Los Angeles to Sacramento distance
Los Angeles and Sacramento are 361 miles (581 km) apart in a straight line and 384 miles (618 km) apart by road: about 7 hr 5 min of driving without stops, mostly on I-5 and US 101. Below you’ll find the route map, both halfway points, the bearing, the approximate flight time and where every figure comes from.
By the All Map Tools Team
- By road
- 384 mi (618 km)
- Driving time
- 7 hr 5 min
- Straight line
- 361 mi (581 km)
- Driving route
- Straight line
- Straight-line midpoint
- Halfway by road
Lambert azimuthal equal-area projection centered on the midpoint. Route: FOSSGIS OSRM with data © OpenStreetMap contributors, calculated on November 1, 2026; simplified line.
The figures
| Figure | Value |
|---|---|
| Straight line | 361 mi (581 km) geodesic on the WGS84 ellipsoid |
| By road | 384 mi (618 km) fastest driving route (OSRM) |
| Driving time | 7 hr 5 min no stops, no traffic |
| Road detour | +6% 1.06 times the straight line |
| Average speed | 54 mph (87 km/h) along the route, without stops |
| Bearing | 331° (northwest) leaving Los Angeles toward Sacramento |
| Midpoint | 36.3284° N, 119.8220° W near Grangeville (California) |
| Halfway by road | Near Westside (California) 192 mi from each city by road |
| Time difference | None both share the same time |
| Approximate flight | 1 hr 15 min estimate: 30 min + the straight line at 800 km/h |
| Elevation | Los Angeles: 284 ft (87 m) · Sacramento: 27 ft (8 m) USGS 3DEP |
| Population | Los Angeles: 3,869,089 · Sacramento: 536,449 Census Bureau estimate for 2025 |
Los Angeles to Sacramento by road
The fastest driving route is 384 miles (618 km) long and takes about 7 hr 5 min without stops or traffic. It runs mostly on I-5 (365 mi) and US 101 (16.2 mi).
The whole route stays in California. That’s an average of 54 mph (87 km/h). AAA recommends a break every two hours or 100 miles: with 3 stops of 20 minutes, the trip takes about 8 hr 5 min. The time is OSRM’s estimate with OpenStreetMap data: no traffic and speeds somewhat below the limits, so real trips can differ.
Straight-line distance and bearing
In a straight line, the shortest distance over the Earth’s surface, Los Angeles and Sacramento are 361 miles (581 km) apart. That’s the geodesic on the WGS84 ellipsoid, the distance “as the crow flies”.
The road is 6% longer: for every 100 miles in a straight line you drive 106. The route runs almost straight. Of the 110 US driving pairs in this series, it ranks 106th for detour (the average is 16%).
From Los Angeles, Sacramento lies to the northwest (bearing 331°), and from Sacramento, Los Angeles lies to the southeast.
Halfway between Los Angeles and Sacramento
Halfway along the straight line, 181 miles (291 km) from each city, is the point 36.3284° N, 119.8220° W. It falls near Grangeville (California, pop. 618), 6.5 mi away. The nearest town of 20,000 people or more is East Niles (California, pop. 28,532), 83.3 mi away.
By road, the halfway point is 192 miles (309 km) from each city, near Westside (California, pop. 234), 16.0 mi away. The nearest town of 20,000 people or more is East Niles (California, pop. 28,532), 90.6 mi away. The two midpoints are 23.3 mi apart: if you want to meet halfway, the one on the road is the useful one.
Time zone and flight
Los Angeles and Sacramento share the same time all year: both are on Pacific Time.
A direct flight would take about 1 hr 15 min. That’s an estimate: 30 minutes for takeoff, climb, descent and landing, plus the 581 km straight line at 800 km/h (about 497 mph), a typical airliner cruising speed. Real schedules depend on wind, routing and airports, and not every pair has a direct flight.
The two cities
Los Angeles sits at 284 ft (87 m) and Sacramento at 27 ft (8 m), 257 ft (78 m) lower.
Los Angeles has 3.9 million people and Sacramento 536,449 people (Census Bureau estimate for 2025).
Frequently asked questions
How many miles is it from Los Angeles to Sacramento?
361 miles (581 km) in a straight line and 384 miles (618 km) by road on the fastest route (mostly on I-5 and US 101).
How long is the drive from Los Angeles to Sacramento?
About 7 hr 5 min without stops or traffic, according to OSRM with OpenStreetMap data; with 3 stops of 20 minutes, about 8 hr 5 min.
Where is the halfway point between Los Angeles and Sacramento?
In a straight line, near Grangeville (California). By road, 192 mi from each city, near Westside (California).
How long is the flight from Los Angeles to Sacramento?
About 1 hr 15 min, estimated from the straight-line distance (581 km): 30 minutes for takeoff and landing plus the trip at 800 km/h. Real flight times vary with wind and routing.
Are Los Angeles and Sacramento in the same time zone?
Yes: both are on Pacific Time all year.
Measure it yourself on the map
The same two cities, already set up in the tools: move the points, get the route by bike or on foot and download the map.
- Distance between two points Measure the distance between any two places or points on the map, in miles or kilometers.
- Straight line vs driving distance Compare the as-the-crow-flies distance with the real driving distance and see how much the road adds.
- Halfway point Find the exact halfway point between two places and see it on the map, ready to share.
Similar pairs
The ones in this series whose cities are closest to these two, in case another one suits you better.
- Los Angeles to San Francisco 347 mi straight line · 382 mi by road · 7 hr 10 min San Francisco, 75.0 mi from Sacramento
- Los Angeles to San Jose 306 mi straight line · 340 mi by road · 6 hr 25 min San Jose, 88.4 mi from Sacramento
- San Francisco to San Diego 458 mi straight line · 501 mi by road · 9 hr 25 min San Diego, 112 mi from Los Angeles · San Francisco, 75.0 mi from Sacramento
More distances from Los Angeles
All distances- Los Angeles to Seattle 959 mi straight line · 1,135 mi by road · 21 hr 30 min
- Los Angeles to Portland 825 mi straight line · 963 mi by road · 18 hr 10 min
- Los Angeles to Denver 831 mi straight line · 1,017 mi by road · 17 hr 50 min
- Los Angeles to Salt Lake City 579 mi straight line · 688 mi by road · 12 hr
- Los Angeles to Dallas 1,240 mi straight line · 1,438 mi by road · 24 hr 45 min
- Los Angeles to Miami 2,339 mi straight line · 2,733 mi by road · 47 hr 55 min
More distances from Sacramento
Sources
- Driving route: FOSSGIS OSRM, car profile (calculated on November 1, 2026) · FOSSGIS e.V.
- Roads, streets and places · © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)
- Straight line, bearings and midpoint (geodesics on the WGS84 ellipsoid) · GeographicLib (C. F. F. Karney)
- US city centers (GNIS) and their elevation (3DEP) · USGS (public domain)
- Population estimates, Vintage 2025 · US Census Bureau (public domain)
- Places near the midpoints: All Map Tools gazetteer (GeoNames, INE, IGN and Census) · All Map Tools
- Time zones (timezone-boundary-builder outlines and the IANA database) · © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)
- Map: provinces (IGN), states (US Census Bureau) and countries (Natural Earth) · IGN, Census and Natural Earth
- Methodology