Best Time to Drive from Petaluma to San Francisco

Right now (6:17 pm PDT): about 41 minutes via US-101 South, usually 41 at this time.

Only 54% 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 San Francisco 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	38	40	50	54	48	43	43	42	41	41	41	41	41	41	40	40	39
Tue	37	40	55	61	53	45	43	42	41	41	41	42	42	40	40	39	39
Wed	37	39	53	54	50	45	43	41	40	40	41	42	44	40	39	40	40
Thu	38	40	56	64	51	45	45	42	41	41	42	42	43	41	39	40	39
Fri	38	39	44	46	42	40	40	40	40	41	42	44	42	41	39	39	39
Sat	38	38	38	39	39	40	41	41	42	43	42	44	43	42	39	39	38
Sun	38	38	38	39	39	40	42	45	46	47	47	46	46	43	40	40	39

About this drive

On weekdays the 39-mile drive from Petaluma to San Francisco (via US-101 South) usually takes as little as 37 minutes and up to 67 minutes, when leaving around 7:30 am on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 6 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 41 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2 pm on Sundays (47 minutes).

About 33 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 6 miles surface streets (9 to 13 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Petaluma to downtown San Francisco 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 San Francisco?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 6 pm. The drive usually takes about 37 minutes then, versus up to 67 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Petaluma to San Francisco?

The 39-mile drive usually takes 37 to 67 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 41 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Petaluma to San Francisco?

Leaving around 7:30 am on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 67 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

US-101 South in Bay Area (33 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

San Francisco to Petaluma (return trip) · Petaluma 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	38	40	50	54	48	43	43	42	41	41	41	41	41	41	40	40	39
Tue	37	40	55	61	53	45	43	42	41	41	41	42	42	40	40	39	39
Wed	37	39	53	54	50	45	43	41	40	40	41	42	44	40	39	40	40
Thu	38	40	56	64	51	45	45	42	41	41	42	42	43	41	39	40	39
Fri	38	39	44	46	42	40	40	40	40	41	42	44	42	41	39	39	39
Sat	38	38	38	39	39	40	41	41	42	43	42	44	43	42	39	39	38
Sun	38	38	38	39	39	40	42	45	46	47	47	46	46	43	40	40	39

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	38	40	50	54	48	43	43	42	41	41	41	41	41	41	40	40	39
Tue	37	40	55	61	53	45	43	42	41	41	41	42	42	40	40	39	39
Wed	37	39	53	54	50	45	43	41	40	40	41	42	44	40	39	40	40
Thu	38	40	56	64	51	45	45	42	41	41	42	42	43	41	39	40	39
Fri	38	39	44	46	42	40	40	40	40	41	42	44	42	41	39	39	39
Sat	38	38	38	39	39	40	41	41	42	43	42	44	43	42	39	39	38
Sun	38	38	38	39	39	40	42	45	46	47	47	46	46	43	40	40	39

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	38	40	50	54	48	43	43	42	41	41	41	41	41	41	40	40	39
Tue	37	40	55	61	53	45	43	42	41	41	41	42	42	40	40	39	39
Wed	37	39	53	54	50	45	43	41	40	40	41	42	44	40	39	40	40
Thu	38	40	56	64	51	45	45	42	41	41	42	42	43	41	39	40	39
Fri	38	39	44	46	42	40	40	40	40	41	42	44	42	41	39	39	39
Sat	38	38	38	39	39	40	41	41	42	43	42	44	43	42	39	39	38
Sun	38	38	38	39	39	40	42	45	46	47	47	46	46	43	40	40	39