Origin
Fremont, CA
Afternoon in Fremont on Friday
Local time
12:28 PM
PDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Fremont, CA to Clayton, CA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 4, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h
Distance
42.2 mi
68 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 56m
★
6 AM
1h 0m
8 AM
1h 10m
10 AM
1h 4m
12 PM
1h 3m
3 PM
1h 4m
5 PM
1h 10m
8 PM
0h 57m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Fremont, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Clayton, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Trip Overview
Fremont, CA to Clayton, CA is 42.2 miles and takes about 1 hour via I 680, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Pacific Coast region, primarily utilizing major highways before transitioning to local roads. Given its short distance and duration, it's an easy day trip that avoids extensive travel time. Consider this route if you're looking for a straightforward drive between these two California locations.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 680 | 28.2 mi | 32m |
| Ygnacio Valley Road | 7 mi | 12m |
| Fremont Boulevard | 1.9 mi | 4m |
| South Broadway | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Clayton Road | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Washington Boulevard | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| North Broadway | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Civic Drive | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 680
— 28.2 mi, about 32m
Traffic on I-680
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 32 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
6 PM
~8,091 veh/hr typical
Quietest
3 AM
~439 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
18.4×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 42 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Fremont, CA and Clayton, CA.
1
Start on Mowry Avenue
109 ft
·
6 sec
·
Mowry Avenue
2
Turn right onto Fremont Boulevard
1.9 mi
·
4 min
·
Fremont Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Continue on Washington Boulevard
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Washington Boulevard
Use the left lane.
4
Turn left
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward I 680 North: Sacramento
Use the left lane.
5
Merge onto I 680
28 mi
·
32 min
·
I 680
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
Exit 44
Toward Rudgear Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on South Broadway
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
South Broadway
Use the straight / left lanes.
8
Continue on North Broadway
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
·
North Broadway
9
Turn right onto Civic Drive
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
·
Civic Drive
10
Turn right onto Ygnacio Valley Road
7.0 mi
·
12 min
·
Ygnacio Valley Road
Use the right lane.
11
Turn right onto Clayton Road
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Clayton Road
12
Turn slight right onto Oak Street
0.1 mi
·
28 sec
·
Oak Street
13
Turn right onto Diablo Street
67 ft
·
2 sec
·
Diablo Street
14
Arrive at destination
Diablo Street
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 42 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21.1 miles from Fremont, 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 85 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 33.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Fremont Boulevard
Turn right onto Fremont Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
3.1 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Turn left toward I 680 North: Sacramento
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 680 North: Sacramento
5
3.3 mi into trip
|
~8m in
|
I 680
Merge onto I 680
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
31.5 mi into trip
|
~40m in
Take the exit toward Rudgear Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 44
Toward Rudgear Road
5
33.8 mi into trip
|
~45m in
|
Ygnacio Valley Road
Turn right onto Ygnacio Valley Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.36 one way
$18.71 round trip
$5.63/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.81 | $9.65 | $19.31 |
| premium | $5.98 | $9.94 | $19.88 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $9.30 | $18.60 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.7 | 0 | $4.43 | $2.03 |
| Efficient EV | 10.6 | 0 | $3.69 | $1.69 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.9 | 0 | $5.91 | $2.70 |
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
Clayton, CA
Afternoon in Clayton on Friday
Local time
12:28 PM
PDT
Current temp
--
Unavailable
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Road read
1h 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?
This drive is mostly highway, with 67% of the route on freeways like I 680. You'll experience a longest stretch of 28.2 miles on I 680 before transitioning to surface streets like Ygnacio Valley Road. Expect a typical highway driving experience with merging traffic and a steady pace for the majority of the trip.
67% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 28.2 mi on I 680.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 680 and Ygnacio Valley Road. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Fremont Boulevard.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 42.2 miles you will encounter 8 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: near the start (Fremont Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 3.3 miles (I 680): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
629 ft
55 ft
Total Climb
776 ft
Total Descent
359 ft
Highest Point
629 ft
~6 mi in
Elevation Range
574 ft
About the Cities
Starting 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
Arriving in Clayton, CA
Full guide →Founded 1857
Clayton is a small suburban town in the East Bay of the California Bay Area, in Contra Costa County.
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: 42.2 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 (67%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 28.2 miles on I 680. 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 Clayton, 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: near the start (Fremont Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 3.3 miles (I 680): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Clayton, 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 FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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