Best Time to Drive from Fremont to Petaluma

Right now (6:53 pm PDT): about 91 minutes via I-580 East and US-101 North, usually 74 at this time.

Only 65% 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 Fremont 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	64	66	70	74	74	72	71	71	72	80	89	91	92	78	70	66	64
Tue	64	66	71	76	73	71	71	70	72	79	91	102	105	85	73	69	65
Wed	64	66	71	77	75	73	71	71	72	80	93	104	107	87	75	69	64
Thu	64	66	72	79	74	71	71	71	72	78	92	106	109	87	74	70	65
Fri	64	65	69	71	71	70	71	73	78	88	102	110	105	88	78	70	64
Sat	65	64	64	64	65	67	70	75	76	77	80	78	77	72	69	68	64
Sun	64	64	64	64	65	67	68	71	73	73	73	72	70	69	69	69	64

About this drive

On weekdays the 70-mile drive from Fremont to Petaluma (via I-580 East and US-101 North) usually takes as little as 64 minutes and up to 110 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7 am or after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 73 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3 pm on Saturdays (80 minutes).

About 64 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 6 miles surface streets (7 to 12 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Fremont 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 Fremont to Petaluma?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 64 minutes then, versus up to 110 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 70-mile drive usually takes 64 to 110 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 73 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Fremont to Petaluma?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 110 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-580 East in Bay Area (24 miles) · US-101 North in Bay Area (19 miles) · I-880 North in Bay Area (11 miles) · I-80 East in Bay Area (10 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

Petaluma to Fremont (return trip) · Fremont to San Francisco · Fremont to Oakland · Fremont to San Jose · Fremont to Palo Alto · Fremont to Berkeley · Fremont to Walnut Creek · Fremont to San Mateo · Fremont to Hayward · Fremont to Mountain View · Fremont to Santa Clara · Fremont to Richmond

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	64	66	70	74	74	72	71	71	72	80	89	91	92	78	70	66	64
Tue	64	66	71	76	73	71	71	70	72	79	91	102	105	85	73	69	65
Wed	64	66	71	77	75	73	71	71	72	80	93	104	107	87	75	69	64
Thu	64	66	72	79	74	71	71	71	72	78	92	106	109	87	74	70	65
Fri	64	65	69	71	71	70	71	73	78	88	102	110	105	88	78	70	64
Sat	65	64	64	64	65	67	70	75	76	77	80	78	77	72	69	68	64
Sun	64	64	64	64	65	67	68	71	73	73	73	72	70	69	69	69	64

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	64	66	70	74	74	72	71	71	72	80	89	91	92	78	70	66	64
Tue	64	66	71	76	73	71	71	70	72	79	91	102	105	85	73	69	65
Wed	64	66	71	77	75	73	71	71	72	80	93	104	107	87	75	69	64
Thu	64	66	72	79	74	71	71	71	72	78	92	106	109	87	74	70	65
Fri	64	65	69	71	71	70	71	73	78	88	102	110	105	88	78	70	64
Sat	65	64	64	64	65	67	70	75	76	77	80	78	77	72	69	68	64
Sun	64	64	64	64	65	67	68	71	73	73	73	72	70	69	69	69	64

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	64	66	70	74	74	72	71	71	72	80	89	91	92	78	70	66	64
Tue	64	66	71	76	73	71	71	70	72	79	91	102	105	85	73	69	65
Wed	64	66	71	77	75	73	71	71	72	80	93	104	107	87	75	69	64
Thu	64	66	72	79	74	71	71	71	72	78	92	106	109	87	74	70	65
Fri	64	65	69	71	71	70	71	73	78	88	102	110	105	88	78	70	64
Sat	65	64	64	64	65	67	70	75	76	77	80	78	77	72	69	68	64
Sun	64	64	64	64	65	67	68	71	73	73	73	72	70	69	69	69	64