Best Time to Drive from Santa Rosa to San Francisco

Right now (6:17 pm PDT): about 55 minutes via US-101 South, usually 53 at this time.

Only 69% 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 Santa Rosa to San Francisco 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	50	54	68	68	61	57	56	56	55	55	55	56	56	54	52	52	52
Tue	50	54	75	74	65	57	56	55	55	55	55	56	56	54	52	52	52
Wed	50	53	70	72	63	58	56	54	54	54	55	57	57	54	52	52	52
Thu	51	54	77	74	63	59	59	55	55	55	55	58	58	54	52	53	52
Fri	50	53	61	59	56	54	54	54	55	55	56	57	57	54	52	52	52
Sat	51	51	51	51	52	53	54	54	54	56	55	57	56	54	51	52	51
Sun	51	51	51	51	52	53	55	59	61	61	61	60	58	55	53	52	51

About this drive

On weekdays the 55-mile drive from Santa Rosa to San Francisco (via US-101 South) usually takes as little as 50 minutes and up to 80 minutes, when leaving around 7:30 am on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 6 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 55 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2:30 pm on Sundays (61 minutes).

About 51 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 4 miles surface streets (6 to 9 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Santa Rosa 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 Santa Rosa to San Francisco?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 6 pm. The drive usually takes about 50 minutes then, versus up to 80 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 55-mile drive usually takes 50 to 80 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 55 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santa Rosa to San Francisco?

Leaving around 7:30 am on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 80 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

US-101 South in Bay Area (49 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

San Francisco to Santa Rosa (return trip) · Santa Rosa to Sacramento · Santa Rosa to Oakland

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	50	54	68	68	61	57	56	56	55	55	55	56	56	54	52	52	52
Tue	50	54	75	74	65	57	56	55	55	55	55	56	56	54	52	52	52
Wed	50	53	70	72	63	58	56	54	54	54	55	57	57	54	52	52	52
Thu	51	54	77	74	63	59	59	55	55	55	55	58	58	54	52	53	52
Fri	50	53	61	59	56	54	54	54	55	55	56	57	57	54	52	52	52
Sat	51	51	51	51	52	53	54	54	54	56	55	57	56	54	51	52	51
Sun	51	51	51	51	52	53	55	59	61	61	61	60	58	55	53	52	51

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	50	54	68	68	61	57	56	56	55	55	55	56	56	54	52	52	52
Tue	50	54	75	74	65	57	56	55	55	55	55	56	56	54	52	52	52
Wed	50	53	70	72	63	58	56	54	54	54	55	57	57	54	52	52	52
Thu	51	54	77	74	63	59	59	55	55	55	55	58	58	54	52	53	52
Fri	50	53	61	59	56	54	54	54	55	55	56	57	57	54	52	52	52
Sat	51	51	51	51	52	53	54	54	54	56	55	57	56	54	51	52	51
Sun	51	51	51	51	52	53	55	59	61	61	61	60	58	55	53	52	51

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	50	54	68	68	61	57	56	56	55	55	55	56	56	54	52	52	52
Tue	50	54	75	74	65	57	56	55	55	55	55	56	56	54	52	52	52
Wed	50	53	70	72	63	58	56	54	54	54	55	57	57	54	52	52	52
Thu	51	54	77	74	63	59	59	55	55	55	55	58	58	54	52	53	52
Fri	50	53	61	59	56	54	54	54	55	55	56	57	57	54	52	52	52
Sat	51	51	51	51	52	53	54	54	54	56	55	57	56	54	51	52	51
Sun	51	51	51	51	52	53	55	59	61	61	61	60	58	55	53	52	51