Best Time to Drive from Lincoln to Napa

Right now (12:51 am PST): about 81 minutes via I-80 West.

Only 73% of this drive is measured by working traffic sensors right now. The rest is estimated from nearby sensors, typical speeds and street traffic, so times can be off. Why so few sensors work.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from Lincoln to Napa by day and time you leave (local time)
Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	83	96	105	100	96	94	94	93	92	91	90	89	87	83	82	82	82
Tue	82	97	108	103	96	92	91	91	90	89	90	90	88	85	82	82	81
Wed	82	97	108	103	96	93	92	91	90	90	90	90	88	84	82	82	81
Thu	82	97	106	103	96	92	91	90	90	90	91	91	90	85	82	82	81
Fri	81	89	92	93	94	94	94	95	96	95	97	94	90	86	82	82	81
Sat	81	81	82	82	86	93	98	97	96	94	93	88	87	84	83	83	81
Sun	81	81	81	81	83	87	93	96	98	97	95	94	92	89	86	84	81

About this drive

On weekdays the 88-mile drive from Lincoln to Napa (via I-80 West) usually takes as little as 81 minutes and up to 108 minutes, when leaving around 7 am on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 5:30 am or after 5 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 92 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 11 am on Saturdays (98 minutes).

About 78 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 10 miles surface streets (12 to 21 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Lincoln to central Napa along the route on the map. Starting or ending elsewhere in a big city can add or save several minutes.

Simulated from typical freeway speeds at each point of the drive for the time you would reach it, from every 5-minute reading we have recorded. We don't have sensors on surface streets yet, so the time on them is estimated from how congested the freeways around each end of the drive are at that time, in both directions: streets jam when the freeways do.

Questions

What is the best time to drive from Lincoln to Napa?

On weekdays, leave before 5:30 am or after 5 pm. The drive usually takes about 81 minutes then, versus up to 108 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Lincoln to Napa?

The 88-mile drive usually takes 81 to 108 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 92 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Lincoln to Napa?

Leaving around 7 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 108 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-80 West in Sacramento (44 miles) · I-80 West in Bay Area (17 miles) · SR-65 South in Sacramento (8 miles) · SR-12 West in Bay Area (5 miles)

Sacramento traffic right now · Sacramento traffic tomorrow · Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

Napa to Lincoln (return trip) · Lincoln to Sacramento · Lincoln to Stockton · Lincoln to Boston · Lincoln to Elk Grove · Lincoln to Fairfield · Lincoln to Antioch · Lincoln to Vacaville · Lincoln to Arden-Arcade · Lincoln to Citrus Heights

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	83	96	105	100	96	94	94	93	92	91	90	89	87	83	82	82	82
Tue	82	97	108	103	96	92	91	91	90	89	90	90	88	85	82	82	81
Wed	82	97	108	103	96	93	92	91	90	90	90	90	88	84	82	82	81
Thu	82	97	106	103	96	92	91	90	90	90	91	91	90	85	82	82	81
Fri	81	89	92	93	94	94	94	95	96	95	97	94	90	86	82	82	81
Sat	81	81	82	82	86	93	98	97	96	94	93	88	87	84	83	83	81
Sun	81	81	81	81	83	87	93	96	98	97	95	94	92	89	86	84	81

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	83	96	105	100	96	94	94	93	92	91	90	89	87	83	82	82	82
Tue	82	97	108	103	96	92	91	91	90	89	90	90	88	85	82	82	81
Wed	82	97	108	103	96	93	92	91	90	90	90	90	88	84	82	82	81
Thu	82	97	106	103	96	92	91	90	90	90	91	91	90	85	82	82	81
Fri	81	89	92	93	94	94	94	95	96	95	97	94	90	86	82	82	81
Sat	81	81	82	82	86	93	98	97	96	94	93	88	87	84	83	83	81
Sun	81	81	81	81	83	87	93	96	98	97	95	94	92	89	86	84	81

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	83	96	105	100	96	94	94	93	92	91	90	89	87	83	82	82	82
Tue	82	97	108	103	96	92	91	91	90	89	90	90	88	85	82	82	81
Wed	82	97	108	103	96	93	92	91	90	90	90	90	88	84	82	82	81
Thu	82	97	106	103	96	92	91	90	90	90	91	91	90	85	82	82	81
Fri	81	89	92	93	94	94	94	95	96	95	97	94	90	86	82	82	81
Sat	81	81	82	82	86	93	98	97	96	94	93	88	87	84	83	83	81
Sun	81	81	81	81	83	87	93	96	98	97	95	94	92	89	86	84	81