How far is Sacramento, CA from Indio, CA?

The driving distance from Sacramento, CA to Indio, CA is about 509.3 miles (819.7 km), with a travel time of about 09h 24m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 446.5 miles (718.5 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 18h 49m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM PDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
509.32 mi
09h 24m
Flight
446.47 mi
718.53 km direct

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Sacramento.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
446.47 mi
Kilometers
718.53 km
Flight Time
00h 53m

Driving Distance

Road route
509.32 mi
Kilometers
819.67 km
Drive Time
09h 24m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 09h 24m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Indio
Thu, Apr 23, 10:24 AM PDT
Return by in Sacramento
Thu, Apr 23, 7:48 PM PDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Sacramento
2026-04-23T00:59
Arrive Indio
Thu, Apr 23, 10:24 AM PDT
Route Timing
09h 24m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM PDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
3:25 PM to 4:55 PM PDT

Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

Leave by
5:10 PM PDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Sacramento
8:00 PM PDT
Overnight-style route

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Buttonwillow
CA

Place in Kern County California

From Sacramento
254.7 mi
04h 42m
To Indio
254.6 mi
04h 42m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
72°F
Thursday

Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
2 to 6 mph NW
Destination
89°F
Thursday

Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
5 to 10 mph W

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Sacramento and Indio.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Sacramento and Indio.

  1. 1

    Start on 9th Street

    2904 ft · 2 min · 9th Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto P Street

    2746 ft · 1 min · P Street

  3. 3

    Take the ramp straight toward US 50, I 5 South: South Lake Tahoe, San Francisco, Los Angeles

    1146 ft · 17 sec

  4. 4

    Keep slight right to continue on I 5 South: Los Angeles

    2877 ft · 38 sec

  5. 5

    Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway

    59.4 mi · 1 hr 6 min · Westside Freeway

  6. 6

    Keep slight left to continue on Westside Freeway

    1.2 km · 49 sec · Westside Freeway

  7. 7

    Keep slight left to continue on Westside Freeway

    236.6 mi · 4 hr 14 min · Westside Freeway

  8. 8

    Keep slight right

    58.4 mi · 1 hr 7 min

  9. 9

    Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway

    2 mi · 2 min · Golden State Freeway

  10. 10

    Take the exit slight right toward I 210 East: Pasadena

    1347 ft · 18 sec

  11. 11

    Continue on Foothill Freeway

    24.4 mi · 28 min · Foothill Freeway

  12. 12

    Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway

    19.1 mi · 22 min · Foothill Freeway

  13. 13

    Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway

    2476 ft · 33 sec · Foothill Freeway

  14. 14

    Take the exit slight right toward CA 57 South: Santa Ana

    1.4 km · 2 min

  15. 15

    Continue on Orange Freeway

    3.4 mi · 4 min · Orange Freeway

  16. 16

    Take the exit slight right toward I 10 East, I 10 West: San Bernardino, Los Angeles

    928 ft · 23 sec

  17. 17

    Keep slight left to continue on I 10 East: San Bernardino Freeway, San Bernardino

    1.1 km · 1 min

  18. 18

    Merge slight left onto San Bernardino Freeway

    1.9 mi · 2 min · San Bernardino Freeway

  19. 19

    Keep slight right to continue on San Bernardino Freeway

    4 mi · 5 min · San Bernardino Freeway

  20. 20

    Keep slight left to continue on I-10 Metro ExpressLanes

    9 mi · 10 min · I-10 Metro ExpressLanes

  21. 21

    Merge slight right onto San Bernardino Freeway

    14.3 mi · 16 min · San Bernardino Freeway

  22. 22

    Continue on Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway

    40.3 mi · 44 min · Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway

  23. 23

    Keep slight left to continue on Sonny Bono Memorial Freeway

    29.4 mi · 32 min · Sonny Bono Memorial Freeway

  24. 24

    Take the exit slight right toward Monroe Street, Central Indio

    1508 ft · 38 sec

  25. 25

    Turn right onto Monroe Street

    1.1 km · 1 min · Monroe Street

  26. 26

    Turn left onto Fred Waring Drive

    140 m · 13 sec · Fred Waring Drive

  27. 27

    Turn right onto Indio Boulevard

    1.1 mi · 2 min · Indio Boulevard

  28. 28

    Turn right onto Fargo Street

    31 m · 5 sec · Fargo Street

  29. 29

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Fargo Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Sacramento and Indio.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Long-distance drive

This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.

Directions
29 steps
5 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
8
3 merges, 5 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
5.7 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Westside Freeway
355 mi · 70%
Foothill Freeway
44 mi · 9%
Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
40.3 mi · 8%
Sonny Bono Memorial Freeway
29.4 mi · 6%
San Bernardino Freeway
20.1 mi · 4%
I-10 Metro ExpressLanes
9.02 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

Westside Freeway

Keep slight left to continue on Westside Freeway

237 mi · 04h 14m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

Better with a longer stop

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

Drive Time
09h 24m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
18h 50m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+62.8 mi
446.5 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Buttonwillow
04h 42m from Sacramento
Leave By
5:10 PM PDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Sacramento and Sunny near Indio.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Sacramento to Indio?

The road trip is about 509.3 miles (819.7 km) and usually takes 09h 24m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Buttonwillow is a useful midpoint, sitting about 254.7 miles from Sacramento and 254.6 miles from Indio.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 446.5 miles (718.5 km), while the road route adds roughly 62.8 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM PDT. Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $103.67 one way or $207.34 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 159.7 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Sacramento and Sunny near Indio.

Stop Ideas Near Buttonwillow

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Buttonwillow, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Buttonwillow.

RAIL

Wasco station

25 mi away
700 G Street
RAIL

Bakersfield

41 mi away
601 Truxtun Ave
RAIL

Corcoran station

78 mi away
1099 Otis Ave.
BUS

Kettleman City, California

79 mi away
3300 Hubert Way

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Sacramento and Indio. Straight-line distance: 446.47 mi (718.53 km).

Sacramento

#1 Sacramento

The sixth most populous city in California and the center of the Sacramento metropolitan area.

Population512,838
Coordinates38.5815700, -121.4944000
Altitude9
CountryUnited States
Indio

#2 Indio

A city in Riverside County, California.

Population91,919
Coordinates33.7207000, -116.2167700
Altitude-4
CountryUnited States
Start: Sacramento (-121.4944, 38.58157)
End: Indio (-116.21677, 33.7207)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 820 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)16h 58m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)12h 44m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)10h 11m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)08h 29m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)07h 16m
80 mph (129 km/h)06h 21m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
17.97 gal
68.03 L · about $103.67
Round trip
$207.34
35.94 gal · 136.06 L
Estimated CO2
159.7 kg one way
Round trip: 319.4 kg / 704 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $5.77 $103.67 $207.34
Mid-grade $6.07 $109.01 $218.01
Premium $6.24 $112.19 $224.37
Diesel $7.57 $135.98 $271.96

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in California · Apr 23, 2026

There is no time difference between Sacramento and Indio. The current time is 00:59:59.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.