Origin
Fairfield, CA
Morning in Fairfield on Sunday
Local time
9:29 AM
PDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Fairfield, CA to Oakland, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
52m
Distance
40.6 mi
65 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 48m
★
6 AM
0h 52m
8 AM
1h 1m
10 AM
0h 55m
12 PM
0h 54m
3 PM
0h 56m
5 PM
1h 0m
8 PM
0h 50m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Fairfield, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Oakland, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling from Fairfield to Oakland covers a quick 40.6 miles, typically taking about 52 minutes in moderate traffic. This commute is a straightforward journey within the Pacific Coast region, making it an ideal day trip that requires no overnight stay. You will navigate primarily via the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, Eastshore Freeway, and the Linus F. Claeys Freeway. With an estimated fuel cost of just $6, this is a highly economical trip for those needing to connect these two California hubs. Because the entire route is a efficient, mixed-drive experience, you can easily complete the transition between these cities in under an hour.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 16.6 mi | 19m |
| Eastshore Freeway | 14.7 mi | 17m |
| Linus F. Claeys Freeway | 3.4 mi | 3m |
| San Pablo Avenue | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| West Texas Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Carquinez Bridge | 1 mi | 1m |
| Texas Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| MacArthur Freeway | 0.5 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
— 16.6 mi, about 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Fairfield, CA and Oakland, CA.
1
Start on US 40 Historic
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Texas Street
2
Continue on US 40 Historic
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
West Texas Street
Use the straight lane.
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
Toward I 80 West
Use the left lane.
4
Merge onto I 80
17 mi
·
19 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Continue on I 80
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Carquinez Bridge
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Continue on I 80
0.3 mi
·
24 sec
·
Eastshore Freeway
7
Continue on I 80
3.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Linus F. Claeys Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 80
14 mi
·
16 min
·
Eastshore Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
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.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 580
0.5 mi
·
42 sec
·
MacArthur Freeway
Toward I 580: Downtown Oakland, Hayward, Stockton
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
13 sec
Exit 19A
Toward MacArthur Boulevard, San Pablo Avenue, Emery Street
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
12
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
12 sec
Toward San Pablo Avenue, Emery Street
Use the slight right lane.
13
Turn right onto Watts Street
216 ft
·
11 sec
·
Watts Street
14
Turn right onto Peralta Street
182 ft
·
11 sec
·
Peralta Street
15
Turn left onto 35th Street
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
35th Street
16
Turn right onto San Pablo Avenue
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
San Pablo Avenue
17
Turn slight right onto Martin Luther King Junior Way
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Martin Luther King Junior Way
18
Turn left onto 14th Street
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
14th Street
19
Arrive at destination
14th Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
20 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 40.6 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20.3 miles from Fairfield, 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 115 decision points cluster between mile 1.7 and 38.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
1.7 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Take the ramp toward I 80 West
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 80 West
8
37.5 mi into trip
|
~45m 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
37.8 mi into trip
|
~46m in
|
I 580 / MacArthur Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 580 / MacArthur Freeway toward I 580: Downtown Oakland, Hayward, Stockton
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 580: Downtown Oakland, Hayward, Stockt...
8
38.3 mi into trip
|
~46m in
Take the exit toward MacArthur Boulevard, San Pablo Avenue, Emery Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Exit 19A
Toward MacArthur Boulevard, San Pablo Avenue, E...
9
38.5 mi into trip
|
~46m in
Keep slight right at fork toward San Pablo Avenue, Emery Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward San Pablo Avenue, Emery Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.33 one way
$18.66 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $9.62 | $19.23 |
| premium | $6.18 | $9.87 | $19.75 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.96 | $17.93 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.2 | 0 | $4.26 | $1.95 |
| Efficient EV | 10.2 | 0 | $3.55 | $1.62 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.2 | 0 | $5.68 | $2.60 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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 Sunday
Local time
9:29 AM
PDT
Current temp
49°F
Partly Cloudy
SSW 1 to 6 mph
0% chance
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
1 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
52m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a pragmatic driving experience on this route, which is defined by a 46% highway share. You will spend the bulk of your time on major arterial roads, including a significant 16.6-mile stretch on the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. The character of the drive transitions from the suburban flow of the Claeys Freeway into the higher-density corridors of the Eastshore Freeway as you approach Oakland. While it lacks the winding turns of rural backroads, the route provides a consistent pace that keeps you moving toward your destination efficiently. Be prepared for the shift in traffic volume as you merge onto the larger freeway systems.
46% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 16.6 mi on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.7 miles in.
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 11 decision points packed into just 40.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 52m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 37.5 miles (I 580 / Interstate Highway 80): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 37.8 miles (I 580 / MacArthur Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
352 ft
13 ft
Total Climb
741 ft
Total Descent
712 ft
Highest Point
352 ft
~11.6 mi in
Elevation Range
338 ft
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 Fairfield, CA and Oakland, CA, road signs point toward Hayward, Stockton, Alameda and San Jose.
Hayward
37.5 mi in
|
~45m
|
via I 580
Stockton
37.5 mi in
|
~45m
|
via I 580
Alameda
37.5 mi in
|
~45m
|
via I 580
San Jose
37.5 mi in
|
~45m
|
via I 580
About the Cities
Starting in Fairfield, CA
Full guide →Fairfield is in Solano County in the Sacramento Valley of California.
Arriving in Oakland, CA
Full guide →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.
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 52m. Total distance: 40.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
52m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (46%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 16.6 miles on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. 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 1.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 37.5 miles (I 580 / Interstate Highway 80): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 37.8 miles (I 580 / MacArthur Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park and Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial (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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Oakland, CA
More trips to Oakland, CA
Explore more options from Fairfield, CA or browse trips ending in Oakland, CA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse CA road trips.