Origin
Pleasant Hill, CA
Late night in Pleasant Hill on Tuesday
Local time
5:02 AM
PDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Pleasant Hill, 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
39m
Distance
27.7 mi
45 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 36m
★
6 AM
0h 39m
8 AM
0h 46m
10 AM
0h 42m
12 PM
0h 41m
3 PM
0h 42m
5 PM
0h 46m
8 PM
0h 37m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Pleasant Hill, CA
Wikimedia Commons
San Francisco, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Pleasant Hill to San Francisco is 27.7 miles and takes about 39 minutes via CA 24, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This quick trip takes you from the Pacific Coast region to another part of the Pacific Coast, staying within California. It's a straightforward drive, perfect for a day trip or a commute. Expect a mixed driving experience as you navigate freeways and potentially some local connections. The short distance means you won't need to worry about extensive planning for this particular journey.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| CA 24 | 9.4 mi | 11m |
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 6 mi | 9m |
| Grove Shafter Freeway | 3.4 mi | 4m |
| Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway | 2.1 mi | 2m |
| Route 80 | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Caldecott Tunnel | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Octavia Boulevard | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| MacArthur Freeway | 0.5 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
CA 24
— 9.4 mi, about 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Pleasant Hill, CA and San Francisco, CA.
1
Start on Gregory Lane
92 ft
·
2 sec
·
Gregory Lane
2
Continue on Gregory Lane
0.1 mi
·
27 sec
·
Gregory Lane
3
Turn right onto Contra Costa Boulevard
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Contra Costa Boulevard
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Toward I 680 South
5
Merge onto I 680
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit onto CA 24
9.4 mi
·
11 min
·
CA 24
Exit 46A
Toward CA 24 West: Oakland, Lafayette, San Francisco
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 24
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Caldecott Tunnel
Use the slight right lane.
8
Continue on CA 24
3.4 mi
·
4 min
·
Grove Shafter Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
Toward I 580 West, I 580 East: San Francisco, Hayward
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
Toward I 580 West: San Francisco
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Toward I 580: San Francisco, Sacramento
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Merge onto I 580
0.5 mi
·
32 sec
·
MacArthur Freeway
13
Take the exit
0.9 mi
·
1 min
Exit 19A
Toward I 80 West: San Francisco
14
Merge onto I 80
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Toward I 80 West: San Francisco
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Turn slight left onto I 80
0.4 mi
·
33 sec
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
16
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80
5.5 mi
·
8 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the slight left lane.
17
Continue on I 80
0.3 mi
·
24 sec
·
Route 80
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
18
Continue on I 80
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Route 80
Exit 2A
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
19
Continue on I 80
0.4 mi
·
32 sec
·
Route 80
Exit 1A
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
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.
21
Merge onto US 101
0.3 mi
·
25 sec
·
Central Freeway
22
Continue on Octavia Boulevard
0.5 mi
·
42 sec
·
Octavia Boulevard
Exit 434B
Toward Octavia Boulevard, Fell Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
23
Turn right onto Market Street
0.1 mi
·
31 sec
·
Market Street
Use the right lane.
24
Keep slight right at fork onto Market Street
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
Market Street
25
Arrive at destination
Market Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 195 decision points cluster between mile 2.8 and 26.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
2.8 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
CA 24
Take the exit onto CA 24 toward CA 24 West: Oakland, Lafayette, San Francisco
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 46A
Toward CA 24 West: Oakland, Lafayette, San Fran...
7
16.5 mi into trip
|
~21m in
Take the exit toward I 580 West, I 580 East: San Francisco, Hayward
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.
Toward I 580 West, I 580 East: San Francisco, H...
7
16.9 mi into trip
|
~22m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 580 West: San Francisco
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 580 West: San Francisco
8
17.2 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 580: San Francisco, Sacramento
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: San Francisco, Sacramento
8
26.3 mi into trip
|
~36m 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
$6.37 one way
$12.73 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $6.56 | $13.12 |
| premium | $6.18 | $6.74 | $13.47 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.12 | $12.23 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.3 | 0 | $2.91 | $1.33 |
| Efficient EV | 6.9 | 0 | $2.42 | $1.11 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.1 | 0 | $3.88 | $1.77 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
5:02 AM
PDT
Current temp
71°F
Sunny
NW 2 to 8 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued April 17 at 12:19PM PDT until April 17 at 2:00PM PDT by NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued April 17 at 12:19PM PDT until April 17 at 2:00PM PDT by NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA
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
20 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
39m 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 route offers a mixed drive experience, with 54% of it being highway. You'll spend a good portion of the 39 minutes on major roads like CA 24, the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, and the Grove Shafter Freeway. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 9.4 miles on CA 24, allowing for a consistent pace. As you approach your destination, the drive will naturally transition from faster freeway speeds to more urban road conditions. This blend means you'll experience both efficient travel and the feel of city navigation.
54% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
25 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 9.4 mi on CA 24.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
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 2.8 miles in near CA 24.
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 19 decision points packed into just 27.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 39m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.8 miles (CA 24): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 16.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 16.9 miles: 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 Pleasant Hill, CA and San Francisco, CA, road signs point toward Lafayette, Hayward and Sacramento.
Lafayette
2.8 mi in
|
~4m
|
via CA 24
Hayward
16.5 mi in
|
~21m
Sacramento
17.2 mi in
|
~23m
About the Cities
Starting in Pleasant Hill, CA
Full guide →Founded 1961
Pleasant Hill is in Contra Costa County in the Bay Area of 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 39m. Total distance: 27.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
39m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (54%). 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 9.4 miles on CA 24. 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 2.8 miles (CA 24): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 16.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 16.9 miles: 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 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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