Best Time to Drive from Fairfield to San Mateo

Right now (2:51 pm PST): about 82 minutes via I-80 West and US-101 South, usually 76 at this time.

Only 55% 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 Fairfield to San Mateo 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	58	73	90	92	78	71	69	67	66	68	71	68	71	64	60	60	59
Tue	57	73	94	98	84	74	70	65	65	68	72	71	77	67	60	59	58
Wed	57	72	92	94	82	75	71	66	66	68	73	76	82	69	60	59	58
Thu	58	73	94	95	83	76	72	68	68	72	77	82	87	72	62	60	58
Fri	57	66	74	75	70	67	66	67	70	73	78	76	81	72	64	61	58
Sat	58	58	59	59	62	65	74	76	75	75	76	76	76	71	66	64	60
Sun	58	58	58	58	60	62	67	71	75	76	76	73	75	73	69	64	58

About this drive

On weekdays the 64-mile drive from Fairfield to San Mateo (via I-80 West and US-101 South) usually takes as little as 57 minutes and up to 100 minutes, when leaving around 7:30 am on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 7 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 68 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3 pm on Sundays (76 minutes).

About 60 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 4 miles surface streets (5 to 8 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Fairfield to central San Mateo 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 Fairfield to San Mateo?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 57 minutes then, versus up to 100 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Fairfield to San Mateo?

The 64-mile drive usually takes 57 to 100 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 68 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Fairfield to San Mateo?

Leaving around 7:30 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 100 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-80 West in Bay Area (46 miles) · US-101 South in Bay Area (14 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

San Mateo to Fairfield (return trip) · Fairfield to San Jose · Fairfield to San Francisco · Fairfield to Sacramento · Fairfield to Oakland · Fairfield to Fremont · Fairfield to Santa Rosa · Fairfield to Elk Grove · Fairfield to Hayward · Fairfield to Sunnyvale · Fairfield to Roseville · Fairfield to Concord

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	58	73	90	92	78	71	69	67	66	68	71	68	71	64	60	60	59
Tue	57	73	94	98	84	74	70	65	65	68	72	71	77	67	60	59	58
Wed	57	72	92	94	82	75	71	66	66	68	73	76	82	69	60	59	58
Thu	58	73	94	95	83	76	72	68	68	72	77	82	87	72	62	60	58
Fri	57	66	74	75	70	67	66	67	70	73	78	76	81	72	64	61	58
Sat	58	58	59	59	62	65	74	76	75	75	76	76	76	71	66	64	60
Sun	58	58	58	58	60	62	67	71	75	76	76	73	75	73	69	64	58

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	58	73	90	92	78	71	69	67	66	68	71	68	71	64	60	60	59
Tue	57	73	94	98	84	74	70	65	65	68	72	71	77	67	60	59	58
Wed	57	72	92	94	82	75	71	66	66	68	73	76	82	69	60	59	58
Thu	58	73	94	95	83	76	72	68	68	72	77	82	87	72	62	60	58
Fri	57	66	74	75	70	67	66	67	70	73	78	76	81	72	64	61	58
Sat	58	58	59	59	62	65	74	76	75	75	76	76	76	71	66	64	60
Sun	58	58	58	58	60	62	67	71	75	76	76	73	75	73	69	64	58

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	58	73	90	92	78	71	69	67	66	68	71	68	71	64	60	60	59
Tue	57	73	94	98	84	74	70	65	65	68	72	71	77	67	60	59	58
Wed	57	72	92	94	82	75	71	66	66	68	73	76	82	69	60	59	58
Thu	58	73	94	95	83	76	72	68	68	72	77	82	87	72	62	60	58
Fri	57	66	74	75	70	67	66	67	70	73	78	76	81	72	64	61	58
Sat	58	58	59	59	62	65	74	76	75	75	76	76	76	71	66	64	60
Sun	58	58	58	58	60	62	67	71	75	76	76	73	75	73	69	64	58