Best Time to Drive from OAK to San Mateo

Right now (2:51 pm PST): about 42 minutes via I-880 South and SR-92 West, usually 37 at this time.

Only 28% 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 OAK 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	29	33	44	49	47	38	37	36	35	36	36	36	37	34	31	31	30
Tue	29	34	49	55	52	40	37	36	34	36	36	38	41	39	32	30	30
Wed	29	35	49	53	50	39	37	35	35	38	37	39	41	38	32	30	30
Thu	29	35	51	54	53	39	37	35	35	37	39	40	42	41	32	31	30
Fri	29	33	36	40	39	36	35	35	36	37	38	40	39	36	33	31	30
Sat	30	30	30	31	31	32	34	35	36	37	37	36	36	35	33	32	30
Sun	30	30	30	30	30	30	32	33	33	34	34	34	34	33	32	32	30

About this drive

On weekdays the 25-mile drive from OAK to San Mateo (via I-880 South and SR-92 West) usually takes as little as 29 minutes and up to 57 minutes, when leaving around 8:30 am on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 7 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 36 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2:30 pm on Saturdays (37 minutes).

About 16 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 9 miles surface streets (16 to 35 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from Oakland International Airport (OAK) (John Glenn Drive) to central San Mateo (South El Camino Real) 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 OAK to San Mateo?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 29 minutes then, versus up to 57 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 25-mile drive usually takes 29 to 57 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 36 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from OAK to San Mateo?

Leaving around 8:30 am on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 57 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-880 South in Bay Area (9 miles) · SR-92 West in Bay Area (7 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

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

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	29	33	44	49	47	38	37	36	35	36	36	36	37	34	31	31	30
Tue	29	34	49	55	52	40	37	36	34	36	36	38	41	39	32	30	30
Wed	29	35	49	53	50	39	37	35	35	38	37	39	41	38	32	30	30
Thu	29	35	51	54	53	39	37	35	35	37	39	40	42	41	32	31	30
Fri	29	33	36	40	39	36	35	35	36	37	38	40	39	36	33	31	30
Sat	30	30	30	31	31	32	34	35	36	37	37	36	36	35	33	32	30
Sun	30	30	30	30	30	30	32	33	33	34	34	34	34	33	32	32	30

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	29	33	44	49	47	38	37	36	35	36	36	36	37	34	31	31	30
Tue	29	34	49	55	52	40	37	36	34	36	36	38	41	39	32	30	30
Wed	29	35	49	53	50	39	37	35	35	38	37	39	41	38	32	30	30
Thu	29	35	51	54	53	39	37	35	35	37	39	40	42	41	32	31	30
Fri	29	33	36	40	39	36	35	35	36	37	38	40	39	36	33	31	30
Sat	30	30	30	31	31	32	34	35	36	37	37	36	36	35	33	32	30
Sun	30	30	30	30	30	30	32	33	33	34	34	34	34	33	32	32	30

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	29	33	44	49	47	38	37	36	35	36	36	36	37	34	31	31	30
Tue	29	34	49	55	52	40	37	36	34	36	36	38	41	39	32	30	30
Wed	29	35	49	53	50	39	37	35	35	38	37	39	41	38	32	30	30
Thu	29	35	51	54	53	39	37	35	35	37	39	40	42	41	32	31	30
Fri	29	33	36	40	39	36	35	35	36	37	38	40	39	36	33	31	30
Sat	30	30	30	31	31	32	34	35	36	37	37	36	36	35	33	32	30
Sun	30	30	30	30	30	30	32	33	33	34	34	34	34	33	32	32	30