Best Time to Drive from Sacramento to Riverbank

Right now (2:36 am PST): about 93 minutes via I-5 South.

Only 13% 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 Riverbank 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	90	89	90	91	91	91	92	92	91	92	93	96	93	91	90	90	90
Tue	89	90	91	92	92	92	92	92	92	92	93	96	96	94	90	90	90
Wed	89	90	90	91	92	92	92	92	92	92	94	98	97	94	90	90	90
Thu	89	90	90	92	92	91	92	92	92	93	95	101	99	94	90	90	90
Fri	90	90	91	91	92	92	92	92	93	93	98	100	99	92	90	90	90
Sat	90	90	89	90	90	90	90	90	90	90	90	90	90	90	90	90	90
Sun	90	89	89	89	89	89	90	90	91	91	91	92	91	90	90	90	90

About this drive

On weekdays the 77-mile drive from Sacramento to Riverbank (via I-5 South) usually takes as little as 89 minutes and up to 102 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 92 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3:30 pm on Sundays (92 minutes).

About 31 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 47 miles surface streets (45 to 48 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 Riverbank 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 Riverbank?

On weekdays, leave early in the morning or late in the evening. The drive usually takes about 89 minutes then, versus up to 102 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 77-mile drive usually takes 89 to 102 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 92 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Sacramento to Riverbank?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 102 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

More drives

Riverbank 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	90	89	90	91	91	91	92	92	91	92	93	96	93	91	90	90	90
Tue	89	90	91	92	92	92	92	92	92	92	93	96	96	94	90	90	90
Wed	89	90	90	91	92	92	92	92	92	92	94	98	97	94	90	90	90
Thu	89	90	90	92	92	91	92	92	92	93	95	101	99	94	90	90	90
Fri	90	90	91	91	92	92	92	92	93	93	98	100	99	92	90	90	90
Sat	90	90	89	90	90	90	90	90	90	90	90	90	90	90	90	90	90
Sun	90	89	89	89	89	89	90	90	91	91	91	92	91	90	90	90	90

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	90	89	90	91	91	91	92	92	91	92	93	96	93	91	90	90	90
Tue	89	90	91	92	92	92	92	92	92	92	93	96	96	94	90	90	90
Wed	89	90	90	91	92	92	92	92	92	92	94	98	97	94	90	90	90
Thu	89	90	90	92	92	91	92	92	92	93	95	101	99	94	90	90	90
Fri	90	90	91	91	92	92	92	92	93	93	98	100	99	92	90	90	90
Sat	90	90	89	90	90	90	90	90	90	90	90	90	90	90	90	90	90
Sun	90	89	89	89	89	89	90	90	91	91	91	92	91	90	90	90	90

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	90	89	90	91	91	91	92	92	91	92	93	96	93	91	90	90	90
Tue	89	90	91	92	92	92	92	92	92	92	93	96	96	94	90	90	90
Wed	89	90	90	91	92	92	92	92	92	92	94	98	97	94	90	90	90
Thu	89	90	90	92	92	91	92	92	92	93	95	101	99	94	90	90	90
Fri	90	90	91	91	92	92	92	92	93	93	98	100	99	92	90	90	90
Sat	90	90	89	90	90	90	90	90	90	90	90	90	90	90	90	90	90
Sun	90	89	89	89	89	89	90	90	91	91	91	92	91	90	90	90	90