Best Time to Drive from Walnut Creek to Santa Rosa

Right now (6:10 pm PST): about 121 minutes via US-101 North and I-680 North, usually 100 at this time.

Only 19% 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 Santa Rosa 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	71	75	87	92	82	77	77	77	77	82	107	110	99	93	72	71	71
Tue	71	75	91	96	85	78	77	77	77	84	113	124	109	103	80	71	71
Wed	71	75	91	95	83	78	76	76	78	84	120	125	111	102	85	72	71
Thu	71	75	91	95	84	79	76	76	77	86	119	124	111	101	88	72	71
Fri	71	74	82	82	78	76	77	79	83	112	129	124	108	100	88	73	71
Sat	71	71	71	71	72	73	73	74	76	77	79	81	80	73	71	71	71
Sun	71	71	71	71	71	72	73	74	75	75	73	73	72	72	72	71	71

About this drive

On weekdays the 62-mile drive from Walnut Creek to Santa Rosa (via US-101 North and I-680 North) usually takes as little as 71 minutes and up to 129 minutes, when leaving around 3 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 80 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4:30 pm on Saturdays (81 minutes).

About 34 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 29 miles surface streets (40 to 84 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 Santa Rosa 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 Santa Rosa?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 71 minutes then, versus up to 129 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 62-mile drive usually takes 71 to 129 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 80 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Walnut Creek to Santa Rosa?

Leaving around 3 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 129 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

US-101 North in Bay Area (14 miles) · I-680 North in Bay Area (11 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

Santa Rosa 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	71	75	87	92	82	77	77	77	77	82	107	110	99	93	72	71	71
Tue	71	75	91	96	85	78	77	77	77	84	113	124	109	103	80	71	71
Wed	71	75	91	95	83	78	76	76	78	84	120	125	111	102	85	72	71
Thu	71	75	91	95	84	79	76	76	77	86	119	124	111	101	88	72	71
Fri	71	74	82	82	78	76	77	79	83	112	129	124	108	100	88	73	71
Sat	71	71	71	71	72	73	73	74	76	77	79	81	80	73	71	71	71
Sun	71	71	71	71	71	72	73	74	75	75	73	73	72	72	72	71	71

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	71	75	87	92	82	77	77	77	77	82	107	110	99	93	72	71	71
Tue	71	75	91	96	85	78	77	77	77	84	113	124	109	103	80	71	71
Wed	71	75	91	95	83	78	76	76	78	84	120	125	111	102	85	72	71
Thu	71	75	91	95	84	79	76	76	77	86	119	124	111	101	88	72	71
Fri	71	74	82	82	78	76	77	79	83	112	129	124	108	100	88	73	71
Sat	71	71	71	71	72	73	73	74	76	77	79	81	80	73	71	71	71
Sun	71	71	71	71	71	72	73	74	75	75	73	73	72	72	72	71	71

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	71	75	87	92	82	77	77	77	77	82	107	110	99	93	72	71	71
Tue	71	75	91	96	85	78	77	77	77	84	113	124	109	103	80	71	71
Wed	71	75	91	95	83	78	76	76	78	84	120	125	111	102	85	72	71
Thu	71	75	91	95	84	79	76	76	77	86	119	124	111	101	88	72	71
Fri	71	74	82	82	78	76	77	79	83	112	129	124	108	100	88	73	71
Sat	71	71	71	71	72	73	73	74	76	77	79	81	80	73	71	71	71
Sun	71	71	71	71	71	72	73	74	75	75	73	73	72	72	72	71	71