Origin
Fairfield, CA
Late night in Fairfield on Sunday
Local time
12:56 AM
PDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Fairfield, CA to San Francisco, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h
Distance
47.1 mi
76 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 56m
★
6 AM
1h 1m
8 AM
1h 11m
10 AM
1h 4m
12 PM
1h 3m
3 PM
1h 5m
5 PM
1h 10m
8 PM
0h 58m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Fairfield, CA
Wikimedia Commons
San Francisco, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 47.1-mile drive from Fairfield, CA to San Francisco, CA is easily manageable as a single-day trip, typically taking around 1 hour. You'll primarily navigate major freeways, including the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, Eastshore Freeway, and Linus F. Claeys Freeway, with a significant portion of your journey (43%) on these main arteries. The estimated fuel cost for this leg is about $11, making it an economical choice. Both your origin and destination are within the Pacific Coast region, so expect a drive that connects urban and suburban environments within California. This route offers a direct and efficient connection, perfect for a quick transit.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 22.8 mi | 28m |
| Eastshore Freeway | 15.2 mi | 17m |
| Linus F. Claeys Freeway | 3.4 mi | 3m |
| Route 80 | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| West Texas Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Carquinez Bridge | 1 mi | 1m |
| Texas Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Octavia Boulevard | 0.5 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
— 22.8 mi, about 28m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Fairfield, CA and San Francisco, 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
Take the exit onto Eastshore Freeway
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Eastshore Freeway
Toward San Francisco
Use the slight left lane.
10
Merge onto I 80
0.4 mi
·
33 sec
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Turn slight left onto I 80
0.4 mi
·
33 sec
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
12
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80
5.5 mi
·
8 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the slight left lane.
13
Continue on I 80
0.3 mi
·
24 sec
·
Route 80
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
14
Continue on I 80
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Route 80
Exit 2A
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
15
Continue on I 80
0.4 mi
·
32 sec
·
Route 80
Exit 1A
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
38 sec
Exit 1B
Toward US 101 North: Golden Gate Bridge
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Merge onto US 101
0.3 mi
·
25 sec
·
Central Freeway
18
Continue on Octavia Boulevard
0.5 mi
·
42 sec
·
Octavia Boulevard
Exit 434B
Toward Octavia Boulevard, Fell Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Turn right onto Market Street
0.1 mi
·
31 sec
·
Market Street
Use the right lane.
20
Keep slight right at fork onto Market Street
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
Market Street
21
Arrive at destination
Market Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
24 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 23.5 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 125 decision points cluster between mile 1.7 and 45.7 — 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
5
1.9 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
I 80 / Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Merge onto I 80 / Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
37.3 mi into trip
|
~45m in
|
Eastshore Freeway
Take the exit onto Eastshore Freeway toward San Francisco
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward San Francisco
6
38.8 mi into trip
|
~47m in
|
I 80 / Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80 / Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
8
45.7 mi into trip
|
~57m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 101 North: Golden Gate Bridge
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 1B
Toward US 101 North: Golden Gate Bridge
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.83 one way
$21.65 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $11.16 | $22.31 |
| premium | $6.18 | $11.45 | $22.91 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.40 | $20.80 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.1 | 0 | $4.95 | $2.26 |
| Efficient EV | 11.8 | 0 | $4.12 | $1.88 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18.8 | 0 | $6.59 | $3.01 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (63% 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 Sunday
Local time
12:56 AM
PDT
Current temp
51°F
Clear
NNW 9 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
Lake Wind Advisory
Lake Wind Advisory issued April 16 at 10:33PM PDT until April 16 at 11:00PM PDT by NWS Hanford CA
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued April 16 at 10:33PM PDT until April 17 at 11:00AM PDT by NWS Hanford CA
47°F
Richmond, CA
24 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
3 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
1h 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 mixed driving profile on this route, with a substantial 43% of the journey on major highways. You'll encounter freeway stretches that allow for steady progress, with the longest uninterrupted segment covering 22.8 miles on the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. The character of the drive is largely urban and suburban, transitioning from the Bay Area's inland communities towards the denser cityscape of San Francisco. While not overtly scenic, the focus is on efficient travel, with clear signage and well-maintained roadways guiding you towards your destination.
43% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 22.8 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
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 47.1 miles you will encounter 12 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 1.9 miles (I 80 / Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 37.3 miles (Eastshore Freeway): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Fairfield, CA
Full guide →Fairfield is in Solano County in the Sacramento Valley of California.
Arriving in San Francisco, CA
Full guide →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.
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 1h. Total distance: 47.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (43%). 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 22.8 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 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 1.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 1.9 miles (I 80 / Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 37.3 miles (Eastshore Freeway): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
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 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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