Best Time to Drive from Napa to Lincoln

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

Only 77% 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 Napa to Lincoln 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	81	85	93	95	94	93	93	94	94	95	99	100	92	86	83	82	82
Tue	81	86	95	94	94	92	91	92	92	96	103	105	94	86	83	82	81
Wed	81	86	95	95	94	91	91	93	93	97	103	107	96	87	83	82	82
Thu	81	86	94	95	94	91	92	92	93	99	105	105	97	87	84	82	82
Fri	81	84	88	93	89	91	93	95	98	105	108	105	98	91	86	84	81
Sat	82	81	81	83	85	87	89	91	92	91	90	89	88	86	84	83	81
Sun	81	81	81	81	82	84	86	88	88	87	88	86	86	85	84	84	81

About this drive

On weekdays the 89-mile drive from Napa to Lincoln (via I-80 East) usually takes as little as 81 minutes and up to 108 minutes, when leaving around 3 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 6 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 94 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1 pm on Saturdays (92 minutes).

About 79 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 Napa to central Lincoln 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 Napa to Lincoln?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 6 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 Napa to Lincoln?

The 89-mile drive usually takes 81 to 108 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 94 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Napa to Lincoln?

Leaving around 3 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 108 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-80 East in Sacramento (46 miles) · I-80 East in Bay Area (20 miles) · SR-65 North in Sacramento (6 miles) · SR-12 East in Bay Area (5 miles)

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

More drives

Lincoln to Napa (return trip) · Napa to San Jose · Napa to San Francisco · Napa to Sacramento · Napa to Oakland · Napa to Stockton · Napa to Fremont · Napa to Santa Rosa · Napa to Elk Grove · Napa to Hayward · Napa to Sunnyvale · Napa to Roseville

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	81	85	93	95	94	93	93	94	94	95	99	100	92	86	83	82	82
Tue	81	86	95	94	94	92	91	92	92	96	103	105	94	86	83	82	81
Wed	81	86	95	95	94	91	91	93	93	97	103	107	96	87	83	82	82
Thu	81	86	94	95	94	91	92	92	93	99	105	105	97	87	84	82	82
Fri	81	84	88	93	89	91	93	95	98	105	108	105	98	91	86	84	81
Sat	82	81	81	83	85	87	89	91	92	91	90	89	88	86	84	83	81
Sun	81	81	81	81	82	84	86	88	88	87	88	86	86	85	84	84	81

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	81	85	93	95	94	93	93	94	94	95	99	100	92	86	83	82	82
Tue	81	86	95	94	94	92	91	92	92	96	103	105	94	86	83	82	81
Wed	81	86	95	95	94	91	91	93	93	97	103	107	96	87	83	82	82
Thu	81	86	94	95	94	91	92	92	93	99	105	105	97	87	84	82	82
Fri	81	84	88	93	89	91	93	95	98	105	108	105	98	91	86	84	81
Sat	82	81	81	83	85	87	89	91	92	91	90	89	88	86	84	83	81
Sun	81	81	81	81	82	84	86	88	88	87	88	86	86	85	84	84	81

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	81	85	93	95	94	93	93	94	94	95	99	100	92	86	83	82	82
Tue	81	86	95	94	94	92	91	92	92	96	103	105	94	86	83	82	81
Wed	81	86	95	95	94	91	91	93	93	97	103	107	96	87	83	82	82
Thu	81	86	94	95	94	91	92	92	93	99	105	105	97	87	84	82	82
Fri	81	84	88	93	89	91	93	95	98	105	108	105	98	91	86	84	81
Sat	82	81	81	83	85	87	89	91	92	91	90	89	88	86	84	83	81
Sun	81	81	81	81	82	84	86	88	88	87	88	86	86	85	84	84	81