Best Time to Drive from Berkeley to Sacramento

Right now (7:17 pm PDT): about 78 minutes via I-80 East, usually 75 at this time.

Only 71% 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 Berkeley to Sacramento 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	70	73	75	79	83	81	83	83	83	82	83	84	87	80	73	71	71
Tue	70	72	76	80	81	80	79	80	79	80	85	90	94	84	74	71	70
Wed	70	72	76	79	82	80	79	80	80	80	84	92	97	86	74	71	70
Thu	70	72	75	80	81	80	80	80	81	81	87	93	98	86	76	71	70
Fri	70	72	74	76	79	78	80	84	86	90	98	99	95	86	78	72	70
Sat	70	70	70	72	73	76	81	82	82	80	81	81	80	78	76	73	71
Sun	70	70	70	69	71	72	76	77	79	79	78	77	77	75	75	73	70

About this drive

On weekdays the 78-mile drive from Berkeley to Sacramento (via I-80 East) usually takes as little as 70 minutes and up to 101 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 81 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12:30 pm on Saturdays (83 minutes).

About 74 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 4 miles surface streets (4 to 11 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Berkeley to downtown Sacramento (the Capitol) 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 Berkeley to Sacramento?

On weekdays, leave before 7:30 am or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 70 minutes then, versus up to 101 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Berkeley to Sacramento?

The 78-mile drive usually takes 70 to 101 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 81 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Berkeley to Sacramento?

Leaving around 3:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 101 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-80 East in Bay Area (48 miles) · I-80 East in Sacramento (21 miles) · US-50 East in Sacramento (3 miles) · I-5 North in Sacramento (1 mile)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow · Sacramento traffic right now · Sacramento traffic tomorrow

More drives

Sacramento to Berkeley (return trip) · Berkeley to San Francisco · Berkeley to San Jose · Berkeley to Palo Alto · Berkeley to Fremont · Berkeley to Walnut Creek · Berkeley to San Mateo · Berkeley to Mountain View · Berkeley to Pleasanton · Berkeley to Santa Clara · Berkeley to SFO · Berkeley to OAK

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	70	73	75	79	83	81	83	83	83	82	83	84	87	80	73	71	71
Tue	70	72	76	80	81	80	79	80	79	80	85	90	94	84	74	71	70
Wed	70	72	76	79	82	80	79	80	80	80	84	92	97	86	74	71	70
Thu	70	72	75	80	81	80	80	80	81	81	87	93	98	86	76	71	70
Fri	70	72	74	76	79	78	80	84	86	90	98	99	95	86	78	72	70
Sat	70	70	70	72	73	76	81	82	82	80	81	81	80	78	76	73	71
Sun	70	70	70	69	71	72	76	77	79	79	78	77	77	75	75	73	70

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	70	73	75	79	83	81	83	83	83	82	83	84	87	80	73	71	71
Tue	70	72	76	80	81	80	79	80	79	80	85	90	94	84	74	71	70
Wed	70	72	76	79	82	80	79	80	80	80	84	92	97	86	74	71	70
Thu	70	72	75	80	81	80	80	80	81	81	87	93	98	86	76	71	70
Fri	70	72	74	76	79	78	80	84	86	90	98	99	95	86	78	72	70
Sat	70	70	70	72	73	76	81	82	82	80	81	81	80	78	76	73	71
Sun	70	70	70	69	71	72	76	77	79	79	78	77	77	75	75	73	70

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	70	73	75	79	83	81	83	83	83	82	83	84	87	80	73	71	71
Tue	70	72	76	80	81	80	79	80	79	80	85	90	94	84	74	71	70
Wed	70	72	76	79	82	80	79	80	80	80	84	92	97	86	74	71	70
Thu	70	72	75	80	81	80	80	80	81	81	87	93	98	86	76	71	70
Fri	70	72	74	76	79	78	80	84	86	90	98	99	95	86	78	72	70
Sat	70	70	70	72	73	76	81	82	82	80	81	81	80	78	76	73	71
Sun	70	70	70	69	71	72	76	77	79	79	78	77	77	75	75	73	70