Sacramento to Concord is 68.1 miles and takes about 1 hour 23 minutes via Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway and Luther E Gibson Freeway, with a fuel budget near $15 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward drive within California, staying within the Pacific Coast region. Most of the route utilizes surface roads, making it a relatively relaxed trip. With only 68.1 miles, it’s an easy same-day excursion, perfect for a quick trip between these two Northern California cities.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
37.2 mi
42m
Luther E Gibson Freeway
12.4 mi
14m
Benicia-Martinez Bridge
6.9 mi
7m
Yolo Causeway
3.9 mi
4m
Capital City Freeway
3.2 mi
3m
Willow Pass Road
1.6 mi
3m
9th Street
0.5 mi
1m
P Street
0.5 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
— 37.2 mi, about 42m
Traffic on I-5
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 60 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~6,234 veh/hr typical
· worst 7,344
Quietest
2 AM
~609 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
10.2×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 69 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Sacramento, CA and Concord, CA.
1
Start on 9th Street
0.5 mi·1 min·9th Street
2
Turn right onto P Street
0.5 mi·1 min·P Street
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·17 sec
Toward US 50, I 5 South: South Lake Tahoe, San Francisco, Los Angeles
4
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi·12 sec
Toward US 50: South Lake Tahoe, San FranciscoUse the slight left lane.
5
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi·39 sec
Exit 518Toward US 50 West: San FranciscoUse the slight right lane.
6
Merge onto US 50; I 80 Business
3.2 mi·3 min·Capital City Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on I 80
3.9 mi·4 min·Yolo Causeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 80
37 mi·42 min·Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.6 mi·1 min
Exit 40Toward I 680: Benicia, San JoseUse the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on I 680
12 mi·14 min·Luther E Gibson Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on I 680
6.9 mi·7 min·Benicia-Martinez Bridge
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi·33 sec
Exit 51Toward Willow Pass Road, Taylor BoulevardUse the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Turn left onto Sunvalley Boulevard
0.1 mi·27 sec·Sunvalley Boulevard
Use the left lane.
14
Continue on Willow Pass Road
1.6 mi·3 min·Willow Pass Road
Use the straight lane.
15
Arrive at destination
Willow Pass Road
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 34 miles from Sacramento, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 8
5 decision points cluster between mile 1.3 and 66.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
9
1.3 mi into trip|~2m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 50: South Lake Tahoe, San Francisco
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Toward US 50: South Lake Tahoe, San Francisco
8
1.5 mi into trip|~3m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 50 West: San Francisco
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 518
Toward US 50 West: San Francisco
5
1.9 mi into trip|~3m in|US 50; I 80 Business / Capital City Freeway
Merge onto US 50; I 80 Business / Capital City Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
46.2 mi into trip|~54m in
Take the exit toward I 680: Benicia, San Jose
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 40
Toward I 680: Benicia, San Jose
8
66.1 mi into trip|~1h 18m in
Take the exit toward Willow Pass Road, Taylor Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 51
Toward Willow Pass Road, Taylor Boulevard
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$15.52 one way
$31.03 round trip
$5.79/gal25.4 MPG avg24 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.96
$15.98
$31.95
premium
$6.14
$16.46
$32.92
diesel
$5.97
$16.00
$32.00
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$16
Estimated CO2 emission: 23.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-09-07.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
20.4
0
$7.15
$3.27
Efficient EV
17
0
$5.96
$2.72
EV Truck/SUV
27.2
0
$9.53
$4.36
Gas CO2
24 kg
EV CO2
8 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 Aug 27, 2026
Origin
Sacramento, CA
Morning
in Sacramento on Thursday
Local time
11:54 AM
PDT
Current temp
96°F
Slight Chance Light Rain
WSW 1 to 7 mph15% chanceLive forecast
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued August 27 at 9:26AM PDT until August 28 at 3:00PM PDT by NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued August 27 at 9:26AM PDT until August 28 at 3:00PM PDT by NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA
Destination
Concord, CA
Morning
in Concord on Thursday
Local time
11:54 AM
PDT
Current temp
96°F
Slight Chance Rain Showers
WSW 5 to 8 mph15% chanceLive forecast
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued August 27 at 9:26AM PDT until August 28 at 3:00PM PDT by NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued August 27 at 9:26AM PDT until August 28 at 3:00PM PDT by NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard 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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
1h 23m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive has a 23% highway share, with the longest stretch on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway covering 37.2 miles. You'll transition from highway driving to surface roads as you make your way toward Concord. Expect a mix of conditions, including navigating through areas with frequent exits and local traffic as you get closer to your destination.
Only 23% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 37.2 mi on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.3 miles in.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 68.1 miles you will encounter 8 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 1.9 miles (US 50; I 80 Business / Capital City Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
175 ft15 ft
Total Climb
280 ft
Total Descent
232 ft
Highest Point
175 ft
~34 mi in
Elevation Range
160 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Sacramento, CA to Concord, CA, road signs begin pointing toward San Jose along the way.
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
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 23m. Total distance: 68.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 23m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 37.2 miles on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. 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 Concord, 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 1.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 1.9 miles (US 50; I 80 Business / Capital City Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial, Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park and San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park (5 total within detour distance). See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Concord, CA before heading back.
