Best Time to Drive from San Rafael to San Mateo

Right now (12:50 am PDT): about 40 minutes via US-101 South and I-80 West and I-580 West.

Only 78% 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 Rafael to San Mateo 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	40	50	67	73	62	52	50	49	49	48	52	49	50	45	42	42	41
Tue	40	50	85	92	70	58	53	47	45	47	53	52	56	51	43	42	41
Wed	40	49	80	81	67	56	54	49	46	47	52	54	63	53	43	42	41
Thu	40	48	80	86	68	59	55	51	49	51	58	59	70	59	45	42	41
Fri	40	46	60	58	54	48	48	49	50	52	58	54	60	55	48	44	41
Sat	40	40	41	41	43	47	59	68	66	64	63	59	60	57	51	47	43
Sun	40	40	40	41	42	43	50	56	60	59	59	57	56	54	52	47	41

About this drive

On weekdays the 45-mile drive from San Rafael to San Mateo (via US-101 South and I-80 West and I-580 West) usually takes as little as 40 minutes and up to 92 minutes, when leaving around 7:30 am on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 49 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12:30 pm on Saturdays (71 minutes).

About 43 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 2 miles surface streets (3 to 4 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central San Rafael to central San Mateo 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 Rafael to San Mateo?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 40 minutes then, versus up to 92 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 45-mile drive usually takes 40 to 92 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 49 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from San Rafael to San Mateo?

Leaving around 7:30 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 92 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

US-101 South in Bay Area (16 miles) · I-80 West in Bay Area (15 miles) · I-580 West in Bay Area (13 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

San Mateo to San Rafael (return trip) · San Rafael to San Jose · San Rafael to San Francisco · San Rafael to Oakland · San Rafael to Stockton · San Rafael to Fremont · San Rafael to Santa Rosa · San Rafael to Elk Grove · San Rafael to Hayward · San Rafael to Sunnyvale · San Rafael to Concord · San Rafael to Santa Clara

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	40	50	67	73	62	52	50	49	49	48	52	49	50	45	42	42	41
Tue	40	50	85	92	70	58	53	47	45	47	53	52	56	51	43	42	41
Wed	40	49	80	81	67	56	54	49	46	47	52	54	63	53	43	42	41
Thu	40	48	80	86	68	59	55	51	49	51	58	59	70	59	45	42	41
Fri	40	46	60	58	54	48	48	49	50	52	58	54	60	55	48	44	41
Sat	40	40	41	41	43	47	59	68	66	64	63	59	60	57	51	47	43
Sun	40	40	40	41	42	43	50	56	60	59	59	57	56	54	52	47	41

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	40	50	67	73	62	52	50	49	49	48	52	49	50	45	42	42	41
Tue	40	50	85	92	70	58	53	47	45	47	53	52	56	51	43	42	41
Wed	40	49	80	81	67	56	54	49	46	47	52	54	63	53	43	42	41
Thu	40	48	80	86	68	59	55	51	49	51	58	59	70	59	45	42	41
Fri	40	46	60	58	54	48	48	49	50	52	58	54	60	55	48	44	41
Sat	40	40	41	41	43	47	59	68	66	64	63	59	60	57	51	47	43
Sun	40	40	40	41	42	43	50	56	60	59	59	57	56	54	52	47	41

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	40	50	67	73	62	52	50	49	49	48	52	49	50	45	42	42	41
Tue	40	50	85	92	70	58	53	47	45	47	53	52	56	51	43	42	41
Wed	40	49	80	81	67	56	54	49	46	47	52	54	63	53	43	42	41
Thu	40	48	80	86	68	59	55	51	49	51	58	59	70	59	45	42	41
Fri	40	46	60	58	54	48	48	49	50	52	58	54	60	55	48	44	41
Sat	40	40	41	41	43	47	59	68	66	64	63	59	60	57	51	47	43
Sun	40	40	40	41	42	43	50	56	60	59	59	57	56	54	52	47	41