Best Time to Drive from San Rafael to Fairfield

Right now (6:34 pm PDT): about 51 minutes via US-101 North and I-80 East and SR-37 East, usually 50 at this time.

Only 54% 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 Rafael to Fairfield 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	45	47	48	49	49	48	49	48	48	48	50	52	55	48	45	45	45
Tue	45	46	48	50	50	48	47	48	48	48	52	57	62	52	46	45	45
Wed	44	46	49	50	51	49	48	48	48	49	52	57	61	51	47	45	45
Thu	45	46	48	50	50	49	47	47	48	49	52	56	58	53	47	45	45
Fri	44	45	46	48	48	48	48	49	51	53	56	57	58	53	48	46	45
Sat	45	45	45	45	45	45	46	46	46	46	47	48	47	47	46	45	45
Sun	45	45	45	44	45	45	46	47	49	49	48	48	48	47	46	45	45

About this drive

On weekdays the 43-mile drive from San Rafael to Fairfield (via US-101 North and I-80 East and SR-37 East) usually takes as little as 44 minutes and up to 62 minutes, when leaving around 5 pm on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7:30 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 48 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1 pm on Sundays (49 minutes).

About 32 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 11 miles surface streets (16 to 25 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central San Rafael to central Fairfield 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 Rafael to Fairfield?

On weekdays, leave before 7:30 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 44 minutes then, versus up to 62 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 43-mile drive usually takes 44 to 62 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 48 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from San Rafael to Fairfield?

Leaving around 5 pm on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 62 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

US-101 North in Bay Area (12 miles) · I-80 East in Bay Area (11 miles) · SR-37 East in Bay Area (10 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

Fairfield to San Rafael (return trip) · San Rafael to San Jose · San Rafael to San Francisco · San Rafael to Oakland · San Rafael to Stockton · San Rafael to Fremont · San Rafael to Santa Rosa · San Rafael to Elk Grove · San Rafael to Hayward · San Rafael to Sunnyvale · San Rafael to Concord · San Rafael 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	45	47	48	49	49	48	49	48	48	48	50	52	55	48	45	45	45
Tue	45	46	48	50	50	48	47	48	48	48	52	57	62	52	46	45	45
Wed	44	46	49	50	51	49	48	48	48	49	52	57	61	51	47	45	45
Thu	45	46	48	50	50	49	47	47	48	49	52	56	58	53	47	45	45
Fri	44	45	46	48	48	48	48	49	51	53	56	57	58	53	48	46	45
Sat	45	45	45	45	45	45	46	46	46	46	47	48	47	47	46	45	45
Sun	45	45	45	44	45	45	46	47	49	49	48	48	48	47	46	45	45

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	45	47	48	49	49	48	49	48	48	48	50	52	55	48	45	45	45
Tue	45	46	48	50	50	48	47	48	48	48	52	57	62	52	46	45	45
Wed	44	46	49	50	51	49	48	48	48	49	52	57	61	51	47	45	45
Thu	45	46	48	50	50	49	47	47	48	49	52	56	58	53	47	45	45
Fri	44	45	46	48	48	48	48	49	51	53	56	57	58	53	48	46	45
Sat	45	45	45	45	45	45	46	46	46	46	47	48	47	47	46	45	45
Sun	45	45	45	44	45	45	46	47	49	49	48	48	48	47	46	45	45

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	45	47	48	49	49	48	49	48	48	48	50	52	55	48	45	45	45
Tue	45	46	48	50	50	48	47	48	48	48	52	57	62	52	46	45	45
Wed	44	46	49	50	51	49	48	48	48	49	52	57	61	51	47	45	45
Thu	45	46	48	50	50	49	47	47	48	49	52	56	58	53	47	45	45
Fri	44	45	46	48	48	48	48	49	51	53	56	57	58	53	48	46	45
Sat	45	45	45	45	45	45	46	46	46	46	47	48	47	47	46	45	45
Sun	45	45	45	44	45	45	46	47	49	49	48	48	48	47	46	45	45