Best Time to Drive from Oakland to Petaluma

Right now (7:18 pm PDT): about 43 minutes via US-101 North and I-80 East and I-580 East, usually 40 at this time.

Only 72% 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 Oakland 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	39	40	41	42	42	42	42	42	42	44	49	51	55	52	41	40	39
Tue	40	40	41	42	43	42	42	42	42	43	50	56	62	57	42	41	40
Wed	39	40	42	42	43	42	42	42	43	43	52	57	62	56	43	40	40
Thu	39	40	41	43	43	42	42	41	42	44	49	56	62	58	43	41	40
Fri	39	40	41	42	41	42	42	43	45	50	58	64	67	58	46	41	40
Sat	39	39	39	39	40	40	42	43	46	47	47	47	46	43	41	41	40
Sun	39	39	39	39	39	40	41	42	45	46	45	44	43	41	41	41	39

About this drive

On weekdays the 43-mile drive from Oakland to Petaluma (via US-101 North and I-80 East and I-580 East) usually takes as little as 39 minutes and up to 67 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 1:30 pm or after 7 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 43 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3 pm on Saturdays (47 minutes).

About 40 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 3 miles surface streets (4 to 5 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from downtown Oakland 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 Oakland to Petaluma?

On weekdays, leave before 1:30 pm or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 39 minutes then, versus up to 67 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 43-mile drive usually takes 39 to 67 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 43 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Oakland to Petaluma?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 67 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

US-101 North in Bay Area (19 miles) · I-80 East in Bay Area (10 miles) · I-580 East in Bay Area (9 miles) · I-980 East in Bay Area (2 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

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

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	39	40	41	42	42	42	42	42	42	44	49	51	55	52	41	40	39
Tue	40	40	41	42	43	42	42	42	42	43	50	56	62	57	42	41	40
Wed	39	40	42	42	43	42	42	42	43	43	52	57	62	56	43	40	40
Thu	39	40	41	43	43	42	42	41	42	44	49	56	62	58	43	41	40
Fri	39	40	41	42	41	42	42	43	45	50	58	64	67	58	46	41	40
Sat	39	39	39	39	40	40	42	43	46	47	47	47	46	43	41	41	40
Sun	39	39	39	39	39	40	41	42	45	46	45	44	43	41	41	41	39

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	39	40	41	42	42	42	42	42	42	44	49	51	55	52	41	40	39
Tue	40	40	41	42	43	42	42	42	42	43	50	56	62	57	42	41	40
Wed	39	40	42	42	43	42	42	42	43	43	52	57	62	56	43	40	40
Thu	39	40	41	43	43	42	42	41	42	44	49	56	62	58	43	41	40
Fri	39	40	41	42	41	42	42	43	45	50	58	64	67	58	46	41	40
Sat	39	39	39	39	40	40	42	43	46	47	47	47	46	43	41	41	40
Sun	39	39	39	39	39	40	41	42	45	46	45	44	43	41	41	41	39

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	39	40	41	42	42	42	42	42	42	44	49	51	55	52	41	40	39
Tue	40	40	41	42	43	42	42	42	42	43	50	56	62	57	42	41	40
Wed	39	40	42	42	43	42	42	42	43	43	52	57	62	56	43	40	40
Thu	39	40	41	43	43	42	42	41	42	44	49	56	62	58	43	41	40
Fri	39	40	41	42	41	42	42	43	45	50	58	64	67	58	46	41	40
Sat	39	39	39	39	40	40	42	43	46	47	47	47	46	43	41	41	40
Sun	39	39	39	39	39	40	41	42	45	46	45	44	43	41	41	41	39