Origin
Cupertino, CA
Late night in Cupertino on Tuesday
Local time
5:13 AM
PDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Cupertino, CA to San Francisco, 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
54m
Distance
43.8 mi
71 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 50m
★
6 AM
0h 55m
8 AM
1h 4m
10 AM
0h 58m
12 PM
0h 57m
3 PM
0h 58m
5 PM
1h 3m
8 PM
0h 52m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Cupertino, CA
Wikimedia Commons
San Francisco, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling the 46.3 miles from Cupertino to San Francisco is a straightforward journey that typically takes about 47 minutes. Since you are staying within the Pacific Coast region, you can easily complete this trip in a single day without needing an overnight stay. Expect to spend approximately $11 on fuel for the one-way trek. You will primarily utilize I-280 North and the Junipero Serra Freeway to navigate between these two points. This route serves as a practical, efficient connection that is ideal for commuters or day-trippers looking to move quickly between the South Bay and the city.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Bayshore Freeway | 30.2 mi | 34m |
| CA 85 | 5.5 mi | 6m |
| James Lick Freeway | 4.2 mi | 6m |
| North De Anza Boulevard | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Central Freeway | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Junipero Serra Freeway | 0.8 mi | <1m |
| Octavia Boulevard | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Market Street | 0.3 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Bayshore Freeway
— 30.2 mi, about 34m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cupertino, CA and San Francisco, CA.
1
Start on North De Anza Boulevard
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
North De Anza Boulevard
2
Turn left
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Toward I 280 North: San Francisco
Use the left / uturn lanes.
3
Merge onto I 280
0.8 mi
·
52 sec
·
Junipero Serra Freeway
4
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 12A
Toward CA 85 North: Mountain View
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Merge onto CA 85
4.9 mi
·
5 min
·
CA 85
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Continue on CA 85
0.6 mi
·
40 sec
·
CA 85
Exit 24B
Toward US 101 North: San Francisco
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Merge onto US 101
30 mi
·
34 min
·
Bayshore Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on US 101
4.2 mi
·
6 min
·
James Lick Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on US 101
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Central Freeway
Toward Civic Center, Golden Gate Bridge
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on Octavia Boulevard
0.5 mi
·
42 sec
·
Octavia Boulevard
Exit 434B
Toward Octavia Boulevard, Fell Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Turn right onto Market Street
0.1 mi
·
31 sec
·
Market Street
Use the right lane.
12
Keep slight right at fork onto Market Street
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
Market Street
13
Arrive at destination
Market Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
22 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21.9 miles from Cupertino, 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 105 decision points cluster between mile 0.8 and 43.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
0.8 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Turn left toward I 280 North: San Francisco
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / uturn lanes.
Toward I 280 North: San Francisco
7
1.8 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Take the exit toward CA 85 North: Mountain View
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 12A
Toward CA 85 North: Mountain View
5
2.4 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
CA 85
Merge onto CA 85
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
7.8 mi into trip
|
~10m in
|
US 101 / Bayshore Freeway
Merge onto US 101 / Bayshore Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
43.1 mi into trip
|
~52m in
|
Octavia Boulevard
Continue onto Octavia Boulevard toward Octavia Boulevard, Fell Street
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 434B
Toward Octavia Boulevard, Fell Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.07 one way
$20.13 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $10.37 | $20.75 |
| premium | $6.18 | $10.65 | $21.30 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.67 | $19.34 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.1 | 0 | $4.60 | $2.10 |
| Efficient EV | 11 | 0 | $3.83 | $1.75 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.5 | 0 | $6.13 | $2.80 |
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
San Francisco, CA
Late night in San Francisco on Tuesday
Local time
5:13 AM
PDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
4 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
54m 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 turn-heavy local drive as you transition from Cupertino toward San Francisco. While you will rely on major arteries like CA-85 North to get moving, the route is characterized by its technical nature rather than long, monotonous highway cruising. You won't find significant uninterrupted stretches here, as the road requires your attention through various interchanges and local transitions. The drive feels more like a functional transit link than a wide-open interstate sprint. Staying alert is key, as the road profile demands consistent engagement from the driver throughout the entire 46.3-mile distance.
95% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 30.2 mi on Bayshore Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Bayshore Freeway and CA 85. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.8 miles in.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 43.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 54m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 1.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 2.4 miles (CA 85): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Cupertino, CA
Full guide →Founded 1947
Top landmarks
- • Le Petit Trianon — mansion on the grounds of De Anza College
Arriving in San Francisco, CA
Full guide →“Frisco” · Founded 1776
The centerpiece of the Bay Area, San Francisco is one of the most visited cities in the world, and with good reason. The cultural center of northern California, San Francisco is renowned for its mixture of scenic beauty and unique culture that makes it one of the most vibrant and desirable cities in the nation, if not the world. Sandwiched between the San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean on a small square of land seven miles (11 km) on each side, San Francisco offers a wealth of treasures for the visitor, from the windswept and often foggy bay to the steep hills lined with Victorian homes that overlook the spectacular scenery of the city.
Top landmarks
- • Golden Gate Bridge — suspension bridge on the San Francisco Bay
- • Alcatraz Island — island in San Francisco, California, United States of America
- • San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge — suspension bridge connecting San Francisco and Oakland, California, USA
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 54m. Total distance: 43.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
54m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (95%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 30.2 miles on Bayshore 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 San Francisco, 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 0.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 1.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 2.4 miles (CA 85): Merge point - match speed before joining. 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 San Francisco, 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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