Best Time to Drive from Sacramento to Novato

Right now (12:50 am PST): about 75 minutes via I-80 West.

Only 56% 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 Novato 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	74	84	86	88	88	83	83	83	82	82	82	87	87	78	75	75	75
Tue	74	85	89	91	90	83	81	81	80	81	82	90	98	90	75	75	75
Wed	74	85	88	90	88	83	82	81	81	81	82	91	99	90	76	75	74
Thu	73	85	88	90	88	83	80	80	80	81	84	93	100	86	75	75	75
Fri	74	79	80	81	82	81	83	82	82	83	91	106	102	89	77	75	74
Sat	74	75	75	76	77	82	90	89	88	84	83	81	79	77	76	76	74
Sun	74	74	75	74	76	77	83	86	88	89	88	87	86	82	80	77	74

About this drive

On weekdays the 77-mile drive from Sacramento to Novato (via I-80 West) usually takes as little as 73 minutes and up to 106 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 81 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 11:30 am on Saturdays (91 minutes).

About 62 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 15 miles surface streets (19 to 39 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 Novato 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 Novato?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 73 minutes then, versus up to 106 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 77-mile drive usually takes 73 to 106 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 81 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Sacramento to Novato?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 106 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-80 West in Bay Area (23 miles) · I-80 West in Sacramento (17 miles) · SR-37 West in Bay Area (10 miles) · US-50 West in Sacramento (6 miles) · US-101 North in Bay Area (1.5 miles)

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

More drives

Novato 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	74	84	86	88	88	83	83	83	82	82	82	87	87	78	75	75	75
Tue	74	85	89	91	90	83	81	81	80	81	82	90	98	90	75	75	75
Wed	74	85	88	90	88	83	82	81	81	81	82	91	99	90	76	75	74
Thu	73	85	88	90	88	83	80	80	80	81	84	93	100	86	75	75	75
Fri	74	79	80	81	82	81	83	82	82	83	91	106	102	89	77	75	74
Sat	74	75	75	76	77	82	90	89	88	84	83	81	79	77	76	76	74
Sun	74	74	75	74	76	77	83	86	88	89	88	87	86	82	80	77	74

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	74	84	86	88	88	83	83	83	82	82	82	87	87	78	75	75	75
Tue	74	85	89	91	90	83	81	81	80	81	82	90	98	90	75	75	75
Wed	74	85	88	90	88	83	82	81	81	81	82	91	99	90	76	75	74
Thu	73	85	88	90	88	83	80	80	80	81	84	93	100	86	75	75	75
Fri	74	79	80	81	82	81	83	82	82	83	91	106	102	89	77	75	74
Sat	74	75	75	76	77	82	90	89	88	84	83	81	79	77	76	76	74
Sun	74	74	75	74	76	77	83	86	88	89	88	87	86	82	80	77	74

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	74	84	86	88	88	83	83	83	82	82	82	87	87	78	75	75	75
Tue	74	85	89	91	90	83	81	81	80	81	82	90	98	90	75	75	75
Wed	74	85	88	90	88	83	82	81	81	81	82	91	99	90	76	75	74
Thu	73	85	88	90	88	83	80	80	80	81	84	93	100	86	75	75	75
Fri	74	79	80	81	82	81	83	82	82	83	91	106	102	89	77	75	74
Sat	74	75	75	76	77	82	90	89	88	84	83	81	79	77	76	76	74
Sun	74	74	75	74	76	77	83	86	88	89	88	87	86	82	80	77	74