Best Time to Drive from Sacramento to Berkeley

Right now (7:17 pm PDT): about 86 minutes via I-80 West, usually 77 at this time.

Only 70% 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 Sacramento to Berkeley 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	71	87	94	89	82	83	82	81	80	81	78	76	74	72	71	71	71
Tue	71	86	101	94	84	82	79	78	78	80	77	77	74	72	71	70	70
Wed	70	87	100	90	85	86	83	81	80	80	80	77	75	72	71	71	70
Thu	70	87	101	98	86	84	79	79	79	81	80	77	76	72	70	71	70
Fri	70	80	87	84	82	84	85	86	86	91	88	90	83	76	72	71	70
Sat	70	71	72	72	75	85	103	99	96	93	92	89	81	77	74	73	70
Sun	69	70	70	70	73	77	89	100	102	99	96	97	90	85	79	75	69

About this drive

On weekdays the 77-mile drive from Sacramento to Berkeley (via I-80 West) usually takes as little as 70 minutes and up to 101 minutes, when leaving around 7 am on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 5 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 81 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 11:30 am on Saturdays (103 minutes).

About 72 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 5 miles surface streets (6 to 15 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from downtown Sacramento (the Capitol) to central Berkeley 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 Sacramento to Berkeley?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 5 pm. The drive usually takes about 70 minutes then, versus up to 101 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 77-mile drive usually takes 70 to 101 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 81 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Sacramento to Berkeley?

Leaving around 7 am on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 101 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-80 West in Bay Area (45 miles) · I-80 West in Sacramento (17 miles) · US-50 West in Sacramento (6 miles)

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

More drives

Berkeley to Sacramento (return trip) · Sacramento to Roseville · Sacramento to Elk Grove · Sacramento to Davis · Sacramento to Folsom · Sacramento to San Francisco · Sacramento to Oakland · Sacramento to SMF · Sacramento to Stockton · Sacramento to Concord · Sacramento to Vallejo · Sacramento to Fairfield

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	71	87	94	89	82	83	82	81	80	81	78	76	74	72	71	71	71
Tue	71	86	101	94	84	82	79	78	78	80	77	77	74	72	71	70	70
Wed	70	87	100	90	85	86	83	81	80	80	80	77	75	72	71	71	70
Thu	70	87	101	98	86	84	79	79	79	81	80	77	76	72	70	71	70
Fri	70	80	87	84	82	84	85	86	86	91	88	90	83	76	72	71	70
Sat	70	71	72	72	75	85	103	99	96	93	92	89	81	77	74	73	70
Sun	69	70	70	70	73	77	89	100	102	99	96	97	90	85	79	75	69

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	71	87	94	89	82	83	82	81	80	81	78	76	74	72	71	71	71
Tue	71	86	101	94	84	82	79	78	78	80	77	77	74	72	71	70	70
Wed	70	87	100	90	85	86	83	81	80	80	80	77	75	72	71	71	70
Thu	70	87	101	98	86	84	79	79	79	81	80	77	76	72	70	71	70
Fri	70	80	87	84	82	84	85	86	86	91	88	90	83	76	72	71	70
Sat	70	71	72	72	75	85	103	99	96	93	92	89	81	77	74	73	70
Sun	69	70	70	70	73	77	89	100	102	99	96	97	90	85	79	75	69

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	71	87	94	89	82	83	82	81	80	81	78	76	74	72	71	71	71
Tue	71	86	101	94	84	82	79	78	78	80	77	77	74	72	71	70	70
Wed	70	87	100	90	85	86	83	81	80	80	80	77	75	72	71	71	70
Thu	70	87	101	98	86	84	79	79	79	81	80	77	76	72	70	71	70
Fri	70	80	87	84	82	84	85	86	86	91	88	90	83	76	72	71	70
Sat	70	71	72	72	75	85	103	99	96	93	92	89	81	77	74	73	70
Sun	69	70	70	70	73	77	89	100	102	99	96	97	90	85	79	75	69