Best Time to Drive from Stockton to San Francisco

Right now (6:24 pm PDT): about 146 minutes via I-580 East, usually 113 at this time.

Only 43% 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.

On weekdays the 83-mile drive from Stockton to San Francisco (via I-580 East) usually takes as little as 82 minutes and up to 151 minutes, when leaving around 6:30 am on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are after 8:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 94 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 11 am on Saturdays (96 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: San Francisco to Stockton

Freeway, about 58 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 25 miles: 31 to 77 minutes on weekdays, estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time (we don't have street sensors yet). Drive times are measured from central Stockton to downtown San Francisco along the route shown. Starting or ending elsewhere in a big city can add or save several minutes.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from Stockton 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	90	90	138	138	98	93	95	93	92	93	112	124	119	123	106	84	83
Tue	91	93	142	139	117	97	93	91	91	97	125	132	109	115	110	89	82
Wed	92	93	146	140	142	97	94	91	92	101	126	127	116	121	112	90	82
Thu	95	92	147	139	140	95	93	90	92	105	117	133	117	115	117	121	100
Fri	95	88	134	134	90	89	89	93	98	124	133	141	130	109	89	87	86
Sat	81	81	82	84	85	91	96	95	96	94	92	92	89	85	83	83	81
Sun	82	81	81	82	83	85	88	89	92	92	91	88	85	83	83	83	82

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 Stockton to San Francisco?

On weekdays, leave after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 82 minutes then, versus up to 151 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 83-mile drive usually takes 82 to 151 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 94 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Stockton to San Francisco?

Leaving around 6:30 am on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 151 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

Freeways on this drive

I-580 East in Bay Area (51 miles) · I-80 West in Bay Area (8 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

San Francisco to Stockton (return trip) · Stockton to Sacramento · Stockton 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	90	90	138	138	98	93	95	93	92	93	112	124	119	123	106	84	83
Tue	91	93	142	139	117	97	93	91	91	97	125	132	109	115	110	89	82
Wed	92	93	146	140	142	97	94	91	92	101	126	127	116	121	112	90	82
Thu	95	92	147	139	140	95	93	90	92	105	117	133	117	115	117	121	100
Fri	95	88	134	134	90	89	89	93	98	124	133	141	130	109	89	87	86
Sat	81	81	82	84	85	91	96	95	96	94	92	92	89	85	83	83	81
Sun	82	81	81	82	83	85	88	89	92	92	91	88	85	83	83	83	82

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	90	90	138	138	98	93	95	93	92	93	112	124	119	123	106	84	83
Tue	91	93	142	139	117	97	93	91	91	97	125	132	109	115	110	89	82
Wed	92	93	146	140	142	97	94	91	92	101	126	127	116	121	112	90	82
Thu	95	92	147	139	140	95	93	90	92	105	117	133	117	115	117	121	100
Fri	95	88	134	134	90	89	89	93	98	124	133	141	130	109	89	87	86
Sat	81	81	82	84	85	91	96	95	96	94	92	92	89	85	83	83	81
Sun	82	81	81	82	83	85	88	89	92	92	91	88	85	83	83	83	82

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	90	90	138	138	98	93	95	93	92	93	112	124	119	123	106	84	83
Tue	91	93	142	139	117	97	93	91	91	97	125	132	109	115	110	89	82
Wed	92	93	146	140	142	97	94	91	92	101	126	127	116	121	112	90	82
Thu	95	92	147	139	140	95	93	90	92	105	117	133	117	115	117	121	100
Fri	95	88	134	134	90	89	89	93	98	124	133	141	130	109	89	87	86
Sat	81	81	82	84	85	91	96	95	96	94	92	92	89	85	83	83	81
Sun	82	81	81	82	83	85	88	89	92	92	91	88	85	83	83	83	82