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Trip from Sacramento, CA to Auburn, CA

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

39m

Distance

33.2 mi

53 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$8

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 10 min
4 AM
0h 36m ★
6 AM
0h 40m
8 AM
0h 46m
10 AM
0h 42m
12 PM
0h 41m
3 PM
0h 42m
5 PM
0h 46m
8 PM
0h 38m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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capital city of the U.S. state of California and seat of Sacramento County

Sacramento, CA

Wikimedia Commons

city and the county seat of Placer County, California, United States

Auburn, CA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

If you are planning a quick excursion from Sacramento to Auburn, you are looking at a very manageable 33.2-mile journey. This highway-focused drive typically takes about 39 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day trip. You will primarily utilize the Alan S. Hart Freeway, the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, and the Capital City Freeway to reach your destination. With a modest fuel budget of approximately $8, this is an efficient way to travel within the Pacific Coast region. Since the entire trip is quite short, you certainly do not need to worry about splitting it into multiple days. It is a straightforward, practical route that gets you between these two California cities without any unnecessary complexity.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Alan S. Hart Freeway 16.6 mi 19m
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway 7 mi 8m
Capital City Freeway 4.9 mi 5m
North Sacramento Freeway 2.6 mi 2m
16th Street 1.2 mi 2m
J Street 0.5 mi 1m
Maple Street 0.2 mi <1m
9th Street <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Alan S. Hart Freeway — 16.6 mi, about 19m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Sacramento, CA and Auburn, CA.

1

Start on 9th Street

348 ft · 16 sec · 9th Street
2

Turn left onto J Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · J Street
Use the straight lane.
3

Turn left onto US 40 Historic

0.6 mi · 1 min · 16th Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
4

Keep slight left at fork onto US 40 Historic

0.6 mi · 58 sec · 16th Street
Use the straight lane.
5

Continue on North Sacramento Freeway

2.6 mi · 2 min · North Sacramento Freeway
Use the straight lane.
6

Merge onto I 80 Business

4.9 mi · 5 min · Capital City Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Continue on I 80

7.0 mi · 8 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Continue on I 80

17 mi · 19 min · Alan S. Hart Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Take the exit

349 ft · 8 sec
Exit 119A Toward Maple Street Use the slight right lane.
10

Keep slight left at fork onto Maple Street

0.2 mi · 20 sec · Maple Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Turn right

75 ft · 6 sec
12

Turn right

183 ft · 13 sec
13

Arrive at destination

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 8

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 32.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | J Street

Turn left onto J Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.
6
0.6 mi into trip | ~1m in | US 40 Historic / 16th Street

Turn left onto US 40 Historic / 16th Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left / straight lanes.
6
1.2 mi into trip | ~2m in | US 40 Historic / 16th Street

Keep slight left at fork onto US 40 Historic / 16th Street

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.
7
32.9 mi into trip | ~38m in

Take the exit toward Maple Street

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 119A Toward Maple Street
7
32.9 mi into trip | ~38m in | Maple Street

Keep slight left at fork onto Maple Street

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$7.63 one way

$15.26 round trip

$5.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 12 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $6.02 $7.86 $15.73
premium $6.18 $8.07 $16.15
diesel $5.61 $7.33 $14.66

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$8

Estimated CO2 emission: 11.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 10 0 $3.49 $1.59
Efficient EV 8.3 0 $2.91 $1.33
EV Truck/SUV 13.3 0 $4.65 $2.12

Gas CO2

12 kg

EV CO2

4 kg (67% less)

This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.

DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.

Travel Intel

Current conditions at both ends of the drive.

Forecast as of Apr 12, 2026

Origin

Sacramento, CA

Late night in Sacramento on Tuesday

Local time

2:10 AM

PDT

Current temp

59°F

Showers And Thunderstorms

S 10 to 14 mph 93% chance Live forecast

Winter Weather Advisory

Winter Weather Advisory issued April 12 at 8:16AM PDT until April 12 at 11:00PM PDT by NWS Eureka CA

Wind Advisory

Wind Advisory issued April 12 at 6:49AM PDT until April 12 at 11:00PM PDT by NWS Hanford CA

Destination

Auburn, CA

Late night in Auburn on Tuesday

Local time

2:10 AM

PDT

Current temp

51°F

Showers And Thunderstorms

S 8 to 12 mph 95% chance Live forecast

Winter Weather Advisory

Winter Weather Advisory issued April 12 at 8:16AM PDT until April 12 at 11:00PM PDT by NWS Eureka CA

Wind Advisory

Wind Advisory issued April 12 at 6:49AM PDT until April 12 at 11:00PM PDT by NWS Hanford CA

Time zone

Same local time

Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.

Temperature spread

8 degrees cooler at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

39m on the road

The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

What kind of drive is this?

Expect a highly efficient experience, as this route is comprised of 72% highway travel. You will spend the bulk of your time navigating major freeways, with the longest uninterrupted stretch covering 16.6 miles specifically on the Alan S. Hart Freeway. Because it is so heavily centered on interstate transit, the character of the road remains consistent and fast-paced throughout the duration. You won't encounter technical local turns, as the infrastructure is designed for high-speed, direct connectivity between the two points. Behind the wheel, you should prepare for a standard interstate flow that prioritizes speed and directness over winding scenic detours.

72% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 16.6 mi on Alan S. Hart Freeway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

8/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Alan S. Hart Freeway and Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near J Street.

Driving Effort 8/10

Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a short but busy drive. With 8 decision points packed into just 33.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 39m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (J Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.6 miles (US 40 Historic / 16th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.2 miles (US 40 Historic / 16th Street): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Elevation Profile

Gently rolling terrain

1,235 ft 27 ft

Total Climb

1,230 ft

Total Descent

22 ft

Highest Point

1,235 ft

~33.2 mi in

Elevation Range

1,208 ft

About the Cities

Starting in Sacramento, CA

Full guide →

Founded 1849

Sacramento is the state capital of California in the United States. It is the regional center for the Greater Sacramento metropolitan area, which dominates much of the surrounding Sacramento Valley and stretches into parts of Gold Country. Sacramento is the oldest incorporated city in California, settled between the confluences of the Sacramento and American rivers. The city has been the site of many important historic events that have shaped California and U.S. history, most notably the California Gold Rush and location of the original terminus of the First Transcontinental Railroad. Much of this historical legacy has been preserved, especially in the historic Old Sacramento district, where buildings and railroads from that era continue to attract visitors. However, Sacramento is not a city that is stuck in the past. As the capital of the most populous U.S.

Top landmarks

  • • California State Capitol — state capitol building of the U.S. state of California
  • • Crocker Art Museum — art museum in Sacramento, California
  • • Sacramento Valley Station — main railroad and light rail station in Sacramento, California

Arriving in Auburn, CA

Full guide →

Auburn is a small city in Placer County on Interstate 80 in California.

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 39m. Total distance: 33.2 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

39m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (72%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 16.6 miles on Alan S. Hart Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Auburn, CA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.

Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (J Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.6 miles (US 40 Historic / 16th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.2 miles (US 40 Historic / 16th Street): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Auburn, CA before heading back.

How this page is built

Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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