Traffic Predict
Best Time to Drive from San Rafael to San Francisco
Right now (7:32 pm PDT): about 21 minutes via US-101 South, usually 22 at this time.
Only 39% 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
| Leave | 5am | 6am | 7am | 8am | 9am | 10am | 11am | 12pm | 1pm | 2pm | 3pm | 4pm | 5pm | 6pm | 7pm | 8pm | 9pm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 25 | 22 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 |
| Tue | 20 | 21 | 22 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 21 |
| Wed | 20 | 21 | 22 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 25 | 23 | 21 | 21 | 21 |
| Thu | 20 | 21 | 22 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 25 | 24 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 24 | 23 | 21 | 21 | 21 |
| Fri | 20 | 21 | 21 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 21 | 21 | 21 |
| Sat | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 22 | 21 | 21 |
| Sun | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 25 | 24 | 22 | 21 | 21 |
About this drive
On weekdays the 19-mile drive from San Rafael to San Francisco (via US-101 South) usually takes as little as 20 minutes and up to 25 minutes, when leaving around 11 am on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7:30 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 22 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4 pm on Sundays (26 minutes).
About 14 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 4 miles surface streets (8 to 12 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central San Rafael to downtown San Francisco 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 San Francisco?
On weekdays, leave before 7:30 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 20 minutes then, versus up to 25 minutes at the worst times.
How long does it take to drive from San Rafael to San Francisco?
The 19-mile drive usually takes 20 to 25 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 22 minutes midday.
When is traffic worst from San Rafael to San Francisco?
Leaving around 11 am on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 25 minutes.
Freeways on this drive
US-101 South in Bay Area (14 miles)
Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow
More drives
San Francisco to San Rafael (return trip) · San Rafael to San Jose