Best Time to Drive from Sacramento to Orinda

Right now (5:51 pm PDT): about 91 minutes via I-80 West and I-680 South, usually 79 at this time.

Only 78% 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 Orinda 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	82	87	86	81	81	80	79	79	78	77	80	76	72	71	71	70
Tue	70	80	90	89	88	80	77	77	76	76	76	81	82	83	71	70	70
Wed	70	79	87	85	83	81	79	77	77	76	76	79	81	77	71	70	70
Thu	70	80	87	85	82	80	77	77	77	77	79	82	83	75	71	71	70
Fri	70	77	79	78	79	79	80	79	79	80	88	96	85	82	71	71	70
Sat	70	70	71	71	74	79	101	113	103	83	83	80	76	73	73	72	70
Sun	70	70	70	70	72	74	81	87	91	88	89	92	83	79	77	75	70

About this drive

On weekdays the 78-mile drive from Sacramento to Orinda (via I-80 West and I-680 South) usually takes as little as 70 minutes and up to 97 minutes, when leaving around 3:30 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 78 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12 pm on Saturdays (113 minutes).

About 74 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 4 miles surface streets (5 to 14 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 Orinda 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 Orinda?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 70 minutes then, versus up to 97 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 78-mile drive usually takes 70 to 97 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 78 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Sacramento to Orinda?

Leaving around 3:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 97 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-680 South in Bay Area (24 miles) · I-80 West in Sacramento (17 miles) · I-80 West in Bay Area (16 miles) · SR-24 West in Bay Area (6 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

Orinda 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	71	82	87	86	81	81	80	79	79	78	77	80	76	72	71	71	70
Tue	70	80	90	89	88	80	77	77	76	76	76	81	82	83	71	70	70
Wed	70	79	87	85	83	81	79	77	77	76	76	79	81	77	71	70	70
Thu	70	80	87	85	82	80	77	77	77	77	79	82	83	75	71	71	70
Fri	70	77	79	78	79	79	80	79	79	80	88	96	85	82	71	71	70
Sat	70	70	71	71	74	79	101	113	103	83	83	80	76	73	73	72	70
Sun	70	70	70	70	72	74	81	87	91	88	89	92	83	79	77	75	70

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	71	82	87	86	81	81	80	79	79	78	77	80	76	72	71	71	70
Tue	70	80	90	89	88	80	77	77	76	76	76	81	82	83	71	70	70
Wed	70	79	87	85	83	81	79	77	77	76	76	79	81	77	71	70	70
Thu	70	80	87	85	82	80	77	77	77	77	79	82	83	75	71	71	70
Fri	70	77	79	78	79	79	80	79	79	80	88	96	85	82	71	71	70
Sat	70	70	71	71	74	79	101	113	103	83	83	80	76	73	73	72	70
Sun	70	70	70	70	72	74	81	87	91	88	89	92	83	79	77	75	70

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	71	82	87	86	81	81	80	79	79	78	77	80	76	72	71	71	70
Tue	70	80	90	89	88	80	77	77	76	76	76	81	82	83	71	70	70
Wed	70	79	87	85	83	81	79	77	77	76	76	79	81	77	71	70	70
Thu	70	80	87	85	82	80	77	77	77	77	79	82	83	75	71	71	70
Fri	70	77	79	78	79	79	80	79	79	80	88	96	85	82	71	71	70
Sat	70	70	71	71	74	79	101	113	103	83	83	80	76	73	73	72	70
Sun	70	70	70	70	72	74	81	87	91	88	89	92	83	79	77	75	70