Best Time to Drive from Sacramento to Livermore

Right now (11:05 pm PST): about 81 minutes via I-5 South and I-580 East.

Only 22% 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 Livermore 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	81	82	82	84	85	86	86	86	85	87	96	109	102	95	84	82	81
Tue	81	82	83	84	86	86	86	86	86	88	100	102	101	96	89	83	81
Wed	81	83	83	84	85	86	85	85	85	88	98	103	107	99	94	86	81
Thu	81	82	83	84	85	85	85	86	86	93	97	110	104	97	93	87	83
Fri	81	82	83	83	85	85	85	85	89	99	109	103	99	91	85	84	82
Sat	81	81	81	81	81	81	82	82	82	84	84	83	85	84	84	82	81
Sun	81	81	81	81	81	81	82	82	82	82	82	83	83	82	82	82	81

About this drive

On weekdays the 88-mile drive from Sacramento to Livermore (via I-5 South and I-580 East) usually takes as little as 81 minutes and up to 110 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 2 pm or after 7 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 87 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3:30 pm on Saturdays (86 minutes).

About 41 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 47 miles surface streets (4 to 9 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 Livermore 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 Livermore?

On weekdays, leave before 2 pm or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 81 minutes then, versus up to 110 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 88-mile drive usually takes 81 to 110 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 87 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Sacramento to Livermore?

Leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 110 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in Bay Area (19 miles) · I-5 South in Sacramento (13 miles) · I-580 East in Bay Area (9 miles)

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

More drives

Livermore 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	81	82	82	84	85	86	86	86	85	87	96	109	102	95	84	82	81
Tue	81	82	83	84	86	86	86	86	86	88	100	102	101	96	89	83	81
Wed	81	83	83	84	85	86	85	85	85	88	98	103	107	99	94	86	81
Thu	81	82	83	84	85	85	85	86	86	93	97	110	104	97	93	87	83
Fri	81	82	83	83	85	85	85	85	89	99	109	103	99	91	85	84	82
Sat	81	81	81	81	81	81	82	82	82	84	84	83	85	84	84	82	81
Sun	81	81	81	81	81	81	82	82	82	82	82	83	83	82	82	82	81

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	81	82	82	84	85	86	86	86	85	87	96	109	102	95	84	82	81
Tue	81	82	83	84	86	86	86	86	86	88	100	102	101	96	89	83	81
Wed	81	83	83	84	85	86	85	85	85	88	98	103	107	99	94	86	81
Thu	81	82	83	84	85	85	85	86	86	93	97	110	104	97	93	87	83
Fri	81	82	83	83	85	85	85	85	89	99	109	103	99	91	85	84	82
Sat	81	81	81	81	81	81	82	82	82	84	84	83	85	84	84	82	81
Sun	81	81	81	81	81	81	82	82	82	82	82	83	83	82	82	82	81

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	81	82	82	84	85	86	86	86	85	87	96	109	102	95	84	82	81
Tue	81	82	83	84	86	86	86	86	86	88	100	102	101	96	89	83	81
Wed	81	83	83	84	85	86	85	85	85	88	98	103	107	99	94	86	81
Thu	81	82	83	84	85	85	85	86	86	93	97	110	104	97	93	87	83
Fri	81	82	83	83	85	85	85	85	89	99	109	103	99	91	85	84	82
Sat	81	81	81	81	81	81	82	82	82	84	84	83	85	84	84	82	81
Sun	81	81	81	81	81	81	82	82	82	82	82	83	83	82	82	82	81