Best Time to Drive from Palo Alto to Petaluma

Right now (12:51 am PST): about 73 minutes via US-101 North.

Only 74% 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 Palo Alto 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	72	75	81	87	86	81	79	79	78	83	88	91	96	84	77	74	73
Tue	72	75	80	91	90	83	80	79	78	83	90	98	104	90	81	76	73
Wed	72	75	81	91	91	82	80	79	79	83	90	97	106	92	81	76	73
Thu	72	75	82	91	90	82	79	79	79	82	87	95	104	93	83	76	75
Fri	72	74	78	83	82	81	81	81	83	88	94	101	103	91	81	77	74
Sat	73	73	73	73	74	76	80	82	84	83	83	84	83	80	78	77	74
Sun	73	73	72	72	73	75	77	80	81	81	81	81	79	78	78	77	73

About this drive

On weekdays the 80-mile drive from Palo Alto to Petaluma (via US-101 North) usually takes as little as 72 minutes and up to 106 minutes, when leaving around 5 pm on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7 am or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 80 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3:30 pm on Saturdays (85 minutes).

About 74 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 6 miles surface streets (7 to 13 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Palo Alto 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 Palo Alto to Petaluma?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 72 minutes then, versus up to 106 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Palo Alto to Petaluma?

The 80-mile drive usually takes 72 to 106 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 80 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Palo Alto to Petaluma?

Leaving around 5 pm on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 106 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

US-101 North in Bay Area (52 miles) · I-80 East in Bay Area (14 miles) · I-580 East in Bay Area (9 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

Petaluma to Palo Alto (return trip) · Palo Alto to San Francisco · Palo Alto to Oakland · Palo Alto to San Jose · Palo Alto to Berkeley · Palo Alto to Walnut Creek · Palo Alto to San Mateo · Palo Alto to Hayward · Palo Alto to Mountain View · Palo Alto to Pleasanton · Palo Alto to Santa Clara · Palo Alto 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	72	75	81	87	86	81	79	79	78	83	88	91	96	84	77	74	73
Tue	72	75	80	91	90	83	80	79	78	83	90	98	104	90	81	76	73
Wed	72	75	81	91	91	82	80	79	79	83	90	97	106	92	81	76	73
Thu	72	75	82	91	90	82	79	79	79	82	87	95	104	93	83	76	75
Fri	72	74	78	83	82	81	81	81	83	88	94	101	103	91	81	77	74
Sat	73	73	73	73	74	76	80	82	84	83	83	84	83	80	78	77	74
Sun	73	73	72	72	73	75	77	80	81	81	81	81	79	78	78	77	73

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	72	75	81	87	86	81	79	79	78	83	88	91	96	84	77	74	73
Tue	72	75	80	91	90	83	80	79	78	83	90	98	104	90	81	76	73
Wed	72	75	81	91	91	82	80	79	79	83	90	97	106	92	81	76	73
Thu	72	75	82	91	90	82	79	79	79	82	87	95	104	93	83	76	75
Fri	72	74	78	83	82	81	81	81	83	88	94	101	103	91	81	77	74
Sat	73	73	73	73	74	76	80	82	84	83	83	84	83	80	78	77	74
Sun	73	73	72	72	73	75	77	80	81	81	81	81	79	78	78	77	73

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	72	75	81	87	86	81	79	79	78	83	88	91	96	84	77	74	73
Tue	72	75	80	91	90	83	80	79	78	83	90	98	104	90	81	76	73
Wed	72	75	81	91	91	82	80	79	79	83	90	97	106	92	81	76	73
Thu	72	75	82	91	90	82	79	79	79	82	87	95	104	93	83	76	75
Fri	72	74	78	83	82	81	81	81	83	88	94	101	103	91	81	77	74
Sat	73	73	73	73	74	76	80	82	84	83	83	84	83	80	78	77	74
Sun	73	73	72	72	73	75	77	80	81	81	81	81	79	78	78	77	73