Origin
Lincoln, CA
Night in Lincoln on Saturday
Local time
11:01 PM
PDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lincoln, CA to Sacramento, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
36m
Distance
29.4 mi
47 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 33m
★
6 AM
0h 36m
8 AM
0h 43m
10 AM
0h 39m
12 PM
0h 38m
3 PM
0h 39m
5 PM
0h 42m
8 PM
0h 35m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lincoln, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Sacramento, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Lincoln to Sacramento is 29.4 miles and takes about 36 minutes via CA 65 and the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, highway-focused drive connecting two points within California's Pacific Coast region. Given its short duration, it's ideal for a single day trip, allowing for easy travel between these neighboring cities. You'll primarily be on well-maintained state highways and freeways, making for a predictable and efficient journey.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| CA 65 | 7.4 mi | 8m |
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 7.1 mi | 8m |
| Capital City Freeway | 4.9 mi | 5m |
| Alan S. Hart Freeway | 3.3 mi | 3m |
| North Sacramento Freeway | 2.6 mi | 2m |
| Lincoln Boulevard | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| 12th Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| North 12th Street | 0.6 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
CA 65
— 7.4 mi, about 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lincoln, CA and Sacramento, CA.
1
Start on Lincoln Boulevard
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Lincoln Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
2
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Toward CA 65 South: Roseville
3
Merge onto CA 65
7.4 mi
·
8 min
·
CA 65
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Keep slight right at fork
0.5 mi
·
47 sec
Toward I 80 West: Sacramento
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Merge onto I 80
3.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Alan S. Hart Freeway
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Continue on I 80
7.1 mi
·
8 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 80 Business
4.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Capital City Freeway
Exit 95
Toward I 80 Business West: Sacramento
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 160
2.6 mi
·
2 min
·
North Sacramento Freeway
Toward CA 160 West: Downtown Sacramento
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on CA 160; US 40 Historic
0.6 mi
·
56 sec
·
North 12th Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto CA 160; US 40 Historic
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
12th Street
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
11
Turn right onto I Street
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
I Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Turn left onto 9th Street
71 ft
·
1 sec
·
9th Street
13
Arrive at destination
9th Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 105 decision points cluster between mile 9.6 and 29.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
9.6 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 80 West: Sacramento
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 80 West: Sacramento
8
20.4 mi into trip
|
~25m in
|
I 80 Business / Capital City Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 80 Business / Capital City Freeway toward I 80 Business West: Sacramento
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 95
Toward I 80 Business West: Sacramento
7
25.3 mi into trip
|
~30m in
|
CA 160 / North Sacramento Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 160 / North Sacramento Freeway toward CA 160 West: Downtown Sacramento
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward CA 160 West: Downtown Sacramento
6
28.6 mi into trip
|
~34m in
|
CA 160; US 40 Historic / 12th Street
Keep slight left at fork onto CA 160; US 40 Historic / 12th Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
6
29.2 mi into trip
|
~35m in
|
I Street
Turn right onto I Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.76 one way
$13.51 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $6.96 | $13.93 |
| premium | $6.18 | $7.15 | $14.30 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.49 | $12.98 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.8 | 0 | $3.09 | $1.41 |
| Efficient EV | 7.4 | 0 | $2.57 | $1.18 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.8 | 0 | $4.12 | $1.88 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Sacramento, CA
Night in Sacramento on Saturday
Local time
11:01 PM
PDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
1 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
36m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
This route leans heavily towards a highway experience, with 62% of the drive taking place on faster roads like CA 65 and the Capital City Freeway. You'll encounter stretches where you can maintain consistent speeds, including a longest uninterrupted segment of 7.4 miles on CA 65. The Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway will also contribute to the freeway feel. Expect a generally efficient and direct drive, characteristic of many urban-to-suburban connections in California.
62% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 7.4 mi on CA 65.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on CA 65 and Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 9.6 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 29.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 36m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 9.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 20.4 miles (I 80 Business / Capital City Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 25.3 miles (CA 160 / North Sacramento Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Lincoln, CA
Full guide →Founded 1890
Arriving in Sacramento, CA
Full guide →Founded 1849
Sacramento is the state capital of California in the United States. It is the regional center for the Greater Sacramento metropolitan area, which dominates much of the surrounding Sacramento Valley and stretches into parts of Gold Country. Sacramento is the oldest incorporated city in California, settled between the confluences of the Sacramento and American rivers. The city has been the site of many important historic events that have shaped California and U.S. history, most notably the California Gold Rush and location of the original terminus of the First Transcontinental Railroad. Much of this historical legacy has been preserved, especially in the historic Old Sacramento district, where buildings and railroads from that era continue to attract visitors. However, Sacramento is not a city that is stuck in the past. As the capital of the most populous U.S.
Top landmarks
- • California State Capitol — state capitol building of the U.S. state of California
- • Crocker Art Museum — art museum in Sacramento, California
- • Sacramento Valley Station — main railroad and light rail station in Sacramento, California
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 36m. Total distance: 29.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
36m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (62%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 7.4 miles on CA 65. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Sacramento, CA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 9.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 20.4 miles (I 80 Business / Capital City Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 25.3 miles (CA 160 / North Sacramento Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Sacramento, CA before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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