Best Time to Drive from San Mateo to Berkeley

Right now (8:17 am PDT): about 51 minutes via US-101 North and I-80 East, usually 61 at this time.

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.

On weekdays the 31-mile drive from San Mateo to Berkeley (via US-101 North and I-80 East) usually takes as little as 30 minutes and up to 62 minutes, when leaving around 8 am on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 8:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 37 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2:30 pm on Saturdays (46 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: Berkeley to San Mateo

Freeway, about 27 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 4 miles: 7 to 19 minutes on weekdays, estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time (we don't have street sensors yet). Drive times are measured from central San Mateo (South El Camino Real) to central Berkeley (Martin Luther King Junior Way) along the route shown. Starting or ending elsewhere in a big city can add or save several minutes.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from San Mateo 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	30	32	37	51	52	38	37	37	35	37	45	44	48	40	33	32	31
Tue	30	33	38	55	51	40	36	36	35	39	45	46	53	44	36	33	31
Wed	30	32	38	54	56	43	37	35	35	38	45	47	55	45	35	32	30
Thu	30	32	37	62	56	40	37	35	37	40	47	49	55	47	36	33	31
Fri	30	31	35	46	40	35	37	39	40	45	54	55	54	45	37	33	30
Sat	30	30	30	31	31	34	38	43	44	44	46	43	43	38	35	33	31
Sun	30	30	30	30	31	32	36	37	40	42	41	41	40	37	35	34	30

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 San Mateo to Berkeley?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 30 minutes then, versus up to 62 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 31-mile drive usually takes 30 to 62 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 37 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from San Mateo to Berkeley?

Leaving around 8 am on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 62 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

Freeways on this drive

US-101 North in Bay Area (18 miles) · I-80 East in Bay Area (8 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

Berkeley to San Mateo (return trip) · San Mateo to San Francisco · San Mateo to Oakland · San Mateo to San Jose · San Mateo to Palo Alto · San Mateo to Fremont · San Mateo to Walnut Creek · San Mateo to Mountain View · San Mateo to Santa Clara · San Mateo to Richmond · San Mateo to SJC · San Mateo to OAK

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	30	32	37	51	52	38	37	37	35	37	45	44	48	40	33	32	31
Tue	30	33	38	55	51	40	36	36	35	39	45	46	53	44	36	33	31
Wed	30	32	38	54	56	43	37	35	35	38	45	47	55	45	35	32	30
Thu	30	32	37	62	56	40	37	35	37	40	47	49	55	47	36	33	31
Fri	30	31	35	46	40	35	37	39	40	45	54	55	54	45	37	33	30
Sat	30	30	30	31	31	34	38	43	44	44	46	43	43	38	35	33	31
Sun	30	30	30	30	31	32	36	37	40	42	41	41	40	37	35	34	30

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	30	32	37	51	52	38	37	37	35	37	45	44	48	40	33	32	31
Tue	30	33	38	55	51	40	36	36	35	39	45	46	53	44	36	33	31
Wed	30	32	38	54	56	43	37	35	35	38	45	47	55	45	35	32	30
Thu	30	32	37	62	56	40	37	35	37	40	47	49	55	47	36	33	31
Fri	30	31	35	46	40	35	37	39	40	45	54	55	54	45	37	33	30
Sat	30	30	30	31	31	34	38	43	44	44	46	43	43	38	35	33	31
Sun	30	30	30	30	31	32	36	37	40	42	41	41	40	37	35	34	30

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	30	32	37	51	52	38	37	37	35	37	45	44	48	40	33	32	31
Tue	30	33	38	55	51	40	36	36	35	39	45	46	53	44	36	33	31
Wed	30	32	38	54	56	43	37	35	35	38	45	47	55	45	35	32	30
Thu	30	32	37	62	56	40	37	35	37	40	47	49	55	47	36	33	31
Fri	30	31	35	46	40	35	37	39	40	45	54	55	54	45	37	33	30
Sat	30	30	30	31	31	34	38	43	44	44	46	43	43	38	35	33	31
Sun	30	30	30	30	31	32	36	37	40	42	41	41	40	37	35	34	30