Best Time to Drive from Redwood City to Novato

Right now (7:06 pm PDT): about 58 minutes via I-280 North and US-101 North, usually 57 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 Redwood City to Novato 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	56	57	60	62	62	59	59	58	59	60	65	78	72	59	57	57	56
Tue	56	58	61	66	67	61	60	59	59	60	69	90	82	66	58	57	57
Wed	56	57	62	68	69	61	59	60	61	62	73	92	86	67	59	57	56
Thu	56	57	62	67	67	61	59	58	58	60	71	95	86	68	60	57	57
Fri	56	57	59	60	59	59	59	59	59	62	77	80	73	64	60	58	56
Sat	56	56	56	56	57	58	60	61	61	61	60	59	59	58	57	57	56
Sun	57	56	56	56	57	57	58	59	60	60	59	59	58	57	57	57	56

About this drive

On weekdays the 56-mile drive from Redwood City to Novato (via I-280 North and US-101 North) usually takes as little as 56 minutes and up to 95 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7:30 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 59 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12 pm on Saturdays (61 minutes).

About 46 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 10 miles surface streets (15 to 26 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Redwood City to central Novato 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 Redwood City to Novato?

On weekdays, leave before 7:30 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 56 minutes then, versus up to 95 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Redwood City to Novato?

The 56-mile drive usually takes 56 to 95 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 59 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Redwood City to Novato?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 95 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-280 North in Bay Area (22 miles) · US-101 North in Bay Area (20 miles) · SR-1 North in Bay Area (4 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

Novato to Redwood City (return trip) · Redwood City to San Jose · Redwood City to San Francisco · Redwood City to Oakland · Redwood City to Stockton · Redwood City to Fremont · Redwood City to Modesto · Redwood City to Hayward · Redwood City to Sunnyvale · Redwood City to Salinas · Redwood City to Concord · Redwood City to Santa Clara

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	56	57	60	62	62	59	59	58	59	60	65	78	72	59	57	57	56
Tue	56	58	61	66	67	61	60	59	59	60	69	90	82	66	58	57	57
Wed	56	57	62	68	69	61	59	60	61	62	73	92	86	67	59	57	56
Thu	56	57	62	67	67	61	59	58	58	60	71	95	86	68	60	57	57
Fri	56	57	59	60	59	59	59	59	59	62	77	80	73	64	60	58	56
Sat	56	56	56	56	57	58	60	61	61	61	60	59	59	58	57	57	56
Sun	57	56	56	56	57	57	58	59	60	60	59	59	58	57	57	57	56

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	56	57	60	62	62	59	59	58	59	60	65	78	72	59	57	57	56
Tue	56	58	61	66	67	61	60	59	59	60	69	90	82	66	58	57	57
Wed	56	57	62	68	69	61	59	60	61	62	73	92	86	67	59	57	56
Thu	56	57	62	67	67	61	59	58	58	60	71	95	86	68	60	57	57
Fri	56	57	59	60	59	59	59	59	59	62	77	80	73	64	60	58	56
Sat	56	56	56	56	57	58	60	61	61	61	60	59	59	58	57	57	56
Sun	57	56	56	56	57	57	58	59	60	60	59	59	58	57	57	57	56

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	56	57	60	62	62	59	59	58	59	60	65	78	72	59	57	57	56
Tue	56	58	61	66	67	61	60	59	59	60	69	90	82	66	58	57	57
Wed	56	57	62	68	69	61	59	60	61	62	73	92	86	67	59	57	56
Thu	56	57	62	67	67	61	59	58	58	60	71	95	86	68	60	57	57
Fri	56	57	59	60	59	59	59	59	59	62	77	80	73	64	60	58	56
Sat	56	56	56	56	57	58	60	61	61	61	60	59	59	58	57	57	56
Sun	57	56	56	56	57	57	58	59	60	60	59	59	58	57	57	57	56