Best Time to Drive from Sacramento to Stockton

Right now (6:24 pm PDT): about 56 minutes via I-5 South, usually 52 at this time.

None 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.

On weekdays the 50-mile drive from Sacramento to Stockton (via I-5 South) usually takes as little as 50 minutes and up to 67 minutes, when leaving around 12:30 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 8 am or after 6 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 61 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 11:30 am on Saturdays (56 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: Stockton to Sacramento

Freeway, about 31 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 19 miles: 24 to 34 minutes on weekdays, estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time (we don't have street sensors yet). Drive times are measured from downtown Sacramento (the Capitol) to central Stockton along the route shown. Starting or ending elsewhere in a big city can add or save several minutes.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from Sacramento to Stockton 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	50	52	52	55	57	57	59	57	58	59	56	56	54	54	51	52	51
Tue	50	51	53	59	63	61	62	62	60	60	55	55	56	56	51	51	51
Wed	50	53	54	58	65	62	63	62	62	61	63	61	58	56	52	51	51
Thu	50	52	52	56	62	62	61	59	59	59	61	57	57	53	51	53	51
Fri	50	51	53	57	61	59	65	67	62	56	58	63	57	53	50	51	51
Sat	51	50	50	51	52	52	53	55	55	52	51	51	50	50	50	50	50
Sun	51	50	50	50	50	51	52	52	52	53	52	53	53	52	50	50	50

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 Stockton?

On weekdays, leave before 8 am or after 6 pm. The drive usually takes about 50 minutes then, versus up to 67 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 50-mile drive usually takes 50 to 67 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 61 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Sacramento to Stockton?

Leaving around 12:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 67 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

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 · Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

Stockton 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

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	50	52	52	55	57	57	59	57	58	59	56	56	54	54	51	52	51
Tue	50	51	53	59	63	61	62	62	60	60	55	55	56	56	51	51	51
Wed	50	53	54	58	65	62	63	62	62	61	63	61	58	56	52	51	51
Thu	50	52	52	56	62	62	61	59	59	59	61	57	57	53	51	53	51
Fri	50	51	53	57	61	59	65	67	62	56	58	63	57	53	50	51	51
Sat	51	50	50	51	52	52	53	55	55	52	51	51	50	50	50	50	50
Sun	51	50	50	50	50	51	52	52	52	53	52	53	53	52	50	50	50

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	50	52	52	55	57	57	59	57	58	59	56	56	54	54	51	52	51
Tue	50	51	53	59	63	61	62	62	60	60	55	55	56	56	51	51	51
Wed	50	53	54	58	65	62	63	62	62	61	63	61	58	56	52	51	51
Thu	50	52	52	56	62	62	61	59	59	59	61	57	57	53	51	53	51
Fri	50	51	53	57	61	59	65	67	62	56	58	63	57	53	50	51	51
Sat	51	50	50	51	52	52	53	55	55	52	51	51	50	50	50	50	50
Sun	51	50	50	50	50	51	52	52	52	53	52	53	53	52	50	50	50

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	50	52	52	55	57	57	59	57	58	59	56	56	54	54	51	52	51
Tue	50	51	53	59	63	61	62	62	60	60	55	55	56	56	51	51	51
Wed	50	53	54	58	65	62	63	62	62	61	63	61	58	56	52	51	51
Thu	50	52	52	56	62	62	61	59	59	59	61	57	57	53	51	53	51
Fri	50	51	53	57	61	59	65	67	62	56	58	63	57	53	50	51	51
Sat	51	50	50	51	52	52	53	55	55	52	51	51	50	50	50	50	50
Sun	51	50	50	50	50	51	52	52	52	53	52	53	53	52	50	50	50