Best Time to Drive from Pittsburg to Sacramento

Right now (7:20 pm PST): about 80 minutes via I-5 North and SR-12 East and SR-4 East, usually 80 at this time.

Only 37% 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	78	86	98	88	84	87	87	90	90	92	95	99	87	81	80	80	79
Tue	79	90	115	99	85	88	88	89	94	92	112	115	102	83	81	80	80
Wed	80	86	113	96	86	86	86	86	90	94	105	119	105	84	81	80	79
Thu	79	87	111	96	85	86	87	90	90	94	113	116	100	84	82	80	79
Fri	78	80	86	82	84	87	85	94	89	95	109	105	93	87	81	79	79
Sat	79	78	79	79	79	80	80	87	83	82	81	82	79	79	79	79	79
Sun	78	79	79	79	79	80	81	81	81	82	82	81	81	80	80	80	79

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 78 minutes and up to 119 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 6 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 90 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12 pm on Saturdays (87 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 56 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 6 pm. The drive usually takes about 78 minutes then, versus up to 119 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 72-mile drive usually takes 78 to 119 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 90 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Pittsburg to Sacramento?

Leaving around 4 pm on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 119 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 · Pittsburg to Stockton · Pittsburg to Fremont · Pittsburg to Modesto · Pittsburg to Santa Rosa · Pittsburg to Elk Grove · Pittsburg to Hayward · Pittsburg to Sunnyvale · Pittsburg to Roseville

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	78	86	98	88	84	87	87	90	90	92	95	99	87	81	80	80	79
Tue	79	90	115	99	85	88	88	89	94	92	112	115	102	83	81	80	80
Wed	80	86	113	96	86	86	86	86	90	94	105	119	105	84	81	80	79
Thu	79	87	111	96	85	86	87	90	90	94	113	116	100	84	82	80	79
Fri	78	80	86	82	84	87	85	94	89	95	109	105	93	87	81	79	79
Sat	79	78	79	79	79	80	80	87	83	82	81	82	79	79	79	79	79
Sun	78	79	79	79	79	80	81	81	81	82	82	81	81	80	80	80	79

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	78	86	98	88	84	87	87	90	90	92	95	99	87	81	80	80	79
Tue	79	90	115	99	85	88	88	89	94	92	112	115	102	83	81	80	80
Wed	80	86	113	96	86	86	86	86	90	94	105	119	105	84	81	80	79
Thu	79	87	111	96	85	86	87	90	90	94	113	116	100	84	82	80	79
Fri	78	80	86	82	84	87	85	94	89	95	109	105	93	87	81	79	79
Sat	79	78	79	79	79	80	80	87	83	82	81	82	79	79	79	79	79
Sun	78	79	79	79	79	80	81	81	81	82	82	81	81	80	80	80	79

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	78	86	98	88	84	87	87	90	90	92	95	99	87	81	80	80	79
Tue	79	90	115	99	85	88	88	89	94	92	112	115	102	83	81	80	80
Wed	80	86	113	96	86	86	86	86	90	94	105	119	105	84	81	80	79
Thu	79	87	111	96	85	86	87	90	90	94	113	116	100	84	82	80	79
Fri	78	80	86	82	84	87	85	94	89	95	109	105	93	87	81	79	79
Sat	79	78	79	79	79	80	80	87	83	82	81	82	79	79	79	79	79
Sun	78	79	79	79	79	80	81	81	81	82	82	81	81	80	80	80	79