Best Time to Drive from Stockton to Sacramento

Right now (11:50 pm PDT): about 54 minutes via I-5 North.

Only 27% 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 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	52	56	54	53	54	54	54	54	55	55	56	54	52	53	53	52
Tue	52	53	66	78	58	57	57	57	57	57	58	60	57	52	53	53	52
Wed	52	53	61	74	56	57	57	57	56	57	58	62	59	52	53	53	52
Thu	51	54	62	71	57	57	57	57	56	57	59	61	57	52	52	52	51
Fri	51	53	54	53	54	55	55	54	54	56	57	58	55	55	54	53	52
Sat	51	51	51	52	52	53	53	54	55	54	53	53	52	52	52	51	51
Sun	51	51	51	51	51	51	51	52	51	52	51	51	51	51	51	51	51

About this drive

On weekdays the 49-mile drive from Stockton to Sacramento (via I-5 North) usually takes as little as 51 minutes and up to 78 minutes, when leaving around 8 am on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7 am or after 5:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 56 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1 pm on Saturdays (55 minutes).

About 25 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 24 miles surface streets (30 to 52 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Stockton to downtown Sacramento (the Capitol) 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 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 78 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 49-mile drive usually takes 51 to 78 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 56 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Stockton to Sacramento?

Leaving around 8 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 78 minutes.

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 · Stockton to San Jose · Stockton to Livermore · Stockton to Fremont · Stockton to Elk Grove · Stockton to Hayward · Stockton to Sunnyvale · Stockton to Roseville · Stockton to Concord · Stockton to Santa Clara

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	52	56	54	53	54	54	54	54	55	55	56	54	52	53	53	52
Tue	52	53	66	78	58	57	57	57	57	57	58	60	57	52	53	53	52
Wed	52	53	61	74	56	57	57	57	56	57	58	62	59	52	53	53	52
Thu	51	54	62	71	57	57	57	57	56	57	59	61	57	52	52	52	51
Fri	51	53	54	53	54	55	55	54	54	56	57	58	55	55	54	53	52
Sat	51	51	51	52	52	53	53	54	55	54	53	53	52	52	52	51	51
Sun	51	51	51	51	51	51	51	52	51	52	51	51	51	51	51	51	51

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	51	52	56	54	53	54	54	54	54	55	55	56	54	52	53	53	52
Tue	52	53	66	78	58	57	57	57	57	57	58	60	57	52	53	53	52
Wed	52	53	61	74	56	57	57	57	56	57	58	62	59	52	53	53	52
Thu	51	54	62	71	57	57	57	57	56	57	59	61	57	52	52	52	51
Fri	51	53	54	53	54	55	55	54	54	56	57	58	55	55	54	53	52
Sat	51	51	51	52	52	53	53	54	55	54	53	53	52	52	52	51	51
Sun	51	51	51	51	51	51	51	52	51	52	51	51	51	51	51	51	51

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	51	52	56	54	53	54	54	54	54	55	55	56	54	52	53	53	52
Tue	52	53	66	78	58	57	57	57	57	57	58	60	57	52	53	53	52
Wed	52	53	61	74	56	57	57	57	56	57	58	62	59	52	53	53	52
Thu	51	54	62	71	57	57	57	57	56	57	59	61	57	52	52	52	51
Fri	51	53	54	53	54	55	55	54	54	56	57	58	55	55	54	53	52
Sat	51	51	51	52	52	53	53	54	55	54	53	53	52	52	52	51	51
Sun	51	51	51	51	51	51	51	52	51	52	51	51	51	51	51	51	51