Best Time to Drive from Walnut Creek to Petaluma

Right now (5:51 pm PST): about 75 minutes via I-680 North and US-101 North and I-780 East, usually 70 at this time.

Only 44% 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 Walnut Creek 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	56	58	60	63	61	59	59	59	59	59	67	68	68	66	57	57	56
Tue	56	59	60	66	62	59	59	58	58	60	69	73	72	70	60	57	56
Wed	56	59	60	64	61	59	59	59	58	59	71	73	73	70	62	57	56
Thu	56	59	60	65	62	59	58	58	58	60	70	73	73	70	64	57	56
Fri	56	58	58	60	59	59	59	60	61	68	77	75	72	69	63	57	56
Sat	56	56	56	56	56	57	57	58	58	58	59	60	60	57	56	56	56
Sun	56	56	56	56	56	56	56	57	57	57	57	57	57	57	57	57	56

About this drive

On weekdays the 51-mile drive from Walnut Creek to Petaluma (via I-680 North and US-101 North and I-780 East) usually takes as little as 56 minutes and up to 78 minutes, when leaving around 3:30 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 7:30 am or after 7 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 59 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4:30 pm on Saturdays (60 minutes).

About 30 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 21 miles surface streets (30 to 48 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Walnut Creek 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 Walnut Creek to Petaluma?

On weekdays, leave before 7:30 am or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 56 minutes then, versus up to 78 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Walnut Creek to Petaluma?

The 51-mile drive usually takes 56 to 78 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 59 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Walnut Creek to Petaluma?

Leaving around 3:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 78 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-680 North in Bay Area (11 miles) · US-101 North in Bay Area (8 miles) · SR-37 West in Bay Area (4 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

Petaluma to Walnut Creek (return trip) · Walnut Creek to San Francisco · Walnut Creek to Oakland · Walnut Creek to San Jose · Walnut Creek to Palo Alto · Walnut Creek to Berkeley · Walnut Creek to Fremont · Walnut Creek to San Mateo · Walnut Creek to Mountain View · Walnut Creek to Pleasanton · Walnut Creek to Santa Clara · Walnut Creek to Richmond

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	56	58	60	63	61	59	59	59	59	59	67	68	68	66	57	57	56
Tue	56	59	60	66	62	59	59	58	58	60	69	73	72	70	60	57	56
Wed	56	59	60	64	61	59	59	59	58	59	71	73	73	70	62	57	56
Thu	56	59	60	65	62	59	58	58	58	60	70	73	73	70	64	57	56
Fri	56	58	58	60	59	59	59	60	61	68	77	75	72	69	63	57	56
Sat	56	56	56	56	56	57	57	58	58	58	59	60	60	57	56	56	56
Sun	56	56	56	56	56	56	56	57	57	57	57	57	57	57	57	57	56

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	56	58	60	63	61	59	59	59	59	59	67	68	68	66	57	57	56
Tue	56	59	60	66	62	59	59	58	58	60	69	73	72	70	60	57	56
Wed	56	59	60	64	61	59	59	59	58	59	71	73	73	70	62	57	56
Thu	56	59	60	65	62	59	58	58	58	60	70	73	73	70	64	57	56
Fri	56	58	58	60	59	59	59	60	61	68	77	75	72	69	63	57	56
Sat	56	56	56	56	56	57	57	58	58	58	59	60	60	57	56	56	56
Sun	56	56	56	56	56	56	56	57	57	57	57	57	57	57	57	57	56

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	56	58	60	63	61	59	59	59	59	59	67	68	68	66	57	57	56
Tue	56	59	60	66	62	59	59	58	58	60	69	73	72	70	60	57	56
Wed	56	59	60	64	61	59	59	59	58	59	71	73	73	70	62	57	56
Thu	56	59	60	65	62	59	58	58	58	60	70	73	73	70	64	57	56
Fri	56	58	58	60	59	59	59	60	61	68	77	75	72	69	63	57	56
Sat	56	56	56	56	56	57	57	58	58	58	59	60	60	57	56	56	56
Sun	56	56	56	56	56	56	56	57	57	57	57	57	57	57	57	57	56