Photo: Sarah Stierch (Missvain), CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Moving from Vallejo and Fairfield to Reno
Vallejo and Fairfield are about 191 road miles from Reno, roughly 3 hours 44 minutes of free-flow driving, and 188 of those miles are on I-80 over Donner Summit at about 7,200 feet. Solano County sent about 240 people a year to Washoe County in the 2016-2020 Census flow data.
Solano County sits where I-80 leaves the Bay Area, so this move is a single road from start to finish. The Vallejo metro has about 451,000 residents, and from Fairfield the highway is 166 miles in a straight line from Reno but 191 by road.
Truckee River / Riverwalk in downtown Reno Photo: Mark Kobayashi-Hillary, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
One highway, 188 miles
The route is I-80 from end to end: Vallejo, Fairfield, Vacaville, Davis, Sacramento, Roseville, Auburn, Colfax, Truckee and the state line. Nothing else appears in the route block. That means no connecting highways to plan around, and the only stops are the ones the crew chooses.
The 3 hours 44 minutes of free-flow driving is for a car. A truck climbs the Sierra at lower speed, and hours-of-service rules for drivers limit how far one driver can run in a day. For a household move this distance is usually one travel day, but your delivery window comes from the written estimate.
Winter on the Sierra grade
The only pass is Donner Summit at about 7,200 feet. The valley below it has hot, dry summers, and the grade has snow, ice and chain controls in winter. If your move is between November and March, watch Caltrans QuickMap for chain requirements on I-80 and the NDOT site once you cross into Nevada.
Vallejo city has a median household income near $90,171, a median gross rent near $2,073 and a median home value near $589,500 in the American Community Survey. Reno city's medians are $80,760, $1,556 and $548,300. The gap in housing cost is smaller than from San Francisco, which is one reason Solano County families move.
Weather also shifts more gently than from the coast. The Napa-area station records a January high near 57, a July high near 79 and about 20 inches of rain. Reno's July high is about 94 and its January lows fall near 26, with 7 inches of precipitation and 21 inches of snow.
Truckee River / Riverwalk in downtown Reno
How O'Brien's handles it
You book with O'Brien's, and we coordinate the move from your Vallejo or Fairfield home through the Bekins network. After the long-distance leg, O'Brien's delivers and unpacks in Reno or Sparks, or holds your goods in vault storage from $40 per month if the home is not ready. Estimates are itemized and in writing.
Military households
Military households in the Solano County area book a household goods move through the installation transportation office or Personal Property Office, and O'Brien's is DOD approved for military moving and storage. See military moves for details.
How a long-distance move works with a Bekins agent
O'Brien's Moving & Storage has been an agent for Bekins Van Lines since 1955. On an interstate move the Bekins network carries your shipment under the van line's interstate system; O'Brien's books the move in either direction. Leaving Northern Nevada, we give the free in-home estimate, pack, store in our Sparks warehouse if you need it, and load. Moving here from another state, you book with us and we coordinate the move from your origin through the Bekins network, then handle delivery, unpacking and storage in Sparks. Your written estimate sets the delivery window. What being a Bekins agent means.
Your rights on an interstate move
Federal booklets every interstate mover must give you
The two employees showed up on time and were very polite and ready to work. Our quote was 8 hours and they finished in 5 hours. Office staff checked in prior to move and confirmed all details and check in after move to make sure everything was taken care of. Would use this company again for sure!
Owner's reply
Laurie, Thank you for the awesome review! We are glad to hear everything went smoothly, and you were satisfied with the service. We want to also thank you for your business we appreciate you!
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Edward G.
James and the crew were terrific.
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Nicole B.
The crew worked extremely hard and treated our belongings with care. Customer service was outstanding leading up to, during, and after move. Thank you!
Get a long-distance estimate
Tell us where you are going. The estimate for a long-distance move starts with a survey of your Reno-area home.
Photo: Sarah Stierch (Missvain), CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
