Best Time to Drive from Richmond to San Mateo

Right now (11:03 pm PDT): about 34 minutes via US-101 South and I-80 West.

Only 40% 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 Richmond 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	33	41	57	65	57	47	44	45	41	41	47	44	48	42	37	35	34
Tue	33	41	59	78	69	53	46	40	39	41	48	51	56	52	38	36	35
Wed	33	40	55	68	62	48	47	41	40	41	48	52	61	52	38	35	34
Thu	33	41	55	68	65	51	47	43	42	45	52	58	71	59	40	36	34
Fri	34	38	45	48	46	40	40	40	42	45	54	54	56	50	41	37	34
Sat	34	34	34	35	35	37	48	52	53	52	52	52	53	51	45	40	36
Sun	34	34	34	34	35	36	40	44	46	51	50	48	47	46	43	40	35

About this drive

On weekdays the 35-mile drive from Richmond to San Mateo (via US-101 South and I-80 West) usually takes as little as 33 minutes and up to 78 minutes, when leaving around 8 am on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 42 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 5:30 pm on Saturdays (55 minutes).

About 31 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 4 miles surface streets (7 to 16 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Richmond (Macdonald Avenue) 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 Richmond to San Mateo?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 33 minutes then, versus up to 78 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 35-mile drive usually takes 33 to 78 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 42 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Richmond to San Mateo?

Leaving around 8 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 78 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

US-101 South in Bay Area (17 miles) · I-80 West in Bay Area (14 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

San Mateo to Richmond (return trip) · Richmond to San Francisco · Richmond to Oakland · Richmond to San Jose · Richmond to Palo Alto · Richmond to Berkeley · Richmond to Fremont · Richmond to Walnut Creek · Richmond to Hayward · Richmond to Mountain View · Richmond to Pleasanton · Richmond 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	33	41	57	65	57	47	44	45	41	41	47	44	48	42	37	35	34
Tue	33	41	59	78	69	53	46	40	39	41	48	51	56	52	38	36	35
Wed	33	40	55	68	62	48	47	41	40	41	48	52	61	52	38	35	34
Thu	33	41	55	68	65	51	47	43	42	45	52	58	71	59	40	36	34
Fri	34	38	45	48	46	40	40	40	42	45	54	54	56	50	41	37	34
Sat	34	34	34	35	35	37	48	52	53	52	52	52	53	51	45	40	36
Sun	34	34	34	34	35	36	40	44	46	51	50	48	47	46	43	40	35

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	33	41	57	65	57	47	44	45	41	41	47	44	48	42	37	35	34
Tue	33	41	59	78	69	53	46	40	39	41	48	51	56	52	38	36	35
Wed	33	40	55	68	62	48	47	41	40	41	48	52	61	52	38	35	34
Thu	33	41	55	68	65	51	47	43	42	45	52	58	71	59	40	36	34
Fri	34	38	45	48	46	40	40	40	42	45	54	54	56	50	41	37	34
Sat	34	34	34	35	35	37	48	52	53	52	52	52	53	51	45	40	36
Sun	34	34	34	34	35	36	40	44	46	51	50	48	47	46	43	40	35

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	33	41	57	65	57	47	44	45	41	41	47	44	48	42	37	35	34
Tue	33	41	59	78	69	53	46	40	39	41	48	51	56	52	38	36	35
Wed	33	40	55	68	62	48	47	41	40	41	48	52	61	52	38	35	34
Thu	33	41	55	68	65	51	47	43	42	45	52	58	71	59	40	36	34
Fri	34	38	45	48	46	40	40	40	42	45	54	54	56	50	41	37	34
Sat	34	34	34	35	35	37	48	52	53	52	52	52	53	51	45	40	36
Sun	34	34	34	34	35	36	40	44	46	51	50	48	47	46	43	40	35