Best Time to Drive from San Mateo to Novato

Right now (3:21 pm PST): about 59 minutes via US-101 North and I-80 East, usually 60 at this time.

Only 33% 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 San Mateo 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	50	52	57	64	62	57	56	55	55	57	63	65	69	62	54	52	51
Tue	50	52	57	67	65	57	56	55	55	57	64	68	73	65	56	53	51
Wed	50	52	58	68	67	57	55	56	55	58	64	69	73	67	57	53	51
Thu	51	52	59	68	67	58	56	55	55	58	63	68	75	69	59	53	52
Fri	50	51	55	60	59	56	56	57	58	63	68	75	75	67	58	54	51
Sat	51	50	51	51	51	53	57	58	60	58	59	59	58	55	54	54	51
Sun	51	51	50	50	51	52	54	56	58	58	57	58	56	54	54	54	51

About this drive

On weekdays the 55-mile drive from San Mateo to Novato (via US-101 North and I-80 East) usually takes as little as 50 minutes and up to 76 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 56 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1 pm on Saturdays (60 minutes).

About 51 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 4 miles surface streets (5 to 8 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central San Mateo 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 San Mateo to Novato?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 50 minutes then, versus up to 76 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 55-mile drive usually takes 50 to 76 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 56 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from San Mateo to Novato?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 76 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

US-101 North in Bay Area (29 miles) · I-80 East in Bay Area (14 miles) · I-580 East in Bay Area (9 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

Novato 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 Berkeley · 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

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	50	52	57	64	62	57	56	55	55	57	63	65	69	62	54	52	51
Tue	50	52	57	67	65	57	56	55	55	57	64	68	73	65	56	53	51
Wed	50	52	58	68	67	57	55	56	55	58	64	69	73	67	57	53	51
Thu	51	52	59	68	67	58	56	55	55	58	63	68	75	69	59	53	52
Fri	50	51	55	60	59	56	56	57	58	63	68	75	75	67	58	54	51
Sat	51	50	51	51	51	53	57	58	60	58	59	59	58	55	54	54	51
Sun	51	51	50	50	51	52	54	56	58	58	57	58	56	54	54	54	51

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	50	52	57	64	62	57	56	55	55	57	63	65	69	62	54	52	51
Tue	50	52	57	67	65	57	56	55	55	57	64	68	73	65	56	53	51
Wed	50	52	58	68	67	57	55	56	55	58	64	69	73	67	57	53	51
Thu	51	52	59	68	67	58	56	55	55	58	63	68	75	69	59	53	52
Fri	50	51	55	60	59	56	56	57	58	63	68	75	75	67	58	54	51
Sat	51	50	51	51	51	53	57	58	60	58	59	59	58	55	54	54	51
Sun	51	51	50	50	51	52	54	56	58	58	57	58	56	54	54	54	51

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	50	52	57	64	62	57	56	55	55	57	63	65	69	62	54	52	51
Tue	50	52	57	67	65	57	56	55	55	57	64	68	73	65	56	53	51
Wed	50	52	58	68	67	57	55	56	55	58	64	69	73	67	57	53	51
Thu	51	52	59	68	67	58	56	55	55	58	63	68	75	69	59	53	52
Fri	50	51	55	60	59	56	56	57	58	63	68	75	75	67	58	54	51
Sat	51	50	51	51	51	53	57	58	60	58	59	59	58	55	54	54	51
Sun	51	51	50	50	51	52	54	56	58	58	57	58	56	54	54	54	51