Origin
El Sobrante, CA
Afternoon in El Sobrante on Sunday
Local time
12:35 PM
PDT
Current temp
65°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from El Sobrante, CA to Fremont, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
53m
Distance
41.8 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 54m
8 AM
1h 2m
10 AM
0h 57m
12 PM
0h 56m
3 PM
0h 57m
5 PM
1h 2m
8 PM
0h 51m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
El Sobrante, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Trip Overview
This 41.8-mile drive from El Sobrante, CA to Fremont, CA is a straightforward trip that can easily be completed in under an hour, making it a perfect day trip. You'll primarily be on the Nimitz Freeway and I 880, also known as the Eastshore Freeway, with 90% of the journey on highways. The estimated fuel cost is around $10, and with no designated stops, you can push through without needing to break up the journey. Both your origin and destination are within the Pacific Coast region, keeping the scenery consistent. This is a practical, highway-focused route for getting from point A to point B efficiently.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Nimitz Freeway | 14.3 mi | 18m |
| I 880 | 13.6 mi | 14m |
| Eastshore Freeway | 9.7 mi | 11m |
| Mowry Avenue | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| Appian Way | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| San Pablo Dam Road | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| El Portal Drive | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Interstate Highway 80 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Nimitz Freeway
— 14.3 mi, about 18m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between El Sobrante, CA and Fremont, CA.
1
Start on Sobrante Avenue
49 ft
·
5 sec
·
Sobrante Avenue
2
Turn left onto Appian Way
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Appian Way
3
Turn right onto San Pablo Dam Road
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
San Pablo Dam Road
Use the right lane.
4
Turn right onto El Portal Drive
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
·
El Portal Drive
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Toward I 80 West: Oakland
6
Merge onto I 80
9.7 mi
·
11 min
·
Eastshore Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 580
0.3 mi
·
21 sec
·
Interstate Highway 80
Toward I 580 East, I 880 South: Downtown Oakland, Hayward, Stockton, Alameda, San Jose
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork onto I 880
14 mi
·
18 min
·
Nimitz Freeway
Toward I 880: West Grand Avenue, Alameda, San Jose
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 880
5.6 mi
·
6 min
·
I 880
Use the slight left lane.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 880
2.4 mi
·
2 min
·
I 880
Use the slight left lane.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto I 880
5.6 mi
·
6 min
·
I 880
Use the slight left lane.
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Exit 17
Toward Mowry Avenue, Central Fremont
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Turn left
116 ft
·
3 sec
Use the left lane.
14
Turn straight onto Mowry Avenue
0.1 mi
·
10 sec
·
Mowry Avenue
15
Continue on Mowry Avenue
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Mowry Avenue
16
Arrive at destination
Mowry Avenue
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 41.8 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20.9 miles from El Sobrante, 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 125 decision points cluster between mile 11.8 and 39.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
11.8 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
I 580 / Interstate Highway 80
Keep slight left at fork onto I 580 / Interstate Highway 80 toward I 580 East, I 880 South: Downtown Oakland, Hayward, Stockton, Alameda, San Jose
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 580 East, I 880 South: Downtown Oaklan...
8
12 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
I 880 / Nimitz Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 880 / Nimitz Freeway toward I 880: West Grand Avenue, Alameda, San Jose
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 880: West Grand Avenue, Alameda, San J...
6
26.4 mi into trip
|
~34m in
|
I 880
Keep slight left at fork onto I 880
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
6
32 mi into trip
|
~40m in
|
I 880
Keep slight left at fork onto I 880
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
8
39.9 mi into trip
|
~49m in
Take the exit toward Mowry Avenue, Central Fremont
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 17
Toward Mowry Avenue, Central Fremont
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.61 one way
$19.21 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $9.90 | $19.80 |
| premium | $6.18 | $10.17 | $20.33 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.23 | $18.46 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.6 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 | 12.5 | 0 | $4.39 | $2.01 |
| Efficient EV | 10.5 | 0 | $3.66 | $1.67 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.7 | 0 | $5.85 | $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
Fremont, CA
Afternoon in Fremont on Sunday
Local time
12:35 PM
PDT
Current temp
67°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
2 degrees warmer 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 highway-focused drive for most of this trip, with 90% of the route utilizing major freeways like the Nimitz Freeway and I 880. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 14.3 miles on the Nimitz Freeway. While primarily a fast-paced interstate experience, this route is designed for efficient travel rather than scenic exploration. The character of the drive remains consistent, prioritizing directness and speed throughout its 41.8-mile length.
90% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 14.3 mi on Nimitz Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
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 11.8 miles in near I 580 / Interstate Highway 80.
Driving Effort
9/10
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 12 decision points packed into just 41.8 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 11.8 miles (I 580 / Interstate Highway 80): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 12 miles (I 880 / Nimitz Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 26.4 miles (I 880): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between El Sobrante, CA and Fremont, CA, road signs point toward Hayward, Stockton, Alameda and San Jose.
Hayward
11.8 mi in
|
~16m
|
via I 580
Stockton
11.8 mi in
|
~16m
|
via I 580
Alameda
11.8 mi in
|
~16m
|
via I 580
San Jose
11.8 mi in
|
~16m
|
via I 580
About the Cities
Arriving in Fremont, CA
Full guide →Founded 1956
Fremont is a suburban city in the southern part of the East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area; it is the 4th largest city in the Bay Area by population. Fremont is in the southern part of Alameda County, California, between Union City to the north, Sunol and the hills to the east, Milpitas and Santa Clara County to the south, and the San Francisco Bay to the west. The city of Newark, near the edge of the Bay, is surrounded by the city of Fremont. Fremont industry is not particularly large relative to other parts of the Bay Area, but neither is it a bedroom community. Many people in Fremont work locally in the electronics and high-tech industry, while many others commute to Silicon Valley or San Francisco locations for work.
Top landmarks
- • Mission San José — 18th-century Spanish mission in Fremont, California
- • Ardenwood Historic Farm — human settlement in California, United States of America
- • Niles Depot Museum — railway museum in Niles, 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: 41.8 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 (90%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 14.3 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 Fremont, 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 11.8 miles (I 580 / Interstate Highway 80): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 12 miles (I 880 / Nimitz Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 26.4 miles (I 880): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park and Muir Woods National Monument (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 Fremont, 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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