to Drive from San Jose to San Rafael

Right now (7:32 pm PDT): about 65 minutes via I-880 North and I-580 East, usually 64 at this time.

Only 67% 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	59	62	69	68	65	65	65	68	77	93	99	97	81	66	61	59
Tue	58	59	62	70	71	66	65	65	67	78	100	117	112	93	76	64	59
Wed	58	59	62	73	72	66	66	65	68	80	101	118	109	93	76	65	59
Thu	58	59	63	72	72	66	65	65	67	77	104	121	112	92	77	66	59
Fri	58	59	61	66	65	64	66	68	73	91	108	115	103	87	73	64	58
Sat	58	58	59	59	60	62	66	70	73	75	78	76	73	68	66	64	59
Sun	59	58	58	58	59	61	63	65	68	68	68	67	65	66	65	64	58

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 121 minutes, when leaving around 4 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 3 pm on Saturdays (78 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 121 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 121 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 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 121 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	59	62	69	68	65	65	65	68	77	93	99	97	81	66	61	59
Tue	58	59	62	70	71	66	65	65	67	78	100	117	112	93	76	64	59
Wed	58	59	62	73	72	66	66	65	68	80	101	118	109	93	76	65	59
Thu	58	59	63	72	72	66	65	65	67	77	104	121	112	92	77	66	59
Fri	58	59	61	66	65	64	66	68	73	91	108	115	103	87	73	64	58
Sat	58	58	59	59	60	62	66	70	73	75	78	76	73	68	66	64	59
Sun	59	58	58	58	59	61	63	65	68	68	68	67	65	66	65	64	58

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	58	59	62	69	68	65	65	65	68	77	93	99	97	81	66	61	59
Tue	58	59	62	70	71	66	65	65	67	78	100	117	112	93	76	64	59
Wed	58	59	62	73	72	66	66	65	68	80	101	118	109	93	76	65	59
Thu	58	59	63	72	72	66	65	65	67	77	104	121	112	92	77	66	59
Fri	58	59	61	66	65	64	66	68	73	91	108	115	103	87	73	64	58
Sat	58	58	59	59	60	62	66	70	73	75	78	76	73	68	66	64	59
Sun	59	58	58	58	59	61	63	65	68	68	68	67	65	66	65	64	58

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	58	59	62	69	68	65	65	65	68	77	93	99	97	81	66	61	59
Tue	58	59	62	70	71	66	65	65	67	78	100	117	112	93	76	64	59
Wed	58	59	62	73	72	66	66	65	68	80	101	118	109	93	76	65	59
Thu	58	59	63	72	72	66	65	65	67	77	104	121	112	92	77	66	59
Fri	58	59	61	66	65	64	66	68	73	91	108	115	103	87	73	64	58
Sat	58	58	59	59	60	62	66	70	73	75	78	76	73	68	66	64	59
Sun	59	58	58	58	59	61	63	65	68	68	68	67	65	66	65	64	58