Best Time to Drive from San Rafael to Richmond

Right now (5:49 pm PDT): about 24 minutes via I-580 West, usually 13 at this time.

Only 72% 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 Richmond 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	13	14	23	22	17	15	14	14	14	14	14	13	14	13	13	13	13
Tue	13	14	26	30	21	17	14	14	13	13	14	14	15	14	13	13	13
Wed	13	14	27	29	19	16	14	14	13	13	14	14	14	14	13	13	13
Thu	13	14	27	29	20	16	14	14	14	14	14	14	14	15	13	13	13
Fri	13	13	22	19	15	14	14	14	14	14	14	15	15	14	13	13	13
Sat	13	13	13	13	13	15	16	21	20	18	16	14	13	13	13	13	14
Sun	13	13	13	13	13	13	14	17	16	15	15	14	13	13	13	13	13

About this drive

On weekdays the 12-mile drive from San Rafael to Richmond (via I-580 West) usually takes as little as 13 minutes and up to 30 minutes, when leaving around 8 am on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 14 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12:30 pm on Saturdays (22 minutes).

About 10 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 2 miles surface streets (4 to 6 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 Richmond 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 Richmond?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 13 minutes then, versus up to 30 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 12-mile drive usually takes 13 to 30 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 14 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from San Rafael to Richmond?

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

Freeways on this drive

I-580 West in Bay Area (9 miles) · US-101 South in Bay Area (1.5 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

Richmond 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	13	14	23	22	17	15	14	14	14	14	14	13	14	13	13	13	13
Tue	13	14	26	30	21	17	14	14	13	13	14	14	15	14	13	13	13
Wed	13	14	27	29	19	16	14	14	13	13	14	14	14	14	13	13	13
Thu	13	14	27	29	20	16	14	14	14	14	14	14	14	15	13	13	13
Fri	13	13	22	19	15	14	14	14	14	14	14	15	15	14	13	13	13
Sat	13	13	13	13	13	15	16	21	20	18	16	14	13	13	13	13	14
Sun	13	13	13	13	13	13	14	17	16	15	15	14	13	13	13	13	13

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	13	14	23	22	17	15	14	14	14	14	14	13	14	13	13	13	13
Tue	13	14	26	30	21	17	14	14	13	13	14	14	15	14	13	13	13
Wed	13	14	27	29	19	16	14	14	13	13	14	14	14	14	13	13	13
Thu	13	14	27	29	20	16	14	14	14	14	14	14	14	15	13	13	13
Fri	13	13	22	19	15	14	14	14	14	14	14	15	15	14	13	13	13
Sat	13	13	13	13	13	15	16	21	20	18	16	14	13	13	13	13	14
Sun	13	13	13	13	13	13	14	17	16	15	15	14	13	13	13	13	13

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	13	14	23	22	17	15	14	14	14	14	14	13	14	13	13	13	13
Tue	13	14	26	30	21	17	14	14	13	13	14	14	15	14	13	13	13
Wed	13	14	27	29	19	16	14	14	13	13	14	14	14	14	13	13	13
Thu	13	14	27	29	20	16	14	14	14	14	14	14	14	15	13	13	13
Fri	13	13	22	19	15	14	14	14	14	14	14	15	15	14	13	13	13
Sat	13	13	13	13	13	15	16	21	20	18	16	14	13	13	13	13	14
Sun	13	13	13	13	13	13	14	17	16	15	15	14	13	13	13	13	13