Best Time to Drive from Sacramento to Pittsburg

Right now (6:17 pm PDT): about 90 minutes via I-5 South and SR-12 West, usually 79 at this time.

Only 8% 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 Pittsburg 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	88	101	98	90	86	84	83	84	83	85	82	82	84	81	79	79	79
Tue	87	101	110	99	90	86	83	84	82	81	81	81	82	80	80	80	79
Wed	84	99	111	98	86	83	83	81	81	82	84	82	80	80	80	80	79
Thu	86	102	110	96	85	84	83	83	82	85	84	80	80	80	80	79	79
Fri	81	86	88	85	83	82	82	82	82	84	84	83	83	81	80	79	79
Sat	79	79	79	79	80	80	82	81	82	81	82	80	80	79	79	79	79
Sun	79	79	79	79	79	79	80	80	79	80	82	82	80	81	79	81	79

About this drive

On weekdays the 72-mile drive from Sacramento to Pittsburg (via I-5 South and SR-12 West) usually takes as little as 79 minutes and up to 112 minutes, when leaving around 6:30 am on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 5:30 am or after 9 am. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 83 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4 pm on Sundays (82 minutes).

About 48 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 24 miles surface streets (31 to 55 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 Pittsburg 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 Pittsburg?

On weekdays, leave before 5:30 am or after 9 am. The drive usually takes about 79 minutes then, versus up to 112 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 72-mile drive usually takes 79 to 112 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 83 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Sacramento to Pittsburg?

Leaving around 6:30 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 112 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in Bay Area (19 miles) · I-5 South in Sacramento (13 miles) · SR-12 West in Bay Area (10 miles) · SR-4 West in Bay Area (6 miles)

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

More drives

Pittsburg 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	88	101	98	90	86	84	83	84	83	85	82	82	84	81	79	79	79
Tue	87	101	110	99	90	86	83	84	82	81	81	81	82	80	80	80	79
Wed	84	99	111	98	86	83	83	81	81	82	84	82	80	80	80	80	79
Thu	86	102	110	96	85	84	83	83	82	85	84	80	80	80	80	79	79
Fri	81	86	88	85	83	82	82	82	82	84	84	83	83	81	80	79	79
Sat	79	79	79	79	80	80	82	81	82	81	82	80	80	79	79	79	79
Sun	79	79	79	79	79	79	80	80	79	80	82	82	80	81	79	81	79

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	88	101	98	90	86	84	83	84	83	85	82	82	84	81	79	79	79
Tue	87	101	110	99	90	86	83	84	82	81	81	81	82	80	80	80	79
Wed	84	99	111	98	86	83	83	81	81	82	84	82	80	80	80	80	79
Thu	86	102	110	96	85	84	83	83	82	85	84	80	80	80	80	79	79
Fri	81	86	88	85	83	82	82	82	82	84	84	83	83	81	80	79	79
Sat	79	79	79	79	80	80	82	81	82	81	82	80	80	79	79	79	79
Sun	79	79	79	79	79	79	80	80	79	80	82	82	80	81	79	81	79

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	88	101	98	90	86	84	83	84	83	85	82	82	84	81	79	79	79
Tue	87	101	110	99	90	86	83	84	82	81	81	81	82	80	80	80	79
Wed	84	99	111	98	86	83	83	81	81	82	84	82	80	80	80	80	79
Thu	86	102	110	96	85	84	83	83	82	85	84	80	80	80	80	79	79
Fri	81	86	88	85	83	82	82	82	82	84	84	83	83	81	80	79	79
Sat	79	79	79	79	80	80	82	81	82	81	82	80	80	79	79	79	79
Sun	79	79	79	79	79	79	80	80	79	80	82	82	80	81	79	81	79