Best Time to Drive from Pittsburg to Sacramento

Right now (6:17 pm PDT): about 86 minutes via I-5 North and SR-12 East and SR-4 East, usually 84 at this time.

Only 13% 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 Pittsburg 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	82	88	90	86	82	83	81	83	82	85	87	87	88	86	83	84	83
Tue	82	87	95	90	84	82	83	85	83	87	89	89	86	83	83	84	83
Wed	82	87	96	91	85	82	84	85	89	90	90	90	86	83	84	82	82
Thu	81	86	97	89	83	84	82	83	83	84	90	88	84	84	84	82	83
Fri	82	82	86	82	82	82	84	89	90	89	89	88	86	84	83	82	83
Sat	82	82	84	81	82	82	81	84	86	83	82	81	81	83	81	82	83
Sun	82	83	84	82	81	83	81	82	80	82	81	81	83	81	81	81	82

About this drive

On weekdays the 72-mile drive from Pittsburg to Sacramento (via I-5 North and SR-12 East and SR-4 East) usually takes as little as 81 minutes and up to 97 minutes, when leaving around 7 am on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 3:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 85 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1 pm on Saturdays (86 minutes).

About 45 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 27 miles surface streets (28 to 43 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Pittsburg 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 Pittsburg to Sacramento?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 3:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 81 minutes then, versus up to 97 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 72-mile drive usually takes 81 to 97 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 85 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Pittsburg to Sacramento?

Leaving around 7 am on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 97 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

SR-12 East in Bay Area (16 miles) · I-5 North in Sacramento (12 miles) · SR-4 East in Bay Area (9 miles) · I-5 North in Bay Area (8 miles)

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

More drives

Sacramento to Pittsburg (return trip) · Pittsburg to San Jose · Pittsburg to San Francisco · Pittsburg to Oakland

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	82	88	90	86	82	83	81	83	82	85	87	87	88	86	83	84	83
Tue	82	87	95	90	84	82	83	85	83	87	89	89	86	83	83	84	83
Wed	82	87	96	91	85	82	84	85	89	90	90	90	86	83	84	82	82
Thu	81	86	97	89	83	84	82	83	83	84	90	88	84	84	84	82	83
Fri	82	82	86	82	82	82	84	89	90	89	89	88	86	84	83	82	83
Sat	82	82	84	81	82	82	81	84	86	83	82	81	81	83	81	82	83
Sun	82	83	84	82	81	83	81	82	80	82	81	81	83	81	81	81	82

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	82	88	90	86	82	83	81	83	82	85	87	87	88	86	83	84	83
Tue	82	87	95	90	84	82	83	85	83	87	89	89	86	83	83	84	83
Wed	82	87	96	91	85	82	84	85	89	90	90	90	86	83	84	82	82
Thu	81	86	97	89	83	84	82	83	83	84	90	88	84	84	84	82	83
Fri	82	82	86	82	82	82	84	89	90	89	89	88	86	84	83	82	83
Sat	82	82	84	81	82	82	81	84	86	83	82	81	81	83	81	82	83
Sun	82	83	84	82	81	83	81	82	80	82	81	81	83	81	81	81	82

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	82	88	90	86	82	83	81	83	82	85	87	87	88	86	83	84	83
Tue	82	87	95	90	84	82	83	85	83	87	89	89	86	83	83	84	83
Wed	82	87	96	91	85	82	84	85	89	90	90	90	86	83	84	82	82
Thu	81	86	97	89	83	84	82	83	83	84	90	88	84	84	84	82	83
Fri	82	82	86	82	82	82	84	89	90	89	89	88	86	84	83	82	83
Sat	82	82	84	81	82	82	81	84	86	83	82	81	81	83	81	82	83
Sun	82	83	84	82	81	83	81	82	80	82	81	81	83	81	81	81	82