Best Time to Drive from Walnut Creek to Elk Grove

Right now (6:48 pm PDT): about 102 minutes via SR-12 East and SR-4 East and I-5 North, usually 101 at this time.

Only 19% 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 Elk Grove 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	103	110	116	118	113	108	109	108	108	110	127	127	125	124	104	102	103
Tue	105	111	120	126	120	113	121	111	114	114	129	139	138	138	111	102	103
Wed	105	111	119	125	124	109	112	111	111	115	136	140	142	136	114	103	103
Thu	104	111	121	123	122	114	113	108	107	111	137	140	140	140	124	103	102
Fri	103	106	108	110	109	112	110	112	112	135	141	141	142	134	120	104	102
Sat	102	102	102	103	103	104	107	107	107	107	112	112	109	103	101	102	101
Sun	101	101	101	101	101	103	103	103	103	103	103	102	101	101	102	101	101

About this drive

On weekdays the 80-mile drive from Walnut Creek to Elk Grove (via SR-12 East and SR-4 East and I-5 North) usually takes as little as 102 minutes and up to 145 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 112 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12:30 pm on Saturdays (112 minutes).

About 34 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 46 miles surface streets (62 to 100 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 Elk Grove 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 Elk Grove?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 102 minutes then, versus up to 145 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Walnut Creek to Elk Grove?

The 80-mile drive usually takes 102 to 145 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 112 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Walnut Creek to Elk Grove?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 145 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

SR-12 East in Bay Area (16 miles) · SR-4 East in Bay Area (9 miles) · I-5 North in Bay Area (8 miles)

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

More drives

Elk Grove 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	103	110	116	118	113	108	109	108	108	110	127	127	125	124	104	102	103
Tue	105	111	120	126	120	113	121	111	114	114	129	139	138	138	111	102	103
Wed	105	111	119	125	124	109	112	111	111	115	136	140	142	136	114	103	103
Thu	104	111	121	123	122	114	113	108	107	111	137	140	140	140	124	103	102
Fri	103	106	108	110	109	112	110	112	112	135	141	141	142	134	120	104	102
Sat	102	102	102	103	103	104	107	107	107	107	112	112	109	103	101	102	101
Sun	101	101	101	101	101	103	103	103	103	103	103	102	101	101	102	101	101

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	103	110	116	118	113	108	109	108	108	110	127	127	125	124	104	102	103
Tue	105	111	120	126	120	113	121	111	114	114	129	139	138	138	111	102	103
Wed	105	111	119	125	124	109	112	111	111	115	136	140	142	136	114	103	103
Thu	104	111	121	123	122	114	113	108	107	111	137	140	140	140	124	103	102
Fri	103	106	108	110	109	112	110	112	112	135	141	141	142	134	120	104	102
Sat	102	102	102	103	103	104	107	107	107	107	112	112	109	103	101	102	101
Sun	101	101	101	101	101	103	103	103	103	103	103	102	101	101	102	101	101

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	103	110	116	118	113	108	109	108	108	110	127	127	125	124	104	102	103
Tue	105	111	120	126	120	113	121	111	114	114	129	139	138	138	111	102	103
Wed	105	111	119	125	124	109	112	111	111	115	136	140	142	136	114	103	103
Thu	104	111	121	123	122	114	113	108	107	111	137	140	140	140	124	103	102
Fri	103	106	108	110	109	112	110	112	112	135	141	141	142	134	120	104	102
Sat	102	102	102	103	103	104	107	107	107	107	112	112	109	103	101	102	101
Sun	101	101	101	101	101	103	103	103	103	103	103	102	101	101	102	101	101