Best Time to Drive from Hayward to Novato

Right now (5:34 pm PDT): about 66 minutes via I-580 East and US-101 North and I-80 East, usually 70 at this time.

Only 63% 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 Hayward to Novato 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	42	43	46	47	46	45	46	46	46	48	55	60	62	54	44	43	42
Tue	43	43	47	48	48	45	46	45	46	48	57	64	71	61	45	44	43
Wed	42	43	47	50	49	46	46	46	47	49	58	66	72	60	47	44	43
Thu	42	43	47	52	48	46	45	45	46	49	55	66	77	63	46	44	43
Fri	42	43	45	46	45	45	46	47	50	56	64	73	74	61	49	45	43
Sat	42	42	42	42	43	44	46	47	49	51	52	51	50	46	45	45	43
Sun	43	43	42	42	43	44	45	46	49	50	48	48	47	45	45	45	43

About this drive

On weekdays the 47-mile drive from Hayward to Novato (via I-580 East and US-101 North and I-80 East) usually takes as little as 42 minutes and up to 77 minutes, when leaving around 5 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7 am or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 47 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3:30 pm on Saturdays (53 minutes).

About 44 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 3 miles surface streets (4 to 6 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Hayward to central Novato 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 Hayward to Novato?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 42 minutes then, versus up to 77 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Hayward to Novato?

The 47-mile drive usually takes 42 to 77 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 47 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Hayward to Novato?

Leaving around 5 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 77 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

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

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

Novato to Hayward (return trip) · Hayward to San Francisco · Hayward to Oakland · Hayward to San Jose · Hayward to Palo Alto · Hayward to Berkeley · Hayward to Fremont · Hayward to Mountain View · Hayward to Pleasanton · Hayward to Santa Clara · Hayward to Richmond · Hayward to SFO

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	42	43	46	47	46	45	46	46	46	48	55	60	62	54	44	43	42
Tue	43	43	47	48	48	45	46	45	46	48	57	64	71	61	45	44	43
Wed	42	43	47	50	49	46	46	46	47	49	58	66	72	60	47	44	43
Thu	42	43	47	52	48	46	45	45	46	49	55	66	77	63	46	44	43
Fri	42	43	45	46	45	45	46	47	50	56	64	73	74	61	49	45	43
Sat	42	42	42	42	43	44	46	47	49	51	52	51	50	46	45	45	43
Sun	43	43	42	42	43	44	45	46	49	50	48	48	47	45	45	45	43

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	42	43	46	47	46	45	46	46	46	48	55	60	62	54	44	43	42
Tue	43	43	47	48	48	45	46	45	46	48	57	64	71	61	45	44	43
Wed	42	43	47	50	49	46	46	46	47	49	58	66	72	60	47	44	43
Thu	42	43	47	52	48	46	45	45	46	49	55	66	77	63	46	44	43
Fri	42	43	45	46	45	45	46	47	50	56	64	73	74	61	49	45	43
Sat	42	42	42	42	43	44	46	47	49	51	52	51	50	46	45	45	43
Sun	43	43	42	42	43	44	45	46	49	50	48	48	47	45	45	45	43

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	42	43	46	47	46	45	46	46	46	48	55	60	62	54	44	43	42
Tue	43	43	47	48	48	45	46	45	46	48	57	64	71	61	45	44	43
Wed	42	43	47	50	49	46	46	46	47	49	58	66	72	60	47	44	43
Thu	42	43	47	52	48	46	45	45	46	49	55	66	77	63	46	44	43
Fri	42	43	45	46	45	45	46	47	50	56	64	73	74	61	49	45	43
Sat	42	42	42	42	43	44	46	47	49	51	52	51	50	46	45	45	43
Sun	43	43	42	42	43	44	45	46	49	50	48	48	47	45	45	45	43