Best Time to Drive from Sunnyvale to Petaluma

Right now (3:20 pm PST): about 83 minutes via I-280 North and US-101 North, usually 83 at this time.

Only 14% 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 Sunnyvale to Petaluma 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	78	80	82	87	89	83	82	81	81	83	89	100	91	81	79	79	79
Tue	79	80	83	91	93	86	82	81	82	83	96	110	103	89	80	79	78
Wed	78	80	83	90	92	85	82	82	82	85	102	117	108	90	81	79	78
Thu	78	80	84	93	96	87	83	82	82	85	104	119	109	93	83	80	78
Fri	78	79	83	84	84	82	82	83	84	91	105	104	93	86	81	79	79
Sat	78	78	78	79	80	81	83	84	84	84	84	81	80	80	80	80	78
Sun	79	79	79	79	79	80	81	83	83	83	82	81	80	80	80	80	79

About this drive

On weekdays the 83-mile drive from Sunnyvale to Petaluma (via I-280 North and US-101 North) usually takes as little as 78 minutes and up to 119 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 8 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 83 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12:30 pm on Saturdays (84 minutes).

About 73 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 10 miles surface streets (13 to 23 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Sunnyvale to central Petaluma 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 Sunnyvale to Petaluma?

On weekdays, leave before 8 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 78 minutes then, versus up to 119 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Sunnyvale to Petaluma?

The 83-mile drive usually takes 78 to 119 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 83 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Sunnyvale to Petaluma?

Leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 119 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-280 North in Bay Area (40 miles) · US-101 North in Bay Area (29 miles) · SR-1 North in Bay Area (4 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

Petaluma to Sunnyvale (return trip) · Sunnyvale to Stockton · Sunnyvale to Modesto · Sunnyvale to Concord · Sunnyvale to Vallejo · Sunnyvale to Fairfield · Sunnyvale to Antioch · Sunnyvale to Daly City · Sunnyvale to Vacaville · Sunnyvale to San Leandro · Sunnyvale to Livermore · Sunnyvale to Tracy

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	78	80	82	87	89	83	82	81	81	83	89	100	91	81	79	79	79
Tue	79	80	83	91	93	86	82	81	82	83	96	110	103	89	80	79	78
Wed	78	80	83	90	92	85	82	82	82	85	102	117	108	90	81	79	78
Thu	78	80	84	93	96	87	83	82	82	85	104	119	109	93	83	80	78
Fri	78	79	83	84	84	82	82	83	84	91	105	104	93	86	81	79	79
Sat	78	78	78	79	80	81	83	84	84	84	84	81	80	80	80	80	78
Sun	79	79	79	79	79	80	81	83	83	83	82	81	80	80	80	80	79

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	78	80	82	87	89	83	82	81	81	83	89	100	91	81	79	79	79
Tue	79	80	83	91	93	86	82	81	82	83	96	110	103	89	80	79	78
Wed	78	80	83	90	92	85	82	82	82	85	102	117	108	90	81	79	78
Thu	78	80	84	93	96	87	83	82	82	85	104	119	109	93	83	80	78
Fri	78	79	83	84	84	82	82	83	84	91	105	104	93	86	81	79	79
Sat	78	78	78	79	80	81	83	84	84	84	84	81	80	80	80	80	78
Sun	79	79	79	79	79	80	81	83	83	83	82	81	80	80	80	80	79

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	78	80	82	87	89	83	82	81	81	83	89	100	91	81	79	79	79
Tue	79	80	83	91	93	86	82	81	82	83	96	110	103	89	80	79	78
Wed	78	80	83	90	92	85	82	82	82	85	102	117	108	90	81	79	78
Thu	78	80	84	93	96	87	83	82	82	85	104	119	109	93	83	80	78
Fri	78	79	83	84	84	82	82	83	84	91	105	104	93	86	81	79	79
Sat	78	78	78	79	80	81	83	84	84	84	84	81	80	80	80	80	78
Sun	79	79	79	79	79	80	81	83	83	83	82	81	80	80	80	80	79