Best Time to Drive from San Mateo to San Rafael

Right now (3:21 pm PST): about 50 minutes via US-101 North and I-80 East and I-580 East, usually 51 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 San Rafael 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	42	43	45	54	53	48	46	46	46	47	54	55	59	53	45	43	42
Tue	42	42	44	55	55	48	47	46	45	48	54	58	64	56	47	44	42
Wed	42	42	45	56	57	48	46	46	46	48	54	59	65	58	48	44	42
Thu	42	42	45	56	57	48	46	46	46	49	53	58	65	60	50	45	43
Fri	42	42	44	50	50	47	47	47	48	54	58	65	65	57	49	44	42
Sat	42	42	42	42	43	44	48	49	51	49	50	50	49	46	45	45	42
Sun	42	42	41	41	42	43	45	46	48	48	47	48	47	45	45	45	42

About this drive

On weekdays the 45-mile drive from San Mateo to San Rafael (via US-101 North and I-80 East and I-580 East) usually takes as little as 41 minutes and up to 68 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 7:30 am or after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 47 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3:30 pm on Saturdays (51 minutes).

About 41 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 4 miles surface streets (5 to 9 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 San Rafael 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 Rafael?

On weekdays, leave before 7:30 am or after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 41 minutes then, versus up to 68 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 45-mile drive usually takes 41 to 68 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 47 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from San Mateo to San Rafael?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 68 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

US-101 North in Bay Area (19 miles) · I-80 East in Bay Area (14 miles) · I-580 East in Bay Area (8 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

San Rafael 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	42	43	45	54	53	48	46	46	46	47	54	55	59	53	45	43	42
Tue	42	42	44	55	55	48	47	46	45	48	54	58	64	56	47	44	42
Wed	42	42	45	56	57	48	46	46	46	48	54	59	65	58	48	44	42
Thu	42	42	45	56	57	48	46	46	46	49	53	58	65	60	50	45	43
Fri	42	42	44	50	50	47	47	47	48	54	58	65	65	57	49	44	42
Sat	42	42	42	42	43	44	48	49	51	49	50	50	49	46	45	45	42
Sun	42	42	41	41	42	43	45	46	48	48	47	48	47	45	45	45	42

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	42	43	45	54	53	48	46	46	46	47	54	55	59	53	45	43	42
Tue	42	42	44	55	55	48	47	46	45	48	54	58	64	56	47	44	42
Wed	42	42	45	56	57	48	46	46	46	48	54	59	65	58	48	44	42
Thu	42	42	45	56	57	48	46	46	46	49	53	58	65	60	50	45	43
Fri	42	42	44	50	50	47	47	47	48	54	58	65	65	57	49	44	42
Sat	42	42	42	42	43	44	48	49	51	49	50	50	49	46	45	45	42
Sun	42	42	41	41	42	43	45	46	48	48	47	48	47	45	45	45	42

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	42	43	45	54	53	48	46	46	46	47	54	55	59	53	45	43	42
Tue	42	42	44	55	55	48	47	46	45	48	54	58	64	56	47	44	42
Wed	42	42	45	56	57	48	46	46	46	48	54	59	65	58	48	44	42
Thu	42	42	45	56	57	48	46	46	46	49	53	58	65	60	50	45	43
Fri	42	42	44	50	50	47	47	47	48	54	58	65	65	57	49	44	42
Sat	42	42	42	42	43	44	48	49	51	49	50	50	49	46	45	45	42
Sun	42	42	41	41	42	43	45	46	48	48	47	48	47	45	45	45	42