Best Time to Drive from Folsom to SMF

Right now (2:19 pm PDT): about 35 minutes via US-50 West and I-5 North, usually 36 at this time.

Only 60% 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 Folsom to SMF 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	34	36	38	40	38	37	38	38	38	38	41	48	48	38	35	35	36
Tue	34	36	37	44	39	38	37	37	38	38	41	52	60	42	35	34	34
Wed	34	35	37	43	39	38	38	37	37	37	43	61	56	42	35	34	34
Thu	34	35	37	40	38	38	39	39	39	39	48	55	57	43	35	35	34
Fri	34	35	36	37	37	37	38	37	37	51	46	54	47	41	35	34	34
Sat	34	34	34	34	35	35	35	36	35	35	35	35	35	35	35	34	34
Sun	34	34	34	34	34	35	35	36	36	35	35	35	35	34	34	34	34

About this drive

On weekdays the 34-mile drive from Folsom to SMF (via US-50 West and I-5 North) usually takes as little as 34 minutes and up to 65 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 38 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12 pm on Saturdays (36 minutes).

About 29 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 6 miles surface streets (9 to 17 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Folsom (Sutter Street) to Sacramento International Airport (SMF) 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 Folsom to SMF?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 34 minutes then, versus up to 65 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Folsom to SMF?

The 34-mile drive usually takes 34 to 65 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 38 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Folsom to SMF?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 65 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

US-50 West in Sacramento (19 miles) · I-5 North in Sacramento (10 miles)

Sacramento traffic right now · Sacramento traffic tomorrow

More drives

SMF to Folsom (return trip) · Folsom to Sacramento · Folsom to Davis · Folsom to Elk Grove · Folsom to Stockton

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	34	36	38	40	38	37	38	38	38	38	41	48	48	38	35	35	36
Tue	34	36	37	44	39	38	37	37	38	38	41	52	60	42	35	34	34
Wed	34	35	37	43	39	38	38	37	37	37	43	61	56	42	35	34	34
Thu	34	35	37	40	38	38	39	39	39	39	48	55	57	43	35	35	34
Fri	34	35	36	37	37	37	38	37	37	51	46	54	47	41	35	34	34
Sat	34	34	34	34	35	35	35	36	35	35	35	35	35	35	35	34	34
Sun	34	34	34	34	34	35	35	36	36	35	35	35	35	34	34	34	34

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	34	36	38	40	38	37	38	38	38	38	41	48	48	38	35	35	36
Tue	34	36	37	44	39	38	37	37	38	38	41	52	60	42	35	34	34
Wed	34	35	37	43	39	38	38	37	37	37	43	61	56	42	35	34	34
Thu	34	35	37	40	38	38	39	39	39	39	48	55	57	43	35	35	34
Fri	34	35	36	37	37	37	38	37	37	51	46	54	47	41	35	34	34
Sat	34	34	34	34	35	35	35	36	35	35	35	35	35	35	35	34	34
Sun	34	34	34	34	34	35	35	36	36	35	35	35	35	34	34	34	34

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	34	36	38	40	38	37	38	38	38	38	41	48	48	38	35	35	36
Tue	34	36	37	44	39	38	37	37	38	38	41	52	60	42	35	34	34
Wed	34	35	37	43	39	38	38	37	37	37	43	61	56	42	35	34	34
Thu	34	35	37	40	38	38	39	39	39	39	48	55	57	43	35	35	34
Fri	34	35	36	37	37	37	38	37	37	51	46	54	47	41	35	34	34
Sat	34	34	34	34	35	35	35	36	35	35	35	35	35	35	35	34	34
Sun	34	34	34	34	34	35	35	36	36	35	35	35	35	34	34	34	34