Origin
Sacramento, CA
Afternoon in Sacramento on Saturday
Local time
12:42 PM
PDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Sacramento, CA to South Pasadena, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
7h 7m
Distance
386.7 mi
622 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$89
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
6h 56m
★
6 AM
7h 7m
8 AM
7h 29m
10 AM
7h 15m
12 PM
7h 13m
3 PM
7h 16m
5 PM
7h 28m
8 PM
7h 1m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Sacramento, CA
Wikimedia Commons
South Pasadena, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Sacramento, CA to South Pasadena, CA covers 386.7 miles and takes about 7h 7m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on P Street, US 50, I 5 South for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. At current regular gas prices, budget about $88.88 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
193.4 miles from Sacramento, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 33m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| P Street | — | — |
| US 50 | — | — |
| I 5 South | — | — |
| Westside Freeway | — | — |
| Golden State Freeway | — | — |
| I 210 East | — | — |
| Foothill Freeway | — | — |
| Long Beach Freeway | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
P Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Sacramento, CA and South Pasadena, 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 straight toward US 50, I 5 South: South Lake Tahoe, San Francisco, Los Angeles
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
·
US 50, I 5 South: South Lake Tahoe, San Francisco, Los Angeles
4
Keep slight right to continue on I 5 South: Los Angeles
0.5 mi
·
38 sec
·
I 5 South: Los Angeles
5
Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway
59 mi
·
1 hr 5 min
·
Westside Freeway
6
Keep slight left to continue on Westside Freeway
0.8 mi
·
49 sec
·
Westside Freeway
7
Keep slight left to continue on Westside Freeway
237 mi
·
4 hr 13 min
·
Westside Freeway
8
Keep slight right
58 mi
·
1 hr 6 min
9
Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Golden State Freeway
10
Take the exit slight right toward I 210 East: Pasadena
0.3 mi
·
18 sec
·
I 210 East: Pasadena
11
Continue on Foothill Freeway
24 mi
·
28 min
·
Foothill Freeway
12
Keep slight left to continue on Long Beach Freeway
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Long Beach Freeway
13
Continue on South Saint John Avenue
0.4 mi
·
41 sec
·
South Saint John Avenue
14
Turn straight onto South Pasadena Avenue
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
·
South Pasadena Avenue
15
At the end of the road, turn left onto Columbia Street
174 ft
·
8 sec
·
Columbia Street
16
Turn right onto Fremont Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Fremont Avenue
17
Turn left onto Hope Street
0.2 mi
·
41 sec
·
Hope Street
18
Turn right onto Fair Oaks Avenue
269 ft
·
8 sec
·
Fair Oaks Avenue
19
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 193.4 miles from Sacramento, CA, or about 3h 33m into the drive.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 85 miles or 1h 33m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 193.4 miles or 3h 33m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 6h 1m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near South Pasadena, CA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Sacramento, CA so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
+
Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Sacramento, CA
This is one driving day of about 386.7 miles and 7h 7m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 85 miles from Sacramento, CA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
193 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 85 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 193.4 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.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$88.88 one way
$177.76 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
135 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $91.59 | $183.18 |
| premium | $6.18 | $94.04 | $188.08 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $85.38 | $170.76 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$89
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$114–$139
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 135.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $41 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 116 | 1 | $40.60 | $18.56 |
| Efficient EV | 96.7 | 1 | $33.84 | $15.47 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 154.7 | 1 | $54.14 | $24.75 |
Gas CO2
135 kg
EV CO2
45 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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
South Pasadena, CA
Afternoon in South Pasadena on Saturday
Local time
12:42 PM
PDT
Current temp
72°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
4 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
7h 7m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
386.7 mi in 7h 7m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Main road: P Street.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The route itself is not hard, but at 7h 7m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Sacramento, CA to South Pasadena, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
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 South Pasadena, CA
Full guide →South Pasadena is a small city in the San Gabriel Valley of Southern 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 7h 7m. Total distance: 386.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 2 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
7h 7m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
It helps. This is a long drive, so arriving tired and in the dark compounds. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at South Pasadena, CA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 2 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Sacramento, CA to South Pasadena, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Not recommended in a single day. At 7.1 hours each way, a round trip means 14.2 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at South Pasadena, CA before the return drive.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh 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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