Best Time to Drive from San Mateo to OAK

Right now (11:31 am PDT): about 36 minutes via I-880 North and SR-92 East, usually 35 at this time.

On weekdays the 26-mile drive from San Mateo to OAK (via I-880 North and SR-92 East) usually takes as little as 31 minutes and up to 52 minutes, when leaving around 8 am on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7:30 am or after 7 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 35 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1 pm on Saturdays (35 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: OAK to San Mateo

Freeway, about 15 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 11 miles: 18 to 31 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 Oakland International Airport (OAK) (John Glenn Drive) 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 OAK 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	32	32	34	43	41	35	35	35	34	35	38	37	38	35	33	32	32
Tue	31	32	34	52	45	35	34	35	34	37	38	41	46	39	35	33	31
Wed	31	32	34	50	42	34	34	34	34	37	40	42	45	39	34	33	32
Thu	31	32	34	51	44	35	34	34	36	36	40	42	44	39	34	33	31
Fri	31	32	33	39	36	34	34	35	35	36	39	41	40	35	34	33	32
Sat	32	32	32	32	32	33	34	34	35	34	35	35	35	34	33	33	32
Sun	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	33	33	33	33	33	33	33	33	33	32

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 OAK?

On weekdays, leave before 7:30 am or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 31 minutes then, versus up to 52 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 26-mile drive usually takes 31 to 52 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 35 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from San Mateo to OAK?

Leaving around 8 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 52 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

More drives

OAK 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	32	32	34	43	41	35	35	35	34	35	38	37	38	35	33	32	32
Tue	31	32	34	52	45	35	34	35	34	37	38	41	46	39	35	33	31
Wed	31	32	34	50	42	34	34	34	34	37	40	42	45	39	34	33	32
Thu	31	32	34	51	44	35	34	34	36	36	40	42	44	39	34	33	31
Fri	31	32	33	39	36	34	34	35	35	36	39	41	40	35	34	33	32
Sat	32	32	32	32	32	33	34	34	35	34	35	35	35	34	33	33	32
Sun	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	33	33	33	33	33	33	33	33	33	32

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	32	32	34	43	41	35	35	35	34	35	38	37	38	35	33	32	32
Tue	31	32	34	52	45	35	34	35	34	37	38	41	46	39	35	33	31
Wed	31	32	34	50	42	34	34	34	34	37	40	42	45	39	34	33	32
Thu	31	32	34	51	44	35	34	34	36	36	40	42	44	39	34	33	31
Fri	31	32	33	39	36	34	34	35	35	36	39	41	40	35	34	33	32
Sat	32	32	32	32	32	33	34	34	35	34	35	35	35	34	33	33	32
Sun	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	33	33	33	33	33	33	33	33	33	32

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	32	32	34	43	41	35	35	35	34	35	38	37	38	35	33	32	32
Tue	31	32	34	52	45	35	34	35	34	37	38	41	46	39	35	33	31
Wed	31	32	34	50	42	34	34	34	34	37	40	42	45	39	34	33	32
Thu	31	32	34	51	44	35	34	34	36	36	40	42	44	39	34	33	31
Fri	31	32	33	39	36	34	34	35	35	36	39	41	40	35	34	33	32
Sat	32	32	32	32	32	33	34	34	35	34	35	35	35	34	33	33	32
Sun	32	32	32	32	32	32	32	33	33	33	33	33	33	33	33	33	32