Best Time to Drive from Oakland to San Mateo

Right now (10:18 am PDT): about 39 minutes via I-880 South and SR-92 West, usually 38 at this time.

Only 48% 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 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	32	38	48	48	44	41	41	40	37	38	40	44	46	40	34	34	33
Tue	32	38	53	54	47	42	40	39	37	38	41	47	53	49	36	33	33
Wed	32	39	52	51	46	41	39	39	37	39	41	48	53	46	37	33	33
Thu	32	38	55	51	46	41	39	37	38	40	43	49	55	51	36	34	33
Fri	32	36	38	40	40	38	38	39	39	41	44	49	49	45	36	34	33
Sat	33	33	33	34	33	35	36	37	39	39	40	40	41	38	35	34	33
Sun	33	33	33	33	33	34	35	36	36	37	37	38	39	37	35	35	33

About this drive

On weekdays the 31-mile drive from Oakland to San Mateo (via I-880 South and SR-92 West) usually takes as little as 32 minutes and up to 55 minutes, when leaving around 7 am on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 39 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4:30 pm on Saturdays (41 minutes).

About 22 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 8 miles surface streets (13 to 23 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from downtown Oakland (Broadway) 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 Oakland to San Mateo?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 32 minutes then, versus up to 55 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 31-mile drive usually takes 32 to 55 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 39 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Oakland to San Mateo?

Leaving around 7 am on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 55 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-880 South in Bay Area (15 miles) · SR-92 West in Bay Area (7 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

San Mateo to Oakland (return trip) · Oakland to San Jose · Oakland to Palo Alto · Oakland to Fremont · Oakland to Walnut Creek · Oakland to Hayward · Oakland to Mountain View · Oakland to Pleasanton · Oakland to Santa Clara · Oakland to Richmond · Oakland to Sacramento · Oakland 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	32	38	48	48	44	41	41	40	37	38	40	44	46	40	34	34	33
Tue	32	38	53	54	47	42	40	39	37	38	41	47	53	49	36	33	33
Wed	32	39	52	51	46	41	39	39	37	39	41	48	53	46	37	33	33
Thu	32	38	55	51	46	41	39	37	38	40	43	49	55	51	36	34	33
Fri	32	36	38	40	40	38	38	39	39	41	44	49	49	45	36	34	33
Sat	33	33	33	34	33	35	36	37	39	39	40	40	41	38	35	34	33
Sun	33	33	33	33	33	34	35	36	36	37	37	38	39	37	35	35	33

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	32	38	48	48	44	41	41	40	37	38	40	44	46	40	34	34	33
Tue	32	38	53	54	47	42	40	39	37	38	41	47	53	49	36	33	33
Wed	32	39	52	51	46	41	39	39	37	39	41	48	53	46	37	33	33
Thu	32	38	55	51	46	41	39	37	38	40	43	49	55	51	36	34	33
Fri	32	36	38	40	40	38	38	39	39	41	44	49	49	45	36	34	33
Sat	33	33	33	34	33	35	36	37	39	39	40	40	41	38	35	34	33
Sun	33	33	33	33	33	34	35	36	36	37	37	38	39	37	35	35	33

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	32	38	48	48	44	41	41	40	37	38	40	44	46	40	34	34	33
Tue	32	38	53	54	47	42	40	39	37	38	41	47	53	49	36	33	33
Wed	32	39	52	51	46	41	39	39	37	39	41	48	53	46	37	33	33
Thu	32	38	55	51	46	41	39	37	38	40	43	49	55	51	36	34	33
Fri	32	36	38	40	40	38	38	39	39	41	44	49	49	45	36	34	33
Sat	33	33	33	34	33	35	36	37	39	39	40	40	41	38	35	34	33
Sun	33	33	33	33	33	34	35	36	36	37	37	38	39	37	35	35	33