Best Time to Drive from Petaluma to Berkeley

Right now (6:49 pm PDT): about 40 minutes via US-101 South and I-580 West, usually 37 at this time.

Only 75% 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 Petaluma to Berkeley 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	36	43	64	59	49	41	41	41	40	40	42	40	39	39	38	37	37
Tue	36	45	83	75	60	45	41	40	40	41	43	41	41	38	37	37	37
Wed	36	44	77	67	54	44	42	40	40	40	42	42	42	39	38	38	37
Thu	36	44	80	75	56	46	43	41	40	42	45	43	43	39	37	38	37
Fri	36	40	57	50	44	40	42	42	43	43	48	44	43	41	39	38	37
Sat	36	36	37	37	38	40	45	51	46	46	46	44	45	42	40	38	37
Sun	36	36	36	36	37	39	42	48	49	48	48	45	46	43	41	39	36

About this drive

On weekdays the 39-mile drive from Petaluma to Berkeley (via US-101 South and I-580 West) usually takes as little as 36 minutes and up to 90 minutes, when leaving around 7:30 am on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 6 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 41 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12 pm on Saturdays (51 minutes).

About 35 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 4 miles surface streets (5 to 11 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Petaluma to central Berkeley 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 Petaluma to Berkeley?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 6 pm. The drive usually takes about 36 minutes then, versus up to 90 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 39-mile drive usually takes 36 to 90 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 41 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Petaluma to Berkeley?

Leaving around 7:30 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 90 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

US-101 South in Bay Area (21 miles) · I-580 West in Bay Area (13 miles) · I-80 West in Bay Area (1.7 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

Berkeley to Petaluma (return trip) · Petaluma to San Francisco · Petaluma to Sacramento · Petaluma to Oakland · Petaluma to Fremont · Petaluma to Santa Rosa · Petaluma to Elk Grove · Petaluma to Hayward · Petaluma to Sunnyvale · Petaluma to Concord

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	36	43	64	59	49	41	41	41	40	40	42	40	39	39	38	37	37
Tue	36	45	83	75	60	45	41	40	40	41	43	41	41	38	37	37	37
Wed	36	44	77	67	54	44	42	40	40	40	42	42	42	39	38	38	37
Thu	36	44	80	75	56	46	43	41	40	42	45	43	43	39	37	38	37
Fri	36	40	57	50	44	40	42	42	43	43	48	44	43	41	39	38	37
Sat	36	36	37	37	38	40	45	51	46	46	46	44	45	42	40	38	37
Sun	36	36	36	36	37	39	42	48	49	48	48	45	46	43	41	39	36

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	36	43	64	59	49	41	41	41	40	40	42	40	39	39	38	37	37
Tue	36	45	83	75	60	45	41	40	40	41	43	41	41	38	37	37	37
Wed	36	44	77	67	54	44	42	40	40	40	42	42	42	39	38	38	37
Thu	36	44	80	75	56	46	43	41	40	42	45	43	43	39	37	38	37
Fri	36	40	57	50	44	40	42	42	43	43	48	44	43	41	39	38	37
Sat	36	36	37	37	38	40	45	51	46	46	46	44	45	42	40	38	37
Sun	36	36	36	36	37	39	42	48	49	48	48	45	46	43	41	39	36

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	36	43	64	59	49	41	41	41	40	40	42	40	39	39	38	37	37
Tue	36	45	83	75	60	45	41	40	40	41	43	41	41	38	37	37	37
Wed	36	44	77	67	54	44	42	40	40	40	42	42	42	39	38	38	37
Thu	36	44	80	75	56	46	43	41	40	42	45	43	43	39	37	38	37
Fri	36	40	57	50	44	40	42	42	43	43	48	44	43	41	39	38	37
Sat	36	36	37	37	38	40	45	51	46	46	46	44	45	42	40	38	37
Sun	36	36	36	36	37	39	42	48	49	48	48	45	46	43	41	39	36