Best Time to Drive from Walnut Creek to Citrus Heights

Right now (3:21 pm PST): about 86 minutes via I-80 East and I-680 North, usually 86 at this time.

Only 54% 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 Walnut Creek to Citrus Heights 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	76	79	81	84	85	86	86	86	86	87	90	91	89	84	78	78	77
Tue	76	80	82	85	86	85	85	85	86	88	94	99	92	85	79	78	77
Wed	76	80	82	85	85	85	85	85	86	88	96	99	95	86	80	78	77
Thu	77	80	82	87	85	84	85	85	87	89	97	102	94	86	81	78	78
Fri	76	79	80	82	83	84	85	87	92	98	104	104	99	91	84	79	77
Sat	77	77	77	78	80	82	84	85	87	88	86	84	83	81	80	78	76
Sun	77	77	76	77	78	79	81	82	82	81	81	80	81	80	80	79	76

About this drive

On weekdays the 86-mile drive from Walnut Creek to Citrus Heights (via I-80 East and I-680 North) usually takes as little as 76 minutes and up to 104 minutes, when leaving around 3:30 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 8 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 87 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2 pm on Saturdays (88 minutes).

About 82 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 3 miles surface streets (4 to 6 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Walnut Creek to central Citrus Heights 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 Walnut Creek to Citrus Heights?

On weekdays, leave before 8 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 76 minutes then, versus up to 104 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Walnut Creek to Citrus Heights?

The 86-mile drive usually takes 76 to 104 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 87 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Walnut Creek to Citrus Heights?

Leaving around 3:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 104 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-80 East in Sacramento (40 miles) · I-680 North in Bay Area (24 miles) · I-80 East in Bay Area (18 miles)

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

More drives

Citrus Heights to Walnut Creek (return trip) · Walnut Creek to San Francisco · Walnut Creek to Oakland · Walnut Creek to San Jose · Walnut Creek to Palo Alto · Walnut Creek to Berkeley · Walnut Creek to Fremont · Walnut Creek to San Mateo · Walnut Creek to Mountain View · Walnut Creek to Pleasanton · Walnut Creek to Santa Clara · Walnut Creek to Richmond

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	76	79	81	84	85	86	86	86	86	87	90	91	89	84	78	78	77
Tue	76	80	82	85	86	85	85	85	86	88	94	99	92	85	79	78	77
Wed	76	80	82	85	85	85	85	85	86	88	96	99	95	86	80	78	77
Thu	77	80	82	87	85	84	85	85	87	89	97	102	94	86	81	78	78
Fri	76	79	80	82	83	84	85	87	92	98	104	104	99	91	84	79	77
Sat	77	77	77	78	80	82	84	85	87	88	86	84	83	81	80	78	76
Sun	77	77	76	77	78	79	81	82	82	81	81	80	81	80	80	79	76

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	76	79	81	84	85	86	86	86	86	87	90	91	89	84	78	78	77
Tue	76	80	82	85	86	85	85	85	86	88	94	99	92	85	79	78	77
Wed	76	80	82	85	85	85	85	85	86	88	96	99	95	86	80	78	77
Thu	77	80	82	87	85	84	85	85	87	89	97	102	94	86	81	78	78
Fri	76	79	80	82	83	84	85	87	92	98	104	104	99	91	84	79	77
Sat	77	77	77	78	80	82	84	85	87	88	86	84	83	81	80	78	76
Sun	77	77	76	77	78	79	81	82	82	81	81	80	81	80	80	79	76

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	76	79	81	84	85	86	86	86	86	87	90	91	89	84	78	78	77
Tue	76	80	82	85	86	85	85	85	86	88	94	99	92	85	79	78	77
Wed	76	80	82	85	85	85	85	85	86	88	96	99	95	86	80	78	77
Thu	77	80	82	87	85	84	85	85	87	89	97	102	94	86	81	78	78
Fri	76	79	80	82	83	84	85	87	92	98	104	104	99	91	84	79	77
Sat	77	77	77	78	80	82	84	85	87	88	86	84	83	81	80	78	76
Sun	77	77	76	77	78	79	81	82	82	81	81	80	81	80	80	79	76