Origin
Anaheim, CA
Evening in Anaheim on Friday
Local time
8:44 PM
PDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 5, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
6h 53m
Distance
373.5 mi
601 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$83
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Anaheim, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Dublin, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Anaheim to Dublin is 373.5 miles and takes about 6h 53m via Westside Freeway, Golden State Freeway, and I 5 Truck, with a fuel budget near $82 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route stays within California, beginning in the Pacific Coast region and ending in the same area. Since it's entirely on major highways, expect a straightforward drive. With a recommended one-day trip, you can easily make good time and arrive with daylight to spare.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
186.8 miles from Anaheim, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 31m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Westside Freeway | 225.6 mi | 4h 1m |
| Golden State Freeway | 50 mi | 57m |
| I 5 Truck | 37.7 mi | 43m |
| Santa Ana Freeway | 21.3 mi | 24m |
| Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway | 20.3 mi | 23m |
| William Elton Brown Freeway | 17 mi | 18m |
| West Lincoln Avenue | 1 mi | 2m |
| San Ramon Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 354 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~2,464 veh/hr typical · worst 3,254
Quietest
2 AM
~475 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
5.2×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 89 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Anaheim, CA and Dublin, CA.
Start on this road
Turn left onto South Anaheim Boulevard
Turn left onto West Lincoln Avenue
Turn left
Merge onto I 5
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5 Truck
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
Keep slight left at fork onto I 580
Keep slight right at fork onto I 580 Bypass
Merge onto I 580
Keep slight right at fork onto I 580
Take the exit
Turn right onto San Ramon Road
Arrive at destination
For this 6-hour, 53-minute drive, leaving Anaheim early in the morning is your best bet to avoid significant traffic. Since it’s a single-day trip, you can be flexible with stops. However, consider breaking up the 225.6-mile stretch on the Westside Freeway with a quick stop for fuel or a stretch. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially in the longer stretches, as services can be spaced out on the interstate. The $82 fuel estimate is a good baseline for your budget.
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 82 miles or 1h 37m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 186.8 miles or 3h 31m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 5h 47m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Dublin, CA than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Anaheim, CA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Anaheim, CA
This is one driving day of about 373.5 miles and 6h 53m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
187 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.
A short stop after about 82 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 186.8 miles from Anaheim, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Westside Freeway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 225.6 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 4.6 and 373.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 / Santa Ana Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 / Golden State Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck toward I 5 Truck North, CA 14 Truck
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 / Westside Freeway toward I 5 North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward San Ramon Road, Foothill Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$82.80 one way
$165.60 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.81 | $85.45 | $170.90 |
| premium | $5.98 | $87.98 | $175.96 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $82.33 | $164.66 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$83
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$108–$133
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 130.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $39 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 112.1 | 1 | $39.22 | $17.93 |
| Efficient EV | 93.4 | 1 | $32.68 | $14.94 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 149.4 | 1 | $52.29 | $23.90 |
Gas CO2
131 kg
EV CO2
44 kg (66% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Evening in Anaheim on Friday
Local time
8:44 PM
PDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Destination
Evening in Dublin on Friday
Local time
8:44 PM
PDT
Current temp
--
Unavailable
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Road read
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
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Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
This drive is 100% highway, so you'll be on freeways for the entire 373.5 miles. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 225.6 miles on the Westside Freeway. Expect frequent merging and exiting as you navigate various freeway sections, particularly around urban areas. The profile is mostly highway, suggesting consistent cruising speeds.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Westside Freeway and Golden State Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 4.6 miles in near I 5 / Santa Ana Freeway.
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 17 significant decision points across 373.5 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 4.6 miles (I 5 / Santa Ana Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 22.6 miles (I 5 / Golden State Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 50.3 miles (I 5 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Hilly terrain with moderate elevation changes
Total Climb
3,123 ft
Total Descent
2,913 ft
Highest Point
2,808 ft
~80 mi in
Elevation Range
2,650 ft
Notable High Points
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Anaheim, CA to Dublin, CA, road signs begin pointing toward San Francisco along the way.
San Francisco
Founded 1857
Anaheim is a city in Orange County, California. It is best known for being the home of Disneyland. Its second claim to fame is hosting the National Hockey League's Anaheim Ducks and Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Angels.
Top landmarks
Founded 1982
Dublin is a city of 65,000 people (2019) on the northern side of Alameda County, in California's East Bay region. It's an expanding city, constantly making its way into the golden-colored foothills of the Diablo Range on its eastern and western sides. While it doesn't have a historic district or any particularly notable tourist destinations, it's a pleasant place to visit, with some important positives that it shares with its neighbors.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 6h 53m. Total distance: 373.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 53m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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