Relocating to Sacramento · Bay Area commute
Best Sacramento-Area Places for a Bay Area Commute
Keeping a Bay Area job? See which towns sit on the Capitol Corridor and I-80, the Delta route, and what the data shows about how often newcomers still commute.
Written by Maggie B. Hopkins, Broker-Owner · Real Estate & Mortgage Broker at Surroundings. Facts checked October 2026.
Do People Who Move Here Still Work in the Bay Area?
Some do, but most do not travel there every week. Census microdata for 2022 to 2024, broken out by Surroundings, shows about 18% of working Bay Area newcomers to our four-county region physically worked in a Bay Area county during the survey week. Fully remote workers are not in that number.
The share changes a lot by where people land:
- Davis and West Sacramento: about 33%, with a wide margin.
- Sacramento County: about 18%.
- Placer County: about 13%.
- El Dorado County: about 10%, with a wide margin.
The closer a place sits to Interstate 80 and the train, the more of its Bay Area newcomers still make the trip. That is the pattern this guide follows.
Which Places Sit on the Capitol Corridor?
Five stations in our region have Capitol Corridor service: Auburn, Rocklin, Roseville, Sacramento and Davis, per Capitol Corridor's station list. Heading west, trains continue to Suisun-Fairfield, Martinez, the East Bay and down to San Jose.
The schedule is not the same at every station. The weekday schedule effective December 8, 2025 lists 15 westbound trains leaving Sacramento Valley Station, the first at 4:20 a.m. and the last at 9:03 p.m. Only some of those trains start in Roseville, Rocklin or Auburn. If you plan to ride often, Sacramento and Davis have the most choices.
- Davis has its own station on the line, west of Sacramento.
- Sacramento has Sacramento Valley Station downtown. Midtown and Downtown sit closest to it.
- Roseville and Rocklin have stations with fewer trains, plus the California Zephyr at Roseville once a day each way.
For San Francisco, Capitol Corridor says riders take its connecting bus or switch to BART at Richmond or Oakland Coliseum. For the South Bay, trains reach San Jose Diridon.
What About Driving on Interstate 80?
Interstate 80 is the main road between the two regions. It runs from Roseville through Sacramento and West Sacramento, then over the Yolo Causeway to Davis and on toward the Bay. Caltrans began widening the Causeway stretch in 2019, adding one lane in each direction, a tolled express lane that carpools and buses also use, as Abridged reported in August 2026.
West Sacramento and Natomas both sit on the I-80 side of the region. Read about relocating to Yolo County for West Sacramento and Davis.
For the South Bay and the Tri-Valley, Interstate 680 leaves I-80 at Fairfield and curves through the eastern Bay Area cities to San Jose.
Is There a Route That Skips I-80?
Yes, for eastern Contra Costa. State Route 160 starts at Highway 4 in Antioch, crosses the San Joaquin River on the Antioch Bridge, which is tolled northbound only, and follows the Sacramento River through the Delta into Sacramento. It enters the city from the south. The Sacramento city guide covers the neighborhoods on that side of town.
What If You Only Go In a Few Days a Week?
A hybrid schedule widens the map. If you travel to the Bay once or twice a week, a longer trip on those days may be worth more space the rest of the week. Places like El Dorado Hills on Highway 50, or Elk Grove to the south, come into play.
Two questions decide it. Which days and hours will you travel? And will you take the train, drive, or both? We do not publish drive times, because they change by the hour. Tell us the address you travel to and your days, and we will show you towns that fit.
If you work for the State of California here, note the four-day office order that took effect July 1, 2026, as CapRadio reported. It may make a spot close to downtown Sacramento matter as much as the Bay Area trip.
How Do We Match a Commute to a Home?
Maggie B. Hopkins, a Mortgage and Real Estate Broker, lines up the loan so your budget and your commute fit the same short list. Rachel Dee Minyard, our REALTOR® and Creative Director, starts with your commute and works backward to neighborhoods. She can tour homes near a station on live video and show you the walk or the drive to it.
Call or text Maggie at (916) 549-3131 with your office address and travel days, about the search or the loan, or book a relocation consultation. Get the free Moving to Sacramento guide, read about relocating to Davis, or estimate a payment on the mortgage calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best place near Sacramento for a Bay Area commute?
Places closest to Interstate 80 and the Capitol Corridor, such as Davis and central Sacramento near Sacramento Valley Station, have the most train choices. About 33% of working Bay Area newcomers in Davis and West Sacramento still worked in a Bay Area county, per Census data for 2022-2024.
How many Capitol Corridor trains leave Sacramento on weekdays?
The weekday schedule effective December 8, 2025 lists 15 westbound trains from Sacramento Valley Station, the first at 4:20 a.m. and the last at 9:03 p.m. Fewer trains serve Roseville, Rocklin and Auburn.
Can I commute from Sacramento to San Francisco by train?
Yes, with a transfer. Capitol Corridor does not run into San Francisco, so riders take its connecting bus or switch to BART at Richmond or Oakland Coliseum.
Is there a carpool or express lane on I-80 across the Yolo Causeway?
Caltrans has been adding one lane in each direction on that stretch, a tolled express lane that carpools and buses also use, as Abridged reported in August 2026. Check Caltrans for current status.
How many Bay Area newcomers still work in the Bay Area?
About 18% of working Bay Area newcomers to the Sacramento region worked in a Bay Area county during the survey week, per Census microdata for 2022-2024. Fully remote workers are not counted.
Will you tell me the drive time from a home to my office?
We don't publish drive times, because traffic changes by the hour. Tell us your office address and your days, and we'll factor the trip into which towns and homes we show you.
More relocation guides
Moving from the Bay Area
See Bay Area and Sacramento prices side by side. Then plan the equity, the routes back and the sale there with the purchase here.
Read the guide →Moving from San Francisco
San Francisco's August 2026 median was more than three times Sacramento County's. See how many make the move, the train and BART route back, and how Maggie and Rachel plan it with you.
Read the guide →Moving from San Jose and Silicon Valley
Santa Clara County leads Bay Area moves to the Sacramento region. See where South Bay movers buy, what housing costs here and the train to San Jose Diridon.
Read the guide →Moving from the East Bay
Alameda County sends more people to Sacramento County than any other Bay Area county. See where East Bay movers settle, prices and three routes back.
Read the guide →Moving from Los Angeles and Southern California
Los Angeles County sends Sacramento County more people than it takes back in IRS data. See what the migration data really shows, prices county by county and the trip back south.
Read the guide →Moving from Nevada
Nevada is the top out-of-state source of newcomers to the Sacramento region. See what the data shows, the California rules that surprise movers and the route over the Sierra.
Read the guide →Cost of living vs the Bay Area
Compare Sacramento and the Bay Area with dated federal price indexes, August 2026 home prices, electric bills and California's property tax rules.
Read the guide →Buying a home before you move
See how video tours, the loan, the offer and closing work from out of town. Maggie lines up the loan. Rachel shows you the homes and neighborhoods.
Read the guide →Property tax and Prop 19
Learn how a California base-year transfer works and who the law makes eligible. The deadlines decide whether it works for you.
Read the guide →Downsizing and single-level living
Sell a long-held home and move to one level. This guide covers single-story options, 55+ communities and timing.
Read the guide →Culture, food and wine
Sacramento pairs Farm-to-Fork dining with Broadway and repertory theatre. Museums, five wine regions and golf sit close by.
Read the guide →Healthcare and getting around
Meet the region's four health systems. Then see how the airport, the trains and the river trails connect it all.
Read the guide →
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey Public Use Microdata Sample, 2022, 2023 and 2024 one-year files, with Surroundings calculations by area, 2022-2024 survey.
- Capitol Corridor, stations, checked October 2026.
- Capitol Corridor, train schedules (effective December 8, 2025), checked October 2026.
- Capitol Corridor, San Francisco connections (bus and BART), checked October 2026.
- Wikipedia, California Zephyr (stations and frequency), checked October 2026.
- Abridged (PBS KVIE), Yolo Causeway construction, August 12, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Interstate 680 (California), checked October 2026.
- Wikipedia, California State Route 160, checked October 2026.
- CapRadio, state workers protest as return-to-office order takes effect, July 1, 2026.
Schedules, stations and road projects come from each operator or a dated public source, checked October 2026, and they change. We do not publish drive times. Confirm with the operator before you plan a commute.
Maggie B. Hopkins is a Mortgage and Real Estate Broker (CA DRE Broker #01750680, NMLS #349517). Rachel Dee Minyard is a REALTOR® (CA DRE #02213398).
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