Best Time to Drive from Sacramento to Brentwood

Right now (7:17 pm PDT): about 81 minutes via I-5 South, usually 83 at this time.

None 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 Brentwood 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	80	82	82	88	89	90	91	88	90	94	87	86	84	83	82	82	81
Tue	80	81	84	93	99	96	98	96	96	92	85	86	86	87	81	81	81
Wed	80	83	85	92	100	98	98	97	97	96	96	92	87	85	83	81	81
Thu	80	82	82	88	96	99	95	93	92	91	93	87	88	86	81	85	81
Fri	80	81	84	90	94	95	102	104	95	86	96	96	88	82	80	81	81
Sat	81	80	80	81	82	82	85	87	85	82	81	82	80	80	80	80	80
Sun	81	80	80	80	80	81	82	82	82	83	83	82	83	82	80	80	80

About this drive

On weekdays the 74-mile drive from Sacramento to Brentwood (via I-5 South) usually takes as little as 80 minutes and up to 104 minutes, when leaving around 12 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 8 am or after 4:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 95 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 11:30 am on Saturdays (89 minutes).

About 31 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 44 miles surface streets (39 to 56 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 Brentwood 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 Brentwood?

On weekdays, leave before 8 am or after 4:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 80 minutes then, versus up to 104 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 74-mile drive usually takes 80 to 104 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 95 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Sacramento to Brentwood?

Leaving around 12 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 104 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in Bay Area (17 miles) · I-5 South in Sacramento (13 miles)

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

More drives

Brentwood 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 Berkeley

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	80	82	82	88	89	90	91	88	90	94	87	86	84	83	82	82	81
Tue	80	81	84	93	99	96	98	96	96	92	85	86	86	87	81	81	81
Wed	80	83	85	92	100	98	98	97	97	96	96	92	87	85	83	81	81
Thu	80	82	82	88	96	99	95	93	92	91	93	87	88	86	81	85	81
Fri	80	81	84	90	94	95	102	104	95	86	96	96	88	82	80	81	81
Sat	81	80	80	81	82	82	85	87	85	82	81	82	80	80	80	80	80
Sun	81	80	80	80	80	81	82	82	82	83	83	82	83	82	80	80	80

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	80	82	82	88	89	90	91	88	90	94	87	86	84	83	82	82	81
Tue	80	81	84	93	99	96	98	96	96	92	85	86	86	87	81	81	81
Wed	80	83	85	92	100	98	98	97	97	96	96	92	87	85	83	81	81
Thu	80	82	82	88	96	99	95	93	92	91	93	87	88	86	81	85	81
Fri	80	81	84	90	94	95	102	104	95	86	96	96	88	82	80	81	81
Sat	81	80	80	81	82	82	85	87	85	82	81	82	80	80	80	80	80
Sun	81	80	80	80	80	81	82	82	82	83	83	82	83	82	80	80	80

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	80	82	82	88	89	90	91	88	90	94	87	86	84	83	82	82	81
Tue	80	81	84	93	99	96	98	96	96	92	85	86	86	87	81	81	81
Wed	80	83	85	92	100	98	98	97	97	96	96	92	87	85	83	81	81
Thu	80	82	82	88	96	99	95	93	92	91	93	87	88	86	81	85	81
Fri	80	81	84	90	94	95	102	104	95	86	96	96	88	82	80	81	81
Sat	81	80	80	81	82	82	85	87	85	82	81	82	80	80	80	80	80
Sun	81	80	80	80	80	81	82	82	82	83	83	82	83	82	80	80	80