Origin
Tierra Buena, CA
Afternoon in Tierra Buena on Saturday
Local time
4:48 PM
PDT
Current temp
81°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Tierra Buena, CA to Sacramento, CA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 25, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
55m
Distance
43.8 mi
70 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 51m
★
6 AM
0h 55m
8 AM
1h 4m
10 AM
0h 58m
12 PM
0h 57m
3 PM
0h 59m
5 PM
1h 4m
8 PM
0h 52m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Tierra Buena, CA
Tori Pezzulla❤️
Sacramento, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Tierra Buena to Sacramento is 43.8 miles and takes about 55 minutes via CA 99 and Westside Freeway, with a fuel budget near $10 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short drive stays within the Pacific Coast region, primarily traversing California's Central Valley. It's a straightforward trip, mostly on major highways, making it an easy choice for a quick relocation or a day trip. You'll find the route efficient for getting from point A to point B without much fuss.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| CA 99 | 34.1 mi | 40m |
| Westside Freeway | 5.5 mi | 6m |
| Butte House Road | 1 mi | 1m |
| North Walton Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Bridge Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Tierra Buena Road | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Stabler Lane | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| H Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
CA 99
— 34.1 mi, about 40m
Traffic on I-5
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 71 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~6,669 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~605 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
11×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 21 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 Tierra Buena, CA and Sacramento, CA.
1
Start on Tierra Buena Road
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Tierra Buena Road
2
Turn right onto Butte House Road
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Butte House Road
3
Turn right onto Stabler Lane
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
·
Stabler Lane
4
Continue on North Walton Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
North Walton Avenue
5
Turn left onto Bridge Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Bridge Street
6
Turn right onto CA 99
34 mi
·
40 min
·
CA 99
Use the straight lane.
7
Merge onto I 5
5.5 mi
·
6 min
·
Westside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Exit 519B
Toward Downtown, J Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on J Street
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
J Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Turn left onto 5th Street
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
5th Street
Use the straight lane.
11
Turn right onto H Street
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
H Street
12
Turn right onto 9th Street
490 ft
·
15 sec
·
9th Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
Arrive at destination
9th Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
22 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21.9 miles from Tierra Buena, 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 95 decision points cluster between mile 3.1 and 43.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
3.1 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
CA 99
Turn right onto CA 99
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
5
37.3 mi into trip
|
~46m in
|
I 5 / Westside Freeway
Merge onto I 5 / Westside Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
42.7 mi into trip
|
~52m in
Take the exit toward Downtown, J Street
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 519B
Toward Downtown, J Street
7
43.2 mi into trip
|
~53m in
|
5th Street
Turn left onto 5th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
7
43.7 mi into trip
|
~54m in
|
9th Street
Turn right onto 9th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.93 one way
$19.85 round trip
$5.76/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.96 | $10.27 | $20.54 |
| premium | $6.09 | $10.51 | $21.01 |
| diesel | $5.40 | $9.32 | $18.63 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-20.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.1 | 0 | $4.60 | $2.10 |
| Efficient EV | 11 | 0 | $3.83 | $1.75 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.5 | 0 | $6.13 | $2.80 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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.
Destination
Sacramento, CA
Afternoon in Sacramento on Saturday
Local time
4:48 PM
PDT
Current temp
78°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
3 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
55m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is predominantly highway, with 91% of the 43.8 miles on major roads like CA 99 and Westside Freeway. You'll experience a solid stretch of 34.1 miles on CA 99 before transitioning to surface roads. Expect a consistent flow of traffic and numerous exits, typical of a route connecting urban areas. The latter part of the drive will involve more local road navigation as you approach Sacramento.
91% 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: 34.1 mi on CA 99.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on CA 99 and Westside Freeway. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 3.1 miles in near CA 99.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 43.8 miles you will encounter 9 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 3.1 miles (CA 99): Lane positioning matters here; at 37.3 miles (I 5 / Westside Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 42.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Arriving 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
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 55m. Total distance: 43.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
55m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (91%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 34.1 miles on CA 99. 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 Sacramento, 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 3.1 miles (CA 99): Lane positioning matters here; at 37.3 miles (I 5 / Westside Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 42.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Sacramento, 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 FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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