Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
42m
Distance
35.1 mi
57 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Shingle Springs, CA
Ryan Stephens
Sacramento, CA
Wikimedia Commons
This quick 35.1-mile drive from Shingle Springs, CA to Sacramento, CA takes about 42 minutes and is almost entirely highway driving at 92% highway share. It's a straightforward trip that's perfect for a single day, with a modest fuel cost estimate of $8. The route stays within the Pacific Coast region, making it an easy connector between two points in California. You'll spend most of your time on US 50 before transitioning to city streets in Sacramento. This drive is ideal if you need to get from the Shingle Springs area to the capital city efficiently.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 50 | 32.2 mi | 36m |
| 16th Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Mother Lode Drive | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| I Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| South Shingle Road | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| 9th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Shingle Springs, CA and Sacramento, CA.
Start on Mother Lode Drive
Turn right onto South Shingle Road
Take the ramp
Merge onto US 50
Take the exit
Turn right onto 16th Street
Turn left onto I Street
Turn left onto 9th Street
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.7 and 34.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right onto South Shingle Road
Navigation decision point
Merge onto US 50
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward CA 160: 16th Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Turn right onto 16th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Turn left onto I Street
Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$8.07 one way
$16.13 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $8.31 | $16.63 |
| premium | $6.18 | $8.54 | $17.07 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.75 | $15.50 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.5 | 0 | $3.69 | $1.68 |
| Efficient EV | 8.8 | 0 | $3.07 | $1.40 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14 | 0 | $4.91 | $2.25 |
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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Shingle Springs on Tuesday
Local time
1:22 AM
PDT
Current temp
40°F
Clear
Destination
Late night in Sacramento on Tuesday
Local time
1:22 AM
PDT
Current temp
45°F
Clear
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
Expect a highway-focused experience for the majority of this 35.1-mile journey. You'll be on US 50 for a significant uninterrupted stretch of 32.2 miles, offering a consistent driving pace. As you approach Sacramento, the route incorporates local roads like 16th Street and Mother Lode Drive, shifting the feel from open highway to more urban conditions. The 92% highway share means you'll encounter higher speeds and fewer turns for most of the trip, making it a direct and efficient path.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 50 and 16th Street. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.7 miles in near South Shingle Road.
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 42m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.7 miles (South Shingle Road): Navigation decision point; at 1 miles (US 50): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 33.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
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
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 42m. Total distance: 35.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
42m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (92%). Straightforward navigation.
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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