Origin
Alum Rock, CA
Morning in Alum Rock on Tuesday
Local time
8:42 AM
PDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Alum Rock, CA to Oakland, CA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
53m
Distance
41.9 mi
67 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 49m
★
6 AM
0h 53m
8 AM
1h 2m
10 AM
0h 56m
12 PM
0h 55m
3 PM
0h 57m
5 PM
1h 1m
8 PM
0h 50m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Alum Rock, CA
David McElwee
Oakland, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 41.9-mile drive from Alum Rock, CA to Oakland, CA will take you approximately 53 minutes, making it a perfect one-day trip. You'll primarily be on the Nimitz Freeway and I-880, with a brief stint on the Sinclair Freeway, meaning this is a highway-focused journey. With an estimated fuel cost of $10, it's an economical option for getting between these two Pacific Coast locations. The route offers a direct and efficient path, ideal for a quick transit or a short excursion.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Nimitz Freeway | 17.1 mi | 19m |
| I 880 | 17 mi | 19m |
| Sinclair Freeway | 2.9 mi | 3m |
| Alum Rock Avenue | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| Trade Zone Boulevard | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| North Capitol Avenue | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Montague Expressway | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Oak Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Nimitz Freeway
— 17.1 mi, about 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Alum Rock, CA and Oakland, CA.
1
Start on Alum Rock Avenue
355 ft
·
34 sec
·
Alum Rock Avenue
2
Continue on Alum Rock Avenue
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Alum Rock Avenue
3
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Toward I 680 North
4
Merge onto I 680
2.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Sinclair Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Exit 5B
Toward Capitol Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Turn straight onto North Capitol Avenue
0.5 mi
·
46 sec
·
North Capitol Avenue
Use the straight lane.
7
Turn left onto Trade Zone Boulevard
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Trade Zone Boulevard
Use the left lane.
8
Turn left onto CR G4
0.5 mi
·
53 sec
·
Montague Expressway
Use the left / straight lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
Toward I 880 North: Oakland
Use the straight lane.
10
Merge onto I 880
4.4 mi
·
5 min
·
Nimitz Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork onto I 880
13 mi
·
14 min
·
Nimitz Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork onto I 880
17 mi
·
19 min
·
I 880
Use the slight left lane.
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
Exit 41A
Toward Oak Street, Lakeside Drive
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Turn right onto Oak Street
0.3 mi
·
49 sec
·
Oak Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
15
Turn left onto 12th Street
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
·
12th Street
Use the straight lane.
16
Turn right onto Harrison Street
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
Harrison Street
Use the right lane.
17
Turn left onto 14th Street
0.2 mi
·
48 sec
·
14th Street
18
Arrive at destination
14th Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 41.9 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20.9 miles from Alum Rock, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 155 decision points cluster between mile 4.1 and 41.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
4.1 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Take the exit toward Capitol Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 5B
Toward Capitol Avenue
6
6.3 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Take the exit toward I 880 North: Oakland
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Toward I 880 North: Oakland
6
11.1 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
I 880 / Nimitz Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 880 / Nimitz Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
40.7 mi into trip
|
~49m in
Take the exit toward Oak Street, Lakeside Drive
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 41A
Toward Oak Street, Lakeside Drive
7
41.6 mi into trip
|
~51m in
|
Harrison Street
Turn right onto Harrison Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.63 one way
$19.26 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $9.92 | $19.85 |
| premium | $6.18 | $10.19 | $20.38 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.25 | $18.50 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.6 | 0 | $4.40 | $2.01 |
| Efficient EV | 10.5 | 0 | $3.67 | $1.68 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.8 | 0 | $5.87 | $2.68 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (67% 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
Oakland, CA
Morning in Oakland on Tuesday
Local time
8:42 AM
PDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
51°F
Newark, CA
21 mi in
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
15 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
53m 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?
Expect a predominantly highway-focused drive, with 89% of the route utilizing major freeways like the Nimitz Freeway and I-880. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 17.1 miles on the Nimitz Freeway, offering a consistent pace for a significant portion of your journey. This route is characterized by its straightforward, high-speed travel, designed for efficient transit rather than scenic exploration.
89% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 17.1 mi on Nimitz Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Nimitz Freeway and I 880. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 4.1 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 15 decision points packed into just 41.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 53m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 4.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 11.1 miles (I 880 / Nimitz Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Oakland, CA
Full guide →Founded 1852
Oakland is a port city in the Bay Area of California in the United States. Once an industrial area overshadowed by San Francisco, its larger neighbor to the west, this city of 440,000 people (2020) has begun to step out from under San Francisco's shadow with its notable natural and architectural features and its rise as the multicultural "hipster" city of the Bay Area.
Top landmarks
- • San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge — suspension bridge connecting San Francisco and Oakland, California, USA
- • Lake Merritt — lagoon in Oakland, California, USA
- • Oakland Museum of California — art museum in Oakland, 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 53m. Total distance: 41.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
53m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (89%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 17.1 miles on Nimitz Freeway. 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 Oakland, 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 4.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 11.1 miles (I 880 / Nimitz Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park and Golden Gate National Recreation Area (5 total within detour distance). See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Oakland, 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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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