Best Time to Drive from Clearlake to Sacramento

Right now (7:49 pm PDT): about 111 minutes via I-5 South, usually 106 at this time.

Only 25% 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	106	111	112	111	109	111	115	115	114	110	110	111	109	111
Tue	108	116	121	112	115	116	118	116	115	118	122	115	113	108	109	108	107
Wed	106	110	116	112	114	115	115	113	118	116	123	116	109	108	108	106	107
Thu	107	111	115	112	116	120	119	119	120	120	121	116	110	108	107	108	107
Fri	106	109	109	111	113	115	122	114	114	118	120	114	110	106	106	106	106
Sat	107	109	107	106	109	107	108	108	109	108	107	109	107	106	106	106	105
Sun	105	105	108	107	107	108	107	107	108	106	105	106	108	106	106	105	106

About this drive

On weekdays the 100-mile drive from Clearlake to Sacramento (via I-5 South) usually takes as little as 105 minutes and up to 123 minutes, when leaving around 3 pm on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 10:30 am or after 4 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 116 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 11:30 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 10:30 am or after 4 pm. The drive usually takes about 105 minutes then, versus up to 123 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 100-mile drive usually takes 105 to 123 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 116 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Clearlake to Sacramento?

Leaving around 3 pm on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 123 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	106	111	112	111	109	111	115	115	114	110	110	111	109	111
Tue	108	116	121	112	115	116	118	116	115	118	122	115	113	108	109	108	107
Wed	106	110	116	112	114	115	115	113	118	116	123	116	109	108	108	106	107
Thu	107	111	115	112	116	120	119	119	120	120	121	116	110	108	107	108	107
Fri	106	109	109	111	113	115	122	114	114	118	120	114	110	106	106	106	106
Sat	107	109	107	106	109	107	108	108	109	108	107	109	107	106	106	106	105
Sun	105	105	108	107	107	108	107	107	108	106	105	106	108	106	106	105	106

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	106	108	110	106	111	112	111	109	111	115	115	114	110	110	111	109	111
Tue	108	116	121	112	115	116	118	116	115	118	122	115	113	108	109	108	107
Wed	106	110	116	112	114	115	115	113	118	116	123	116	109	108	108	106	107
Thu	107	111	115	112	116	120	119	119	120	120	121	116	110	108	107	108	107
Fri	106	109	109	111	113	115	122	114	114	118	120	114	110	106	106	106	106
Sat	107	109	107	106	109	107	108	108	109	108	107	109	107	106	106	106	105
Sun	105	105	108	107	107	108	107	107	108	106	105	106	108	106	106	105	106

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	106	108	110	106	111	112	111	109	111	115	115	114	110	110	111	109	111
Tue	108	116	121	112	115	116	118	116	115	118	122	115	113	108	109	108	107
Wed	106	110	116	112	114	115	115	113	118	116	123	116	109	108	108	106	107
Thu	107	111	115	112	116	120	119	119	120	120	121	116	110	108	107	108	107
Fri	106	109	109	111	113	115	122	114	114	118	120	114	110	106	106	106	106
Sat	107	109	107	106	109	107	108	108	109	108	107	109	107	106	106	106	105
Sun	105	105	108	107	107	108	107	107	108	106	105	106	108	106	106	105	106