Best Time to Drive from SMF to Folsom

Right now (10:48 pm PDT): about 35 minutes via US-50 East and I-5 South.

Only 58% 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 SMF to Folsom 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	34	36	38	45	40	38	38	38	38	39	42	45	44	36	35	35	35
Tue	34	36	38	49	45	38	38	38	39	39	41	48	57	39	35	35	35
Wed	34	35	38	49	42	38	38	40	38	38	42	51	56	40	36	35	35
Thu	34	36	38	44	42	38	38	40	39	39	43	51	56	43	35	35	35
Fri	34	35	37	39	38	37	38	38	39	40	45	44	50	41	37	35	35
Sat	35	34	35	35	35	36	36	37	37	36	36	35	35	35	35	35	35
Sun	34	35	34	35	35	35	36	36	36	36	36	35	35	35	35	35	35

About this drive

On weekdays the 35-mile drive from SMF to Folsom (via US-50 East and I-5 South) usually takes as little as 34 minutes and up to 59 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 39 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12 pm on Saturdays (37 minutes).

About 29 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 6 miles surface streets (9 to 14 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from Sacramento International Airport (SMF) to central Folsom (Sutter Street) 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 SMF to Folsom?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 34 minutes then, versus up to 59 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from SMF to Folsom?

The 35-mile drive usually takes 34 to 59 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 39 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from SMF to Folsom?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 59 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

US-50 East in Sacramento (19 miles) · I-5 South in Sacramento (10 miles)

Sacramento traffic right now · Sacramento traffic tomorrow

More drives

Folsom to SMF (return trip) · SMF to Sacramento · SMF to Elk Grove · SMF to Davis

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	34	36	38	45	40	38	38	38	38	39	42	45	44	36	35	35	35
Tue	34	36	38	49	45	38	38	38	39	39	41	48	57	39	35	35	35
Wed	34	35	38	49	42	38	38	40	38	38	42	51	56	40	36	35	35
Thu	34	36	38	44	42	38	38	40	39	39	43	51	56	43	35	35	35
Fri	34	35	37	39	38	37	38	38	39	40	45	44	50	41	37	35	35
Sat	35	34	35	35	35	36	36	37	37	36	36	35	35	35	35	35	35
Sun	34	35	34	35	35	35	36	36	36	36	36	35	35	35	35	35	35

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	34	36	38	45	40	38	38	38	38	39	42	45	44	36	35	35	35
Tue	34	36	38	49	45	38	38	38	39	39	41	48	57	39	35	35	35
Wed	34	35	38	49	42	38	38	40	38	38	42	51	56	40	36	35	35
Thu	34	36	38	44	42	38	38	40	39	39	43	51	56	43	35	35	35
Fri	34	35	37	39	38	37	38	38	39	40	45	44	50	41	37	35	35
Sat	35	34	35	35	35	36	36	37	37	36	36	35	35	35	35	35	35
Sun	34	35	34	35	35	35	36	36	36	36	36	35	35	35	35	35	35

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	34	36	38	45	40	38	38	38	38	39	42	45	44	36	35	35	35
Tue	34	36	38	49	45	38	38	38	39	39	41	48	57	39	35	35	35
Wed	34	35	38	49	42	38	38	40	38	38	42	51	56	40	36	35	35
Thu	34	36	38	44	42	38	38	40	39	39	43	51	56	43	35	35	35
Fri	34	35	37	39	38	37	38	38	39	40	45	44	50	41	37	35	35
Sat	35	34	35	35	35	36	36	37	37	36	36	35	35	35	35	35	35
Sun	34	35	34	35	35	35	36	36	36	36	36	35	35	35	35	35	35