Best Time to Drive from Saratoga to San Francisco

Right now (7:18 pm PDT): about 55 minutes via US-101 North and SR-85 North, usually 47 at this time.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from Saratoga 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	42	45	55	65	59	51	48	47	46	47	50	53	57	50	46	44	44
Tue	42	45	55	71	66	54	49	47	46	47	51	59	63	58	49	44	43
Wed	42	45	56	72	69	52	48	47	46	48	52	57	63	57	49	45	44
Thu	42	45	56	70	70	54	49	48	46	48	52	60	66	59	50	45	46
Fri	42	44	49	57	51	50	50	48	47	48	51	54	56	52	47	44	43
Sat	43	43	43	43	44	49	53	51	48	49	48	47	47	47	45	46	44
Sun	43	43	43	42	43	45	47	48	47	46	46	46	46	45	45	45	43

About this drive

On weekdays the 48-mile drive from Saratoga to San Francisco (via US-101 North and SR-85 North) usually takes as little as 42 minutes and up to 75 minutes, when leaving around 8:30 am on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 47 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 11 am on Saturdays (53 minutes).

About 46 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 1.9 miles surface streets (2 to 5 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Saratoga 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 Saratoga to San Francisco?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 42 minutes then, versus up to 75 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Saratoga to San Francisco?

The 48-mile drive usually takes 42 to 75 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 47 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Saratoga to San Francisco?

Leaving around 8:30 am on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 75 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

US-101 North in Bay Area (36 miles) · SR-85 North in Bay Area (10 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

San Francisco to Saratoga (return trip) · Saratoga to San Jose

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	42	45	55	65	59	51	48	47	46	47	50	53	57	50	46	44	44
Tue	42	45	55	71	66	54	49	47	46	47	51	59	63	58	49	44	43
Wed	42	45	56	72	69	52	48	47	46	48	52	57	63	57	49	45	44
Thu	42	45	56	70	70	54	49	48	46	48	52	60	66	59	50	45	46
Fri	42	44	49	57	51	50	50	48	47	48	51	54	56	52	47	44	43
Sat	43	43	43	43	44	49	53	51	48	49	48	47	47	47	45	46	44
Sun	43	43	43	42	43	45	47	48	47	46	46	46	46	45	45	45	43

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	42	45	55	65	59	51	48	47	46	47	50	53	57	50	46	44	44
Tue	42	45	55	71	66	54	49	47	46	47	51	59	63	58	49	44	43
Wed	42	45	56	72	69	52	48	47	46	48	52	57	63	57	49	45	44
Thu	42	45	56	70	70	54	49	48	46	48	52	60	66	59	50	45	46
Fri	42	44	49	57	51	50	50	48	47	48	51	54	56	52	47	44	43
Sat	43	43	43	43	44	49	53	51	48	49	48	47	47	47	45	46	44
Sun	43	43	43	42	43	45	47	48	47	46	46	46	46	45	45	45	43

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	42	45	55	65	59	51	48	47	46	47	50	53	57	50	46	44	44
Tue	42	45	55	71	66	54	49	47	46	47	51	59	63	58	49	44	43
Wed	42	45	56	72	69	52	48	47	46	48	52	57	63	57	49	45	44
Thu	42	45	56	70	70	54	49	48	46	48	52	60	66	59	50	45	46
Fri	42	44	49	57	51	50	50	48	47	48	51	54	56	52	47	44	43
Sat	43	43	43	43	44	49	53	51	48	49	48	47	47	47	45	46	44
Sun	43	43	43	42	43	45	47	48	47	46	46	46	46	45	45	45	43