Best Time to Drive from Clearlake to Sacramento

Right now (3:20 pm PST): about 106 minutes via I-5 South, usually 107 at this time.

Only 23% 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 Clearlake 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	106	108	110	107	108	111	111	111	113	113	115	114	110	110	111	109	110
Tue	107	110	119	112	112	119	119	117	117	118	121	114	109	108	109	108	107
Wed	106	110	116	111	113	118	120	120	118	118	122	116	109	108	108	107	109
Thu	107	110	115	113	116	119	119	119	118	120	122	116	110	107	108	107	107
Fri	107	107	109	112	112	116	119	117	118	120	116	113	111	107	106	108	107
Sat	106	106	106	107	106	109	109	108	110	109	109	109	108	106	107	106	105
Sun	105	105	106	106	107	108	111	110	110	109	108	107	107	106	106	105	107

About this drive

On weekdays the 100-mile drive from Clearlake to Sacramento (via I-5 South) usually takes as little as 106 minutes and up to 122 minutes, when leaving around 3 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 10 am or after 4 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 117 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 10:30 am on Sundays (111 minutes).

About 57 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 43 miles surface streets (53 to 64 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Clearlake 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 Clearlake to Sacramento?

On weekdays, leave before 10 am or after 4 pm. The drive usually takes about 106 minutes then, versus up to 122 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 100-mile drive usually takes 106 to 122 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 117 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Clearlake to Sacramento?

Leaving around 3 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 122 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in Sacramento (21 miles) · SR-113 South in Sacramento (1.6 miles)

Sacramento traffic right now · Sacramento traffic tomorrow

More drives

Sacramento to Clearlake (return trip)

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	106	108	110	107	108	111	111	111	113	113	115	114	110	110	111	109	110
Tue	107	110	119	112	112	119	119	117	117	118	121	114	109	108	109	108	107
Wed	106	110	116	111	113	118	120	120	118	118	122	116	109	108	108	107	109
Thu	107	110	115	113	116	119	119	119	118	120	122	116	110	107	108	107	107
Fri	107	107	109	112	112	116	119	117	118	120	116	113	111	107	106	108	107
Sat	106	106	106	107	106	109	109	108	110	109	109	109	108	106	107	106	105
Sun	105	105	106	106	107	108	111	110	110	109	108	107	107	106	106	105	107

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	106	108	110	107	108	111	111	111	113	113	115	114	110	110	111	109	110
Tue	107	110	119	112	112	119	119	117	117	118	121	114	109	108	109	108	107
Wed	106	110	116	111	113	118	120	120	118	118	122	116	109	108	108	107	109
Thu	107	110	115	113	116	119	119	119	118	120	122	116	110	107	108	107	107
Fri	107	107	109	112	112	116	119	117	118	120	116	113	111	107	106	108	107
Sat	106	106	106	107	106	109	109	108	110	109	109	109	108	106	107	106	105
Sun	105	105	106	106	107	108	111	110	110	109	108	107	107	106	106	105	107

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	106	108	110	107	108	111	111	111	113	113	115	114	110	110	111	109	110
Tue	107	110	119	112	112	119	119	117	117	118	121	114	109	108	109	108	107
Wed	106	110	116	111	113	118	120	120	118	118	122	116	109	108	108	107	109
Thu	107	110	115	113	116	119	119	119	118	120	122	116	110	107	108	107	107
Fri	107	107	109	112	112	116	119	117	118	120	116	113	111	107	106	108	107
Sat	106	106	106	107	106	109	109	108	110	109	109	109	108	106	107	106	105
Sun	105	105	106	106	107	108	111	110	110	109	108	107	107	106	106	105	107