Best Time to Drive from Santa Rosa to Walnut Creek

Right now (5:33 pm PDT): about 82 minutes via US-101 South and SR-37 East and I-680 South, usually 78 at this time.

Only 46% 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 Santa Rosa to Walnut Creek 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	74	81	88	94	90	83	83	83	85	90	94	106	101	85	74	74	74
Tue	73	80	95	101	94	81	82	83	85	90	100	109	108	92	76	74	74
Wed	73	80	93	99	93	82	82	82	83	92	99	109	108	95	77	75	74
Thu	73	81	92	100	94	82	82	81	83	92	99	111	109	95	77	74	74
Fri	73	78	83	89	85	82	82	83	92	96	105	111	107	91	77	74	73
Sat	74	74	74	74	75	76	78	79	79	83	84	82	78	78	76	75	74
Sun	74	74	74	74	74	77	79	82	86	86	85	80	78	77	76	76	74

About this drive

On weekdays the 62-mile drive from Santa Rosa to Walnut Creek (via US-101 South and SR-37 East and I-680 South) usually takes as little as 73 minutes and up to 111 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 85 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1:30 pm on Sundays (88 minutes).

About 39 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 24 miles surface streets (31 to 63 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Santa Rosa to central Walnut Creek 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 Santa Rosa to Walnut Creek?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 73 minutes then, versus up to 111 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Santa Rosa to Walnut Creek?

The 62-mile drive usually takes 73 to 111 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 85 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santa Rosa to Walnut Creek?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 111 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

US-101 South in Bay Area (15 miles) · SR-37 East in Bay Area (12 miles) · I-680 South in Bay Area (10 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

Walnut Creek to Santa Rosa (return trip) · Santa Rosa to San Francisco · Santa Rosa to Sacramento · Santa Rosa to Oakland · Santa Rosa to Hayward · Santa Rosa to Concord · Santa Rosa to Vallejo · Santa Rosa to Berkeley · Santa Rosa to Fairfield · Santa Rosa to Antioch · Santa Rosa to Richmond · Santa Rosa to Daly City

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	74	81	88	94	90	83	83	83	85	90	94	106	101	85	74	74	74
Tue	73	80	95	101	94	81	82	83	85	90	100	109	108	92	76	74	74
Wed	73	80	93	99	93	82	82	82	83	92	99	109	108	95	77	75	74
Thu	73	81	92	100	94	82	82	81	83	92	99	111	109	95	77	74	74
Fri	73	78	83	89	85	82	82	83	92	96	105	111	107	91	77	74	73
Sat	74	74	74	74	75	76	78	79	79	83	84	82	78	78	76	75	74
Sun	74	74	74	74	74	77	79	82	86	86	85	80	78	77	76	76	74

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	74	81	88	94	90	83	83	83	85	90	94	106	101	85	74	74	74
Tue	73	80	95	101	94	81	82	83	85	90	100	109	108	92	76	74	74
Wed	73	80	93	99	93	82	82	82	83	92	99	109	108	95	77	75	74
Thu	73	81	92	100	94	82	82	81	83	92	99	111	109	95	77	74	74
Fri	73	78	83	89	85	82	82	83	92	96	105	111	107	91	77	74	73
Sat	74	74	74	74	75	76	78	79	79	83	84	82	78	78	76	75	74
Sun	74	74	74	74	74	77	79	82	86	86	85	80	78	77	76	76	74

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	74	81	88	94	90	83	83	83	85	90	94	106	101	85	74	74	74
Tue	73	80	95	101	94	81	82	83	85	90	100	109	108	92	76	74	74
Wed	73	80	93	99	93	82	82	82	83	92	99	109	108	95	77	75	74
Thu	73	81	92	100	94	82	82	81	83	92	99	111	109	95	77	74	74
Fri	73	78	83	89	85	82	82	83	92	96	105	111	107	91	77	74	73
Sat	74	74	74	74	75	76	78	79	79	83	84	82	78	78	76	75	74
Sun	74	74	74	74	74	77	79	82	86	86	85	80	78	77	76	76	74