Best Time to Drive from San Mateo to Vacaville

Right now (5:51 pm PDT): about 72 minutes via I-80 East and US-101 North, usually 68 at this time.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from San Mateo to Vacaville 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	65	67	69	79	82	74	73	73	71	75	87	89	91	78	69	67	65
Tue	65	67	69	80	80	74	72	71	71	74	89	97	100	84	70	68	65
Wed	65	67	69	81	85	74	72	72	71	76	91	102	104	88	73	68	65
Thu	65	67	69	80	82	74	72	71	71	76	89	104	107	90	75	68	65
Fri	65	67	69	75	76	73	73	75	78	88	102	111	107	88	75	68	65
Sat	65	65	65	66	67	71	75	75	77	76	77	76	75	70	69	68	65
Sun	65	65	64	64	66	67	70	72	73	73	72	71	70	68	70	69	65

About this drive

On weekdays the 72-mile drive from San Mateo to Vacaville (via I-80 East and US-101 North) usually takes as little as 65 minutes and up to 114 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 7:30 am or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 73 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3:30 pm on Saturdays (78 minutes).

About 67 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 5 miles surface streets (6 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 Vacaville 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 Vacaville?

On weekdays, leave before 7:30 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 65 minutes then, versus up to 114 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 72-mile drive usually takes 65 to 114 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 73 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from San Mateo to Vacaville?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 114 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-80 East in Bay Area (48 miles) · US-101 North in Bay Area (19 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

Vacaville 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	65	67	69	79	82	74	73	73	71	75	87	89	91	78	69	67	65
Tue	65	67	69	80	80	74	72	71	71	74	89	97	100	84	70	68	65
Wed	65	67	69	81	85	74	72	72	71	76	91	102	104	88	73	68	65
Thu	65	67	69	80	82	74	72	71	71	76	89	104	107	90	75	68	65
Fri	65	67	69	75	76	73	73	75	78	88	102	111	107	88	75	68	65
Sat	65	65	65	66	67	71	75	75	77	76	77	76	75	70	69	68	65
Sun	65	65	64	64	66	67	70	72	73	73	72	71	70	68	70	69	65

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	65	67	69	79	82	74	73	73	71	75	87	89	91	78	69	67	65
Tue	65	67	69	80	80	74	72	71	71	74	89	97	100	84	70	68	65
Wed	65	67	69	81	85	74	72	72	71	76	91	102	104	88	73	68	65
Thu	65	67	69	80	82	74	72	71	71	76	89	104	107	90	75	68	65
Fri	65	67	69	75	76	73	73	75	78	88	102	111	107	88	75	68	65
Sat	65	65	65	66	67	71	75	75	77	76	77	76	75	70	69	68	65
Sun	65	65	64	64	66	67	70	72	73	73	72	71	70	68	70	69	65

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	65	67	69	79	82	74	73	73	71	75	87	89	91	78	69	67	65
Tue	65	67	69	80	80	74	72	71	71	74	89	97	100	84	70	68	65
Wed	65	67	69	81	85	74	72	72	71	76	91	102	104	88	73	68	65
Thu	65	67	69	80	82	74	72	71	71	76	89	104	107	90	75	68	65
Fri	65	67	69	75	76	73	73	75	78	88	102	111	107	88	75	68	65
Sat	65	65	65	66	67	71	75	75	77	76	77	76	75	70	69	68	65
Sun	65	65	64	64	66	67	70	72	73	73	72	71	70	68	70	69	65