Best Time to Drive from Stockton to Lincoln

Right now (7:36 pm PST): about 80 minutes via I-5 North and I-80 East, usually 77 at this time.

Only 50% 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 Stockton 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	76	78	83	79	79	79	79	79	80	83	93	99	85	77	77	77	77
Tue	76	79	89	84	80	80	80	81	82	87	99	107	94	78	77	77	76
Wed	76	79	88	83	80	80	81	81	81	88	99	108	94	79	78	77	76
Thu	76	80	88	84	80	80	80	81	82	89	99	105	93	78	77	77	76
Fri	76	78	81	79	79	80	80	81	83	89	96	96	87	81	78	77	76
Sat	76	76	76	76	77	78	79	81	82	81	80	79	77	77	77	76	76
Sun	76	75	75	76	76	77	77	78	79	78	77	77	76	76	76	76	76

About this drive

On weekdays the 80-mile drive from Stockton to Lincoln (via I-5 North and I-80 East) usually takes as little as 76 minutes and up to 108 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7 am or after 5:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 82 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1 pm on Saturdays (82 minutes).

About 54 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 25 miles surface streets (about 8 minutes), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Stockton 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 Stockton to Lincoln?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 5:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 76 minutes then, versus up to 108 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 80-mile drive usually takes 76 to 108 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 82 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Stockton to Lincoln?

Leaving around 4 pm on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 108 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 North in Bay Area (13 miles) · I-80 East in Sacramento (13 miles) · I-5 North in Sacramento (11 miles) · SR-51 North in Sacramento (8 miles) · SR-65 North in Sacramento (6 miles) · US-50 East in Sacramento (1.1 miles)

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

More drives

Lincoln to Stockton (return trip) · Stockton to San Francisco · Stockton to Sacramento · Stockton to Oakland · Stockton to San Jose · Stockton to Livermore · Stockton to Fremont · Stockton to Elk Grove · Stockton to Hayward · Stockton to Sunnyvale · Stockton to Roseville · Stockton to Concord

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	76	78	83	79	79	79	79	79	80	83	93	99	85	77	77	77	77
Tue	76	79	89	84	80	80	80	81	82	87	99	107	94	78	77	77	76
Wed	76	79	88	83	80	80	81	81	81	88	99	108	94	79	78	77	76
Thu	76	80	88	84	80	80	80	81	82	89	99	105	93	78	77	77	76
Fri	76	78	81	79	79	80	80	81	83	89	96	96	87	81	78	77	76
Sat	76	76	76	76	77	78	79	81	82	81	80	79	77	77	77	76	76
Sun	76	75	75	76	76	77	77	78	79	78	77	77	76	76	76	76	76

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	76	78	83	79	79	79	79	79	80	83	93	99	85	77	77	77	77
Tue	76	79	89	84	80	80	80	81	82	87	99	107	94	78	77	77	76
Wed	76	79	88	83	80	80	81	81	81	88	99	108	94	79	78	77	76
Thu	76	80	88	84	80	80	80	81	82	89	99	105	93	78	77	77	76
Fri	76	78	81	79	79	80	80	81	83	89	96	96	87	81	78	77	76
Sat	76	76	76	76	77	78	79	81	82	81	80	79	77	77	77	76	76
Sun	76	75	75	76	76	77	77	78	79	78	77	77	76	76	76	76	76

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	76	78	83	79	79	79	79	79	80	83	93	99	85	77	77	77	77
Tue	76	79	89	84	80	80	80	81	82	87	99	107	94	78	77	77	76
Wed	76	79	88	83	80	80	81	81	81	88	99	108	94	79	78	77	76
Thu	76	80	88	84	80	80	80	81	82	89	99	105	93	78	77	77	76
Fri	76	78	81	79	79	80	80	81	83	89	96	96	87	81	78	77	76
Sat	76	76	76	76	77	78	79	81	82	81	80	79	77	77	77	76	76
Sun	76	75	75	76	76	77	77	78	79	78	77	77	76	76	76	76	76