Best Time to Drive from San Rafael to Santa Rosa

Right now (5:51 pm PDT): about 35 minutes via US-101 North, usually 34 at this time.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from San Rafael to Santa Rosa 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	34	36	37	40	37	37	36	36	36	37	42	43	40	36	34	34	34
Tue	35	36	37	42	38	37	36	36	36	36	41	46	46	41	35	34	34
Wed	34	35	37	42	38	37	37	36	36	37	40	45	44	37	34	34	34
Thu	35	35	37	43	38	37	36	36	36	36	42	47	45	44	34	34	34
Fri	34	35	36	39	36	36	36	36	39	42	47	51	46	39	36	35	34
Sat	34	34	34	34	34	35	35	35	36	36	35	36	35	35	34	34	34
Sun	34	34	34	34	34	34	35	35	37	36	36	36	35	34	34	34	34

About this drive

On weekdays the 38-mile drive from San Rafael to Santa Rosa (via US-101 North) usually takes as little as 34 minutes and up to 51 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 7 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 36 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1:30 pm on Sundays (37 minutes).

About 36 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 1.3 miles surface streets (2 to 3 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 Santa Rosa 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 Santa Rosa?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 34 minutes then, versus up to 51 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from San Rafael to Santa Rosa?

The 38-mile drive usually takes 34 to 51 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 36 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from San Rafael to Santa Rosa?

Leaving around 4 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 51 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

US-101 North in Bay Area (35 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

Santa Rosa 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 Elk Grove

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	34	36	37	40	37	37	36	36	36	37	42	43	40	36	34	34	34
Tue	35	36	37	42	38	37	36	36	36	36	41	46	46	41	35	34	34
Wed	34	35	37	42	38	37	37	36	36	37	40	45	44	37	34	34	34
Thu	35	35	37	43	38	37	36	36	36	36	42	47	45	44	34	34	34
Fri	34	35	36	39	36	36	36	36	39	42	47	51	46	39	36	35	34
Sat	34	34	34	34	34	35	35	35	36	36	35	36	35	35	34	34	34
Sun	34	34	34	34	34	34	35	35	37	36	36	36	35	34	34	34	34

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	34	36	37	40	37	37	36	36	36	37	42	43	40	36	34	34	34
Tue	35	36	37	42	38	37	36	36	36	36	41	46	46	41	35	34	34
Wed	34	35	37	42	38	37	37	36	36	37	40	45	44	37	34	34	34
Thu	35	35	37	43	38	37	36	36	36	36	42	47	45	44	34	34	34
Fri	34	35	36	39	36	36	36	36	39	42	47	51	46	39	36	35	34
Sat	34	34	34	34	34	35	35	35	36	36	35	36	35	35	34	34	34
Sun	34	34	34	34	34	34	35	35	37	36	36	36	35	34	34	34	34

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	34	36	37	40	37	37	36	36	36	37	42	43	40	36	34	34	34
Tue	35	36	37	42	38	37	36	36	36	36	41	46	46	41	35	34	34
Wed	34	35	37	42	38	37	37	36	36	37	40	45	44	37	34	34	34
Thu	35	35	37	43	38	37	36	36	36	36	42	47	45	44	34	34	34
Fri	34	35	36	39	36	36	36	36	39	42	47	51	46	39	36	35	34
Sat	34	34	34	34	34	35	35	35	36	36	35	36	35	35	34	34	34
Sun	34	34	34	34	34	34	35	35	37	36	36	36	35	34	34	34	34