Best Time to Drive from Stockton to Sacramento

Right now (6:24 pm PDT): about 59 minutes via I-5 North, usually 53 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 49-mile drive from Stockton to Sacramento (via I-5 North) usually takes as little as 51 minutes and up to 71 minutes, when leaving around 3:30 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7 am or after 5:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 63 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12 pm on Saturdays (60 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: Sacramento to Stockton

Freeway, about 25 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 24 miles: 30 to 43 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 central Stockton to downtown Sacramento (the Capitol) 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 Stockton to Sacramento 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	51	53	58	54	58	58	59	59	58	59	59	57	54	52	53	54	52
Tue	52	54	63	62	63	66	66	64	64	65	60	60	58	54	54	53	52
Wed	51	54	63	61	65	66	66	66	66	66	68	69	60	53	53	52	52
Thu	52	55	60	58	61	68	66	61	61	63	68	64	58	53	53	56	52
Fri	51	53	56	57	63	62	61	67	68	61	61	66	57	54	52	53	52
Sat	52	52	52	52	53	54	55	60	59	54	53	53	52	52	52	52	52
Sun	52	51	52	51	52	52	53	53	53	53	52	52	52	52	52	52	52

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 Stockton to Sacramento?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 5:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 51 minutes then, versus up to 71 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 49-mile drive usually takes 51 to 71 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 63 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Stockton to Sacramento?

Leaving around 3:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 71 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

Freeways on this drive

I-5 North in Bay Area (13 miles) · I-5 North in Sacramento (12 miles)

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

More drives

Sacramento to Stockton (return trip) · Stockton to San Francisco · Stockton to Oakland

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	51	53	58	54	58	58	59	59	58	59	59	57	54	52	53	54	52
Tue	52	54	63	62	63	66	66	64	64	65	60	60	58	54	54	53	52
Wed	51	54	63	61	65	66	66	66	66	66	68	69	60	53	53	52	52
Thu	52	55	60	58	61	68	66	61	61	63	68	64	58	53	53	56	52
Fri	51	53	56	57	63	62	61	67	68	61	61	66	57	54	52	53	52
Sat	52	52	52	52	53	54	55	60	59	54	53	53	52	52	52	52	52
Sun	52	51	52	51	52	52	53	53	53	53	52	52	52	52	52	52	52

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	51	53	58	54	58	58	59	59	58	59	59	57	54	52	53	54	52
Tue	52	54	63	62	63	66	66	64	64	65	60	60	58	54	54	53	52
Wed	51	54	63	61	65	66	66	66	66	66	68	69	60	53	53	52	52
Thu	52	55	60	58	61	68	66	61	61	63	68	64	58	53	53	56	52
Fri	51	53	56	57	63	62	61	67	68	61	61	66	57	54	52	53	52
Sat	52	52	52	52	53	54	55	60	59	54	53	53	52	52	52	52	52
Sun	52	51	52	51	52	52	53	53	53	53	52	52	52	52	52	52	52

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	51	53	58	54	58	58	59	59	58	59	59	57	54	52	53	54	52
Tue	52	54	63	62	63	66	66	64	64	65	60	60	58	54	54	53	52
Wed	51	54	63	61	65	66	66	66	66	66	68	69	60	53	53	52	52
Thu	52	55	60	58	61	68	66	61	61	63	68	64	58	53	53	56	52
Fri	51	53	56	57	63	62	61	67	68	61	61	66	57	54	52	53	52
Sat	52	52	52	52	53	54	55	60	59	54	53	53	52	52	52	52	52
Sun	52	51	52	51	52	52	53	53	53	53	52	52	52	52	52	52	52