Driving from Sacramento to San Francisco
 

Hi, I'm driving with my family from Sacramento to the Financial District in San Francisco on a Monday morning, what time should I leave to get there by noon at the latest? Also, what route would be best?

#California #driving #sanfrancisco

Leave by 9, but check traffic reports. West on 80, over the Bay Bridge, first exit after the bridge is Fremont Street. Take Fremont Street to you destination downtown.

definitely check the traffic reports before you leave. Just a few days ago there was a massive wreck near Fairfield and it took hours to clear up.

Where in the Sacramento area are you leaving from? You might need to take Hwy 50 to get to I-80 first

Lately there have been back-ups on I-80 on and west of the causeway. So yes, do check the traffic reports before you head out. Try to miss the commute traffic if possible.

Leaving from NE of Sacramento, near the airfield.

>>Leaving from NE of Sacramento, near the airfield.<<

Do you mean the Airport -- which is NW of Sacramento. Or do you mean McClellan (which was an AFB that closed 15 years ago)

From McClellan Park/North Highlands you will get on I-80 (probably at Watt Avenue but that depends on exactly where you are starting). The section of I-80 between there and Yolo County/West Sacramento is a huge construction zone and can be terribly backed up until well after the main morning commute. So If you are leaving from there you might need to start even earlier.

From the airport area you would take I-5 south to I-80 and then west towards SF. This route misses the main construction zone -- but still gets backed up.

Check Google Maps and Apple Maps at 9am on weekdays for a few days leading up to your trip to get an idea of timing. Both are good at offering routes that take up-to-the-minute traffic patterns into account, especially in that area.

The I-80 construction zone I mentioned -- the situation is VERY changeable. Like minute to minute. The biggest problem is there are temporary (though they've been there for months) lane dividers and there are no exits at all from the 2 through lanes if there is any sort of problem like a wreck, stall or medical emergency. And the one 'local access' lane gets VERY congested because it it the only lane that has on/off ramps. The whole section is a mine field - w/ accidents every day.

This ONLY applies if you are traveling from the McClellan 'airfield' area, and not so much from the SMF direction.

Leave the Sacramento Valley station on the Amtrak Capitol Corridor #531 at 8:55AM. You arrive in Emeryville about 10:33 and take the Thruway bus #6631 over to SFF (corner of California & Drumm) at 11:15.
No searching for and paying for parking. $33/pp.