Best Time to Drive from San Mateo to Vacaville

Right now (3:20 pm PST): about 74 minutes via I-80 East and US-101 North, usually 76 at this time.

Only 55% 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 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	78	74	72	72	71	74	84	86	89	78	69	67	65
Tue	65	66	69	79	80	73	72	71	70	74	86	94	97	84	71	67	65
Wed	65	67	69	80	82	73	72	72	71	76	88	98	101	86	73	68	65
Thu	65	67	70	80	82	73	71	71	71	75	85	97	100	88	75	68	66
Fri	65	67	69	74	75	72	73	74	77	85	97	105	103	87	74	68	65
Sat	65	65	65	66	66	69	73	74	76	73	74	75	74	70	69	68	65
Sun	65	65	65	64	65	67	69	71	72	73	71	72	70	69	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 105 minutes, when leaving around 4 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 1 pm on Saturdays (76 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 105 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 105 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 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 105 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	78	74	72	72	71	74	84	86	89	78	69	67	65
Tue	65	66	69	79	80	73	72	71	70	74	86	94	97	84	71	67	65
Wed	65	67	69	80	82	73	72	72	71	76	88	98	101	86	73	68	65
Thu	65	67	70	80	82	73	71	71	71	75	85	97	100	88	75	68	66
Fri	65	67	69	74	75	72	73	74	77	85	97	105	103	87	74	68	65
Sat	65	65	65	66	66	69	73	74	76	73	74	75	74	70	69	68	65
Sun	65	65	65	64	65	67	69	71	72	73	71	72	70	69	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	78	74	72	72	71	74	84	86	89	78	69	67	65
Tue	65	66	69	79	80	73	72	71	70	74	86	94	97	84	71	67	65
Wed	65	67	69	80	82	73	72	72	71	76	88	98	101	86	73	68	65
Thu	65	67	70	80	82	73	71	71	71	75	85	97	100	88	75	68	66
Fri	65	67	69	74	75	72	73	74	77	85	97	105	103	87	74	68	65
Sat	65	65	65	66	66	69	73	74	76	73	74	75	74	70	69	68	65
Sun	65	65	65	64	65	67	69	71	72	73	71	72	70	69	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	78	74	72	72	71	74	84	86	89	78	69	67	65
Tue	65	66	69	79	80	73	72	71	70	74	86	94	97	84	71	67	65
Wed	65	67	69	80	82	73	72	72	71	76	88	98	101	86	73	68	65
Thu	65	67	70	80	82	73	71	71	71	75	85	97	100	88	75	68	66
Fri	65	67	69	74	75	72	73	74	77	85	97	105	103	87	74	68	65
Sat	65	65	65	66	66	69	73	74	76	73	74	75	74	70	69	68	65
Sun	65	65	65	64	65	67	69	71	72	73	71	72	70	69	70	69	65