How long does the initial node sync take?

The initial sync downloads and re-verifies the entire chain history, so it is the slowest part of setup and can range from a few hours to a couple of days. The two biggest factors are your disk and your internet speed. An SSD dramatically shortens the sync compared to a spinning hard disk, since validation is disk-bound. Track progress by comparing your node block height against the current tip shown on a public explorer. Leave the node running uninterrupted; restarting repeatedly only loses in-progress work. The sync is a one-time cost, after which the node simply keeps pace with new blocks.