Lincoln Highway

See also: Air travel in the United States

The Lincoln Highway (US Hwy 30) and Interstates 76 (Pennsylvania Turnpike); 80 (Ohio Turnpike/Indiana Toll Road); and 95 (NJ Turnpike) can be accessed by commercial flights with multiple airlines through Newark/EWR, Philadelphia/PHL, Harrisburg, PA, Cleveland, South Bend, Des Moines, Omaha, Denver/DEN, Salt Lake City and Reno with airports next to or near the highway. In other cities, such as Chicago (both O'Hare & Midway); New York JFK, New York La Guardia/LGA, Oakland, Pittsburgh, San Francisco/SFO, Sacramento, CA and San Jose/SJC, the airport is further away (20-60 mi/32-100km) from the Lincoln Highway or from the interstate highways that run alongside the Lincoln Highway. From the airport, the ideal would be to rent a car and drive out to the desired locations. There are several other smaller airports in Laramie, Cheyenne (United Express form Denver) and Toledo, OH (Allegiant) that are served by a single airline from fewer domestic destinations and are mostly for general aviation use.

See also: Driving in the United States

• & US Highway 30 carries much of the Lincoln Highway from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Granger, Wyoming. Sections of US Hwy 30 are concurrent on or closely parallel Interstate 80 between Grand Island, Nebraska and Granger, Wyoming. Between Granger and Philadelphia the two continue to parallel each other but are further apart. In other places there are older variations of the Lincoln Highway that still utilize local surface streets, not numbered as a U.S. or state highway, while in other places the Lincoln Highway follows a different U.S. highway, a state or county highway. Going west, US Hwy 30 leaves the Lincoln Highway/I-80 near Granger, Wyoming and goes northwesterly towards its western terminus in Astoria, Oregon. Going east it continues from Philadelphia to its eastern terminus in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
• & Interstate 80 (I-80) and 76 (I-76) are the closest approximate interstate highways to bypass the Lincoln Highway (US Hwy 30 & 40) between Philadelphia and San Francisco. I-76 (Schuylkill Expressway, Pennsylvania Turnpike and Ohio Turnpike) connects Philadelphia to Youngstown, Ohio with the section of I-76 between Breezewood, Pittsburgh and East Liverpool being the closest alongside US Hwy 30. From Youngstown, the Ohio Turnpike (I-76, 80, 90) follows I-80 towards the Elyria Township, a suburb southwest of Cleveland, where it heads west along I-90 (Ohio Turnpike, Indiana Toll Road) to Indiana Station and on I-94 from Indiana Station to Chicago. It then goes across the country from Chicago towards San Francisco. I-80 passes through Toledo, Michigan City, South Bend, Chicago, Davenport, Des Moines, Omaha, Lincoln, Nebraska; Cheyenne, Laramie, Salt Lake City, Reno, Sacramento and points in between. US Hwy 30 closely parallels or run concurrent on I-80 between Grand Island, Nebraska and Granger Jct, Wyoming where US Hwy 30 leaves the Lincoln Highway/I-80 corridor. Between Granger Jct and Salt Lake City I-80 replaces the old US Hwy 30S and US Hwy 530, and the old US 40 From Salt Lake City to San Francisco. Between Grand Island, Nebraska and Aurora, Illinois, I-80 and US Hwy 30 still parallel each other but are farther apart (20-30 miles apart) while I-88 closely parallels alongside US Hwy 30 between Aurora, Illinois and Davenport, Iowa. Some travelers may opt to use the interstate highway to bypass certain sections and than exit from the interstate to get on the Lincoln Highway to tour certain areas they wish to see and visit. East of Chicago, the interstate highways are further away and US Hwy 30 serves as the primary route for the Lincoln Highway. In some sections, the Lincoln Highway includes a different U.S. or state highway or a local road as part of its path.

See also: Rail travel in the United States

The United States was one of the pioneers of rail travel. In the days before flying, rail transport was the main way to travel long distance, and played an instrumental role in the colonization of the Wild West in the late 19th century. Perhaps the most significant event in the history of American railroads was the driving of the final spike at Promontory, Utah in 1869, which marked the completion of the First Transcontinental Railroad between New York City and San Francisco. The advent of rail transport also played a key role in the industrialization of the United States, as it allowed raw materials and goods to be transported rapidly across the country, and allowed people to travel relatively quickly from their homes in rural areas to the large, industrial cities to work in the factories. Surviving examples of railroad stations from the pre-war era, such as Grand Central Terminal in New York City and Union Station in Washington, D.C., serve as reminders of the glamour of rail travel in days gone by.

The following are the existing Amtrak routes that operate "more or less" along the Lincoln Highway. The Keystone train between Philadelphia and Harrisburg and the California Zephyr between Reno and Emeryville are the closest alongside the Lincoln Highway (US Hwy 30 & I-80). The rest are further away from the Lincoln Highway but do serve the same major cities that are connected by the Lincoln Highway which would make them the closest things to travel "on" the Lincoln Highway without a car:

• Amtrak's California Zephyr travels from Chicago, Illinois to Emeryville/San Francisco (San Francisco is a short bus ride from Emeryville) via Omaha, Nebraska; Denver, Colorado; Salt Lake City, Utah; and Reno, Nevada. This is arguably Amtrak's most scenic route, passing through spectacular mountain passes and narrow canyons in the Rocky Mountains and the Sierra Nevada and traversing across expansive plains and deserts. Service is daily and takes 51½ hours to complete. Also see the Wikivoyage California Zephyr itinerary page.

• The Amtrak Capitol Corridor is a commuter service from Auburn to San Jose, California via Sacramento, Emeryville, and Oakland (with bus connections to San Francisco). This is more ideal for travelers who are only traveling between Sacramento, San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose and points in between in the SF Bay area. There are multiple daily departures and the trip takes 3½ hours.
• The Winter Park Express is targeted toward winter sports enthusiasts and offers service from Denver to Winter Park, Saturdays, Sundays, and select Fridays only, from January thru March. A train leaves Denver in the morning and returns in the evening. The trip takes about 2 hours. This train has a tendency to sell out when skiing conditions are good.

• The Capitol Limited runs from Chicago to Washington, D.C. via Cleveland, Ohio and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This route follows the historic B&O Railroad line, passing through many scenic narrow river valleys and old industrial towns as it crosses the Allegheny Mountains. Service is daily and takes 18 hours to complete. To follow closely along the Lincoln Highway travelers can ride the Pennsylvanian from New York to Pittsuburgh and than transfer onto the Capitol Limited to Chicago.

• The Keystone and the Pennsylvanian connect New York City to Pennsylvania via Philadelphia, with the Keystone terminating in Harrisburg while the Pennsylvanian continues across the Allegheny Mountains to Pittsburgh. The Keystone runs multiple times a day and takes about 4 hours, while the Pennsylvanian runs daily and takes 9½ hours.

• The Northeast Regional is Amtrak's busiest service, connecting Boston, Massachusetts, New York City, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C., and the many towns and cities in-between, with some services also continuing south into Richmond, Virginia. This is also Amtrak's most frequent service, with multiple daily departures, and most ideal for those traveling only between New York and Philadelphia. There are additional local commuter rail connecting New York to Philadelphia more or less along the Lincoln Hwy (NJ Hwy 27, US 1, US 1-9), operated by state or local government on more frequent schedules and for a cheaper fare than Amtrak trains but with more stops:

• NJ Transit, ☏ +1 973 275-5555, toll-free: +1 888 TIPS-NJT (8477-658). Operates a network of trains, light rail and buses connecting communities throughout New Jersey and to Rockland County, New York (Bergen, Main & Pascock Valley Lines). It can be used for travel to Newark Liberty International Airport and Trenton from New York City (Northeast Corridor Line) and from Philadelphia to Atlantic City. Its website provides a user-friendly method of planning your itinerary by all available forms of transport they offer. (updated Jun 2021)
• Port Authority Trans Hudson (PATH), ☏ +1 800 234-7284. Operates a single route from mid-town and lower Manhattan to Newark, Harrison, Hoboken, and Jersey City in metropolitan northern New Jersey (updated Jan 2017)
• Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA). Regional Rail Lines connect Trenton and West Trenton with Philadelphia. (updated Jan 2017)

See also: Long-distance bus travel in the United States

Buses cover more of the country than trains with more frequent departures; and unlike air travel, there is no hassle of security. Although it is not the fastest way, competition between the various operators makes bus travel generally inexpensive. It is even possible to obtain a trip between two cities for as little as $1, especially in the northeastern part of the U.S.

Buses typically travel on the interstate highways, to provide the quickest means of travel between cities and towns for those traveling without a car which would not work well for those wanting to tour the Lincoln Highway. Having a car is still the best way to tour the Lincoln Highway, but for those traveling without a car the following companies serve the cities and some towns located along the Lincoln Highway:

• Greyhound. Greyhound does not travel the entire length of I-80 from San Francisco to New York. It connects San Francisco to Reno via Sacramento on the west end and from Salt Lake City towards Denver through Cheyenne in the middle. It does book passengers onto the California Zephyr train to get across Nevada from Reno to Salt Lake City. Towards the east end it goes from Chicago towards New York via Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg and Newark. Some variations of the route split from Pittsburgh down towards Philadelphia on I-76. It also has frequent buses between Philadelphia and New York (via Mt Laurel) on I-95. Greyhound sells tickets on other bus lines for places it doesn't serve as follows: 

• Burlington Trailways, ☏ +1 303-293-6555, +1 319-753-2864, toll-free: +1-800-992-4618. Connects Denver to Chicago through Omaha, Davenport, Des Moines and points in between in Nebraska, Iowa and Illinios on I-76/80/88/US 30. (updated Dec 2018)
• Express Arrow (Black Hills Stage Lines), Denver Union Station at 1701 Wyncoop St, Denver CO, ☏ +1 402-371-3850, toll-free: +1-877-779-2999. Travels between several cities & towns in Colorado, Montana, Nebraska & Wyoming on multiple routes. From Denver their buses go north towards Buffalo WY via Casper, Cheyenne; east towards Omaha; and southwest to Alamosa and Gunnison through Fairplay, Buena Vista and Salida (updated Jul 2015)

• NJ Transit, ☏ +1 973 275-5555, toll-free: +1 888 TIPS-NJT (8477-658). Operates a network of express/commuter and local buses connecting communities throughout New Jersey and to Rockland County, New York (Bergen, Main & Pascock Valley Lines). There are routes along US Hwy 1 & 1-9 between Newark and Trenton. (updated Jun 2021)
• Salt Lake Express, ☏ +1 208 656-8824. Continues on I-80 across Nevada between Truckee, CA and Salt Lake City via Reno, Wendover, and points in between in Nevada. Tickets for this section are not available on Greyhound.com but are but are directly available with Salt Lake Express. (updated Jul 2015)

In rural areas intercity buses typically stop at a hotel or at a truck stop/convenience store along the highways. Some of which may serve as de facto stations to sell tickets and provide space for passengers to wait for their bus. In other stops passengers must already have pre-paid and printed their tickets prior to showing up to the bus stop at an outside curbside stop for passengers to wait for their bus. Drivers do not carry cash and cannot accept cash or make change:

W 42nd St The Lincoln Highway begins/ends at W 42nd St & Broadway, in Times Square, in the Theater District of Mid-Town Manhattan. It follows W 42nd St from Time Square to the Weehawken Ferry Terminal. The Weehawken Ferry carried traffic on Lincoln Highway from Manhattan into Jersey City, New Jersey. After the opening of the Holland Tunnel in 1927 the Lincoln Highway detoured onto Broadway to reach the Holland Tunnel. Now the detour goes across the Hudson River in the Lincoln Tunnel (SR-495) from Dyer Ave and re-emerges as JFK Blvd in Jersey City.

In New Jersey, it is illegal to pump your own gas. When you arrive at a filling station wait for an attendant to come to your car rather than attempting to get out and fill up your car on your own.

& In New Jesey, State Road (SR) 27 serves as the primary route for the Lincoln Highway between Princeton, New Jersey and Newark via New Brunswick and Elizabeth. Going north from Newark the Lincoln Highway follows US Hwy 1-9 (truck route), across South Kearney, to Jersey City. It than goes north on John F Kennedy Blvd (not numbered as a state or U.S. highway) through Jersey City to the Weehawken Ferry Terminal via 49th St from John F Kennedy Blvd. Prior to 1927 the Weehawken Ferry connected the Lincoln Highway traffic from 49th St in Jersey City to 42nd St in Manhattan. After the completion of the Holland Tunnel in 1927, traffic was re-routed to across the Holland Tunnel via the present SR-139 and re-emerges as Canal St in the New York side. Presently the detour goes across the Hudson River in the Lincoln Tunnel (SR-495) via JFK Blvd E in Jersey City and re-emerges into Dyer Ave in New York.

• connects Princeton to Trenton (the state capital). The Lincoln Highway enters Trenton along Brunswick Avenue, (US 206 and BUS US 1). Until 1920 the Highway followed Calhoun Street and crossed the Calhoun Street Bridge over the Delaware River into Pennsylvania; a 1920 map indicates that it probably used Warren Street (now southbound US 206 and BUS US 1) and West State Street to reach the bridge. In 1920 the Highway was moved from the tolled Calhoun Street Bridge to the free Bridge Street Bridge. To get there it probably continued south on Warren Street, turning west on Bridge Street to the bridge. This path is now followed by southbound BUS US 1, with a realignment from Assunpink Creek to the bridge due to redevelopment.

In New Jersey US Hwy 30 is no longer on the Lincoln Highway. It connects Philadelphia to its eastern terminus in Atlantic City via Camden.

to Interstate 80 begins and ends at its junction with the New Jersey Turnpike (I-95) in Teaneck. From I-80 in Teaneck travelers continue east (signed as 'north') on the New Jersey Turnpike (I-95), through Fort Lee, to the Bronx in New York City. It crosses the Hudson River on the George Washington Bridge into Washington Heights.

& Entering Pennsylvania from Trenton on the other side of the Delaware River, the Lincoln Highway follows along US Highway 1 Business through Morrisville, Langhorne and Fairing Hills. It enters Philadelphia through its northeastern suburbs. The older 1913 path of the Lincoln Highway is on PA-Hwy 213 through Langhorne.

Entering Pennsylvania via the Ben Franklin Bridge, US Hwy 30 travels through Philadelphia's Old City, Center City East and Center City West, the historic and commercial centers of the city. It then joins the Schuykill Expressway (I-76) and travels westward before breaking off south of Fairmont Park. It then heads west and becomes known as the "Mainline," the main corridor of the affluent and upscale "Mainline" suburbs in Montgomery and Delaware counties.

Once outside of metropolitan Philadelphia, the highway quickly enters Amish Country in the Susquehanna Valley where it passes through Lancaster, York, Gettysburg, Chambersburg and Bedford. It continues west through Ligonier, Greensburgh, Breezewood, Pittsburgh, and Beaver Falls in the southwestern part of the state. The route bypassed Harrisburg to the south, and thus did not use the older main route across the state between Chambersburg and Lancaster. Between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, this incorporated a number of old turnpikes, some of which still collected tolls.

The original 1913 path of the Lincoln Highway continued east from Philadelphia, crossing the Delaware River to Camden, New Jersey on the Market Street Ferry. By 1915, Camden was dropped from the route, allowing the highway to cross the Delaware on a bridge at Trenton (initially the Calhoun Street Bridge, later the Bridge Street Bridge).

• & Interstate 83 connects Harrisburg (the state capital) to US Highway 30 in York while US Hwy 15 connects Harrisburg to Gettysburg. Both highways are not part of the Lincoln Highway.

Route 30 briefly transverse West Virginia through Wheeling and Newell.

The Lincoln Highway from Mansfield (Ohio) west to Indiana, has been resurfaced in most areas, traffic would be considered light. Driving is pleasurable and the area should be considered safe.

Cities and towns on the Lincoln Highway, from the east to west, New Haven, Fort Wayne, Churubusco, Ligonier, Goshen, Elkhart, Osceola, Mishawaka, South Bend, New Carlisle, La Porte, Westville, Valparaiso, Merrillville, Schererville, Dyer.

Entering near Sauk Village, the route drives west passing through a number of communities in Chicago's South Suburbs (New Lenox, Frankfort, Mokena, Matteson, Olympia Fields, Park Forest, Chicago Heights, Ford Heights, and Lynwood) and directly into Joliet's downtown. From there, it moves northwest, passing to the south of Aurora and due west into Kendall County, entering Northern Illinois's closest areas to Chicagoland. The Lincoln Highway continues westward towards Fulton at the Mississippi River, entering into Clinton, Iowa along the following:

• from Aurora northwestward to Geneva.
• from Geneva westward to Dixon through Dekalb and Rochelle .
• from Dixon westward to Sterling.
• 1st Ave to from Sterling southward, over the Rock River, to US Hwy 30 in Rock Falls

Entering Eastern Iowa at Clinton (Iowa), Route 30 proceeds due west, hitting a number of small towns, skirting just south of Grant Wood Country. The most prominent between Clinton and Cedar Rapids are DeWitt (Iowa) and Mount Vernon (Iowa), home to Cornell College. From Cedar Rapids, the route connects Marshalltown to Ames, home to Iowa State. From there, it continues on to Denison and then takes a southwest course to Missouri Valley where it crosses the Missouri River into Nebraska.

to The original Lincoln Highway of 1913 splits from US Highway 30 in Missouri Valley and continues south towards Council Bluffs through Loveland, Honey Creek and Crescent along the Iowa side of the Missouri River. It than continues west, across the Missouri River, from Council Bluffs into Omaha on US Hwy 6.

on The Lincoln Highway entered Wyoming east of Pine Bluffs. It followed a series of county roads through Egbert and Hillsdale to Archer where it rejoined US Route 30 on I-80. It followed US Route 30 (now largely Interstate 80) through Cheyenne (state capital); Laramie, Medicine Bow, and Rawlins to Granger Junction (Exit 66) where US Highway 30 leaves I-80/Lincoln Highway to wind its way towards its western terminus in Astoria, Oregon through Idaho and Oregon. From the Granger Junction, the Lincoln Highway followed former U.S. Route 30S and U.S. Route 530 (now Interstate 80) through Fort Bridger and Evanston to the Utah state line. At places, the road itself is now Business I-80 in Lyman and follows frontage roads (alongside I-80) in many places. The following are places where the present US Hwy 30 leaves I-80 as a separate road and as Business I-80 into urbanized areas:

• 2 miles (3.2 km) through Pine Bluffs to the Nebraska state line
• 12 miles (19 km) through Cheyenne
• 97 miles (156 km) from Walcott to Laramie

to The Lincoln Highway in Nevada is also the "Loneliest Road in America" between Ely, Nevada to Fallon, Nevada on US Highway 50. Going east the "Loneliest Road" continues on US Hwy 50 towards Delta, Utah while the Lincoln Highway follows US Hwy 93 north towards Wendover, Nevada at the Nevada/Utah state line.

or Continuing west of Fallon the Lincoln Highway splits towards separate directions. One iteration continues on US Hwy 50 southwesterly towards the southeastern shores of Lake Tahoe via Carson City (the state capital) and cross into California via South Lake Tahoe. The other (older) variants follow the present I-80 (or its frontage roads) towards the California state line via Reno/Sparks.

& Sierra Nevada Northern Route' U.S. Route 50 Alternate northwestward to Wadsworth, Nevada, then Interstate 80 & old U.S. Route 40 westward, through Reno, Nevada, and over Donner Pass and the Sierra Nevada to Sacramento.

Upon the completion of the first Carquinez Strait Bridge at Vallejo in 1927, the Lincoln Highway from Sacramento to San Francisco was rerouted over this much shorter alignment. The 1928 Central Valley Route departed the California State Capitol in Sacramento heading westbound on Capitol Mall, West Capitol Avenue, and across the Yolo Causeway to Davis on Olive Drive. West of Davis the route followed old US 40 as it "stairstepped" through the towns of Dixon from I 80, beginning at CA 113 south to Vacaville, Fairfield, Rockville and Cordelia. From Cordelia the route followed Rt 12 (Jameson Canyon Rd) into the base of Napa Valley to an area that includes the city of American Canyon, then turned south to follow Rt 29 and Broadway into Vallejo where it followed Alameda St and Fifth St to the Carquinez Strait Bridge. South of the bridge, it followed San Pablo Avenue all the way through Rodeo, Pinole, San Pablo, Richmond, El Cerrito and Albany to Berkeley, where it turned west on University Ave to end at the Berkeley Pier for a ferry to the Hyde Street Pier in San Francisco.

to & Interstate 80 begins and ends at its junction with US Hwy 101 southwest of downtown San Francisco. From this junction, the freeway continues southwards towards San Jose through San Bruno, Burlingame, San Mateo, Redwood City and Palo Alto in Silicon Valley as US Hwy 101 (Bayshore Freeway). I-280 parallels alongside US Hwy 101 towards San Jose through Daly City, Colma and San Bruno. I-280 intersects US Hwy 101 further south from where US Hwy 101 intersections I-80.

University Avenue from Interstate 80 westward to the Berkeley Pier. (Note: In 1928, Lincoln Highway travelers crossed the San Francisco Bay via a ferry from the Berkeley Pier to the Hyde Street Pier in San Francisco.) From the Hyde Street Pier to Lincoln Park in San Francisco, take:

• Hyde Street southward 2 blocks to North Point Street.
• North Point Street westward 3 blocks to Van Ness Avenue.
• Van Ness Avenue southward 16 blocks to California Street.
• California Street westward 54 blocks to 32nd Avenue.
• 32nd Avenue northward 2 blocks to Camino del Mar
• Camino del Mar westward into Lincoln Park, arriving at the Lincoln Highway Western Terminus at the plaza and fountain in front of the California Palace of the Legion of Honor. The Western Terminus Marker and Interpretive Plaque are located to the left of the Palace, next to the bus stop.

-or-

to Sierra Nevada Southern Route' U.S. Route 50 westward, through Carson City, Nevada, then around Lake Tahoe and over Johnson Pass (nearby Echo Summit) and the Sierra Nevada to Sacramento via Placerville.

to From Sacramento to San Francisco, the original 1913–1927 Central Valley Route departed Sacramento southbound on Stockton Blvd to Rt 99, then southbound on 99 to Galt, then south on Lower Sacramento Rd to Pacific Ave and El Dorado St into downtown Stockton. From Stockton, the route departed southbound on Center St to French Camp Turnpike, Manthey Rd, and French Camp Rd to the town of French Camp, then Harlan Rd and Manthey Rd (again) southwest to 11th St into Banta, jogging through Banta, then west on 11th (again) into Tracy (old US 50). From Tracy, it followed Byron Rd, Grant Line Rd and Altamont Pass Rd to the top of Altamont Pass. It continued west on Altamont Pass Rd arriving in Livermore via Northfront Rd, Vasco Rd, First St and Junction Ave. From Livermore, the route followed today's I-580 westbound into Dublin, then Dublin Canyon Rd, East Castro Valley Rd, Grove Way and A Street into downtown Hayward. From Hayward to downtown Oakland it followed Foothill Blvd, I-580 (again), MacArthur Blvd, Foothill Blvd (again), First Ave, 13th St, Harrison St, 9th St and Broadway to a ferry pier on the Oakland Estuary (now Jack London Square) for an automobile ferry to the Ferry Slips at the south end of the Ferry Building, at the base of Market Street, in San Francisco.