Traffic Predict
Best Time to Drive from San Mateo to San Francisco
Right now (12:33 pm PDT): about 21 minutes via US-101 North, usually 21 at this time.
Only 51% 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
| Leave | 5am | 6am | 7am | 8am | 9am | 10am | 11am | 12pm | 1pm | 2pm | 3pm | 4pm | 5pm | 6pm | 7pm | 8pm | 9pm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon | 18 | 19 | 21 | 30 | 33 | 23 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 22 | 21 | 23 | 23 | 21 | 20 | 19 |
| Tue | 18 | 19 | 21 | 33 | 32 | 25 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 25 | 25 | 21 | 19 | 19 |
| Wed | 18 | 19 | 21 | 33 | 37 | 24 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 24 | 25 | 21 | 20 | 18 |
| Thu | 18 | 19 | 21 | 34 | 35 | 24 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 26 | 26 | 23 | 20 | 19 |
| Fri | 18 | 19 | 21 | 27 | 25 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 24 | 24 | 21 | 19 | 18 |
| Sat | 19 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 23 | 28 | 23 | 24 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 19 |
| Sun | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 19 |
About this drive
On weekdays the 20-mile drive from San Mateo to San Francisco (via US-101 North) usually takes as little as 18 minutes and up to 37 minutes, when leaving around 9 am on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 21 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 11 am on Saturdays (28 minutes).
About 18 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 1.5 miles surface streets (3 to 5 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central San Mateo (South El Camino Real) to downtown San Francisco (Market Street) 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 San Francisco?
On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 18 minutes then, versus up to 37 minutes at the worst times.
How long does it take to drive from San Mateo to San Francisco?
The 20-mile drive usually takes 18 to 37 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 21 minutes midday.
When is traffic worst from San Mateo to San Francisco?
Leaving around 9 am on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 37 minutes.
Freeways on this drive
US-101 North in Bay Area (18 miles)
Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow
More drives
San Francisco to San Mateo (return trip) · 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 · San Mateo to OAK