Best Time to Drive from Berkeley to Petaluma

Right now (6:49 pm PDT): about 42 minutes via US-101 North and I-580 East, usually 38 at this time.

Only 67% 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 Berkeley to Petaluma 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	36	37	40	43	43	39	39	39	40	40	43	42	42	40	37	36	36
Tue	36	37	40	44	44	41	40	39	39	40	44	45	45	43	38	37	36
Wed	36	36	41	43	44	40	39	39	40	40	43	44	45	42	38	36	36
Thu	36	37	40	44	44	41	40	39	40	41	46	46	45	44	38	37	36
Fri	36	36	39	41	41	38	40	41	43	44	49	47	45	43	40	37	36
Sat	36	36	36	36	36	37	40	40	41	41	43	43	43	42	40	38	37
Sun	36	37	36	36	36	37	40	41	44	43	44	43	42	42	41	39	36

About this drive

On weekdays the 39-mile drive from Berkeley to Petaluma (via US-101 North and I-580 East) usually takes as little as 36 minutes and up to 49 minutes, when leaving around 3:30 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 7 am or after 7 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 40 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3:30 pm on Sundays (44 minutes).

About 34 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 4 miles surface streets (5 to 13 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Berkeley to central Petaluma 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 Berkeley to Petaluma?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 36 minutes then, versus up to 49 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Berkeley to Petaluma?

The 39-mile drive usually takes 36 to 49 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 40 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Berkeley to Petaluma?

Leaving around 3:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 49 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

US-101 North in Bay Area (19 miles) · I-580 East in Bay Area (9 miles) · I-80 East in Bay Area (7 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

Petaluma to Berkeley (return trip) · Berkeley to San Francisco · Berkeley to San Jose · Berkeley to Palo Alto · Berkeley to Fremont · Berkeley to Walnut Creek · Berkeley to San Mateo · Berkeley to Mountain View · Berkeley to Pleasanton · Berkeley to Santa Clara · Berkeley to SFO · Berkeley to OAK

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	36	37	40	43	43	39	39	39	40	40	43	42	42	40	37	36	36
Tue	36	37	40	44	44	41	40	39	39	40	44	45	45	43	38	37	36
Wed	36	36	41	43	44	40	39	39	40	40	43	44	45	42	38	36	36
Thu	36	37	40	44	44	41	40	39	40	41	46	46	45	44	38	37	36
Fri	36	36	39	41	41	38	40	41	43	44	49	47	45	43	40	37	36
Sat	36	36	36	36	36	37	40	40	41	41	43	43	43	42	40	38	37
Sun	36	37	36	36	36	37	40	41	44	43	44	43	42	42	41	39	36

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	36	37	40	43	43	39	39	39	40	40	43	42	42	40	37	36	36
Tue	36	37	40	44	44	41	40	39	39	40	44	45	45	43	38	37	36
Wed	36	36	41	43	44	40	39	39	40	40	43	44	45	42	38	36	36
Thu	36	37	40	44	44	41	40	39	40	41	46	46	45	44	38	37	36
Fri	36	36	39	41	41	38	40	41	43	44	49	47	45	43	40	37	36
Sat	36	36	36	36	36	37	40	40	41	41	43	43	43	42	40	38	37
Sun	36	37	36	36	36	37	40	41	44	43	44	43	42	42	41	39	36

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	36	37	40	43	43	39	39	39	40	40	43	42	42	40	37	36	36
Tue	36	37	40	44	44	41	40	39	39	40	44	45	45	43	38	37	36
Wed	36	36	41	43	44	40	39	39	40	40	43	44	45	42	38	36	36
Thu	36	37	40	44	44	41	40	39	40	41	46	46	45	44	38	37	36
Fri	36	36	39	41	41	38	40	41	43	44	49	47	45	43	40	37	36
Sat	36	36	36	36	36	37	40	40	41	41	43	43	43	42	40	38	37
Sun	36	37	36	36	36	37	40	41	44	43	44	43	42	42	41	39	36