Best Time to Drive from Vacaville to San Francisco

Right now (6:02 pm PDT): about 64 minutes via I-80 West, usually 54 at this time.

On weekdays the 55-mile drive from Vacaville to San Francisco (via I-80 West) usually takes as little as 48 minutes and up to 82 minutes, when leaving around 7:30 am on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 5:30 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 57 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2 pm on Sundays (69 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: San Francisco to Vacaville

Freeway, about 53 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 1.4 miles: about 2 minutes, 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 Vacaville 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 Vacaville 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	49	63	74	73	65	63	61	58	57	56	57	54	56	51	50	50	49
Tue	48	64	79	79	69	64	60	55	55	55	57	56	66	54	50	50	48
Wed	48	63	74	75	68	64	60	56	55	54	56	59	65	54	50	50	49
Thu	49	64	76	79	69	64	61	58	57	58	62	66	73	56	51	50	49
Fri	48	57	64	63	59	55	56	57	57	58	60	61	64	56	51	52	49
Sat	49	49	50	50	52	55	65	67	67	66	68	67	66	60	55	53	49
Sun	49	49	49	49	50	53	57	61	66	69	66	64	63	60	56	54	48

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 Vacaville to San Francisco?

On weekdays, leave before 5:30 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 48 minutes then, versus up to 82 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 55-mile drive usually takes 48 to 82 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 57 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Vacaville to San Francisco?

Leaving around 7:30 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 82 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

Freeways on this drive

I-80 West in Bay Area (53 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

San Francisco to Vacaville (return trip)

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	49	63	74	73	65	63	61	58	57	56	57	54	56	51	50	50	49
Tue	48	64	79	79	69	64	60	55	55	55	57	56	66	54	50	50	48
Wed	48	63	74	75	68	64	60	56	55	54	56	59	65	54	50	50	49
Thu	49	64	76	79	69	64	61	58	57	58	62	66	73	56	51	50	49
Fri	48	57	64	63	59	55	56	57	57	58	60	61	64	56	51	52	49
Sat	49	49	50	50	52	55	65	67	67	66	68	67	66	60	55	53	49
Sun	49	49	49	49	50	53	57	61	66	69	66	64	63	60	56	54	48

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	49	63	74	73	65	63	61	58	57	56	57	54	56	51	50	50	49
Tue	48	64	79	79	69	64	60	55	55	55	57	56	66	54	50	50	48
Wed	48	63	74	75	68	64	60	56	55	54	56	59	65	54	50	50	49
Thu	49	64	76	79	69	64	61	58	57	58	62	66	73	56	51	50	49
Fri	48	57	64	63	59	55	56	57	57	58	60	61	64	56	51	52	49
Sat	49	49	50	50	52	55	65	67	67	66	68	67	66	60	55	53	49
Sun	49	49	49	49	50	53	57	61	66	69	66	64	63	60	56	54	48

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	49	63	74	73	65	63	61	58	57	56	57	54	56	51	50	50	49
Tue	48	64	79	79	69	64	60	55	55	55	57	56	66	54	50	50	48
Wed	48	63	74	75	68	64	60	56	55	54	56	59	65	54	50	50	49
Thu	49	64	76	79	69	64	61	58	57	58	62	66	73	56	51	50	49
Fri	48	57	64	63	59	55	56	57	57	58	60	61	64	56	51	52	49
Sat	49	49	50	50	52	55	65	67	67	66	68	67	66	60	55	53	49
Sun	49	49	49	49	50	53	57	61	66	69	66	64	63	60	56	54	48