Origin
Fremont, CA
Late night in Fremont on Tuesday
Local time
5:09 AM
PDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Fremont, 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
50m
Distance
37.9 mi
61 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 46m
★
6 AM
0h 50m
8 AM
0h 58m
10 AM
0h 53m
12 PM
0h 52m
3 PM
0h 53m
5 PM
0h 58m
8 PM
0h 48m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
San Francisco, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling the 38 miles from Fremont to San Francisco is a quick journey that typically takes about 45 minutes, making it an ideal day trip. You will primarily navigate via Mowry Avenue and I-880 North, also known as the Nimitz Freeway. Because the transit time is so brief, you won't need to worry about overnight logistics or complex planning. With a fuel cost estimate of just $5, this remains a very budget-friendly commute between these two Pacific Coast locations. Whether you are heading into the city for business or leisure, this route offers a straightforward connection without the need for mid-way stops.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 880 | 17.8 mi | 20m |
| Nimitz Freeway | 8.7 mi | 10m |
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 5.4 mi | 8m |
| Mowry Avenue | 1.4 mi | 3m |
| Route 80 | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Octavia Boulevard | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Market Street | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| Central Freeway | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 880
— 17.8 mi, about 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Fremont, CA and San Francisco, CA.
1
Start on Mowry Avenue
109 ft
·
4 sec
·
Mowry Avenue
2
Continue on Mowry Avenue
1.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Mowry Avenue
Use the left lane.
3
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Toward I 880 North: Oakland
4
Merge onto I 880
6.4 mi
·
7 min
·
Nimitz Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Keep slight left at fork onto I 880
18 mi
·
20 min
·
I 880
Use the slight left lane.
6
Keep slight left at fork onto I 880
2.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Nimitz Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
1.0 mi
·
1 min
Exit 46A
Toward I 80 Toll West: San Francisco, Bay Bridge
8
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
37 sec
Use the slight left lane.
9
Keep slight right at fork
220 ft
·
3 sec
Toward I 80
10
Merge onto I 80
5.4 mi
·
8 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on I 80
0.3 mi
·
24 sec
·
Route 80
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
12
Continue on I 80
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Route 80
Exit 2A
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
13
Continue on I 80
0.4 mi
·
32 sec
·
Route 80
Exit 1A
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
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.
15
Merge onto US 101
0.3 mi
·
25 sec
·
Central Freeway
16
Continue on Octavia Boulevard
0.5 mi
·
42 sec
·
Octavia Boulevard
Exit 434B
Toward Octavia Boulevard, Fell Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Turn right onto Market Street
0.1 mi
·
31 sec
·
Market Street
Use the right lane.
18
Keep slight right at fork onto Market Street
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
Market Street
19
Arrive at destination
Market Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
19 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 37.9 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 19 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 155 decision points cluster between mile 1.7 and 36.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1.7 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
I 880 / Nimitz Freeway
Merge onto I 880 / Nimitz Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
8.1 mi into trip
|
~11m 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
26 mi into trip
|
~31m in
|
I 880 / Nimitz Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 880 / Nimitz Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
28.2 mi into trip
|
~34m in
Take the exit toward I 80 Toll West: San Francisco, Bay Bridge
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 46A
Toward I 80 Toll West: San Francisco, Bay Bridg...
8
36.5 mi into trip
|
~47m 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
$8.71 one way
$17.42 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $8.98 | $17.95 |
| premium | $6.18 | $9.22 | $18.43 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.37 | $16.74 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.4 | 0 | $3.98 | $1.82 |
| Efficient EV | 9.5 | 0 | $3.32 | $1.52 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.2 | 0 | $5.31 | $2.43 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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
5:09 AM
PDT
Current temp
70°F
Sunny
W 6 to 9 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
21 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
50m 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?
This is a turn-heavy local drive that demands your full attention as you transition between city streets and the freeway. Unlike long-haul highway stretches, this route features no long, uninterrupted segments; you will spend zero miles on long highway stretches, as the path relies on frequent navigation changes. The character of the drive is defined by its urban nature rather than a monotonous interstate grind. Expect to navigate local turns early on before merging into the flow of the Nimitz Freeway. It is an active, engaging drive that requires you to be comfortable with constant adjustments behind the wheel.
74% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 17.8 mi on I 880.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 880 and Nimitz Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.7 miles in near I 880 / Nimitz Freeway.
Driving Effort
10/10
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 15 decision points packed into just 37.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 50m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.7 miles (I 880 / Nimitz Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 8.1 miles (I 880): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 26 miles (I 880 / Nimitz Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
94 ft
12 ft
Total Climb
116 ft
Total Descent
117 ft
Highest Point
94 ft
~35.2 mi in
Elevation Range
83 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 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 50m. Total distance: 37.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
50m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (74%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 17.8 miles on I 880. 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 (I 880 / Nimitz Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 8.1 miles (I 880): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 26 miles (I 880 / Nimitz Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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