Origin
Santa Clara, CA
Evening in Santa Clara on Sunday
Local time
7:11 PM
PDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Santa Clara, CA to San Francisco, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 20, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
57m
Distance
45 mi
72 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 53m
★
6 AM
0h 57m
8 AM
1h 7m
10 AM
1h 1m
12 PM
1h 0m
3 PM
1h 1m
5 PM
1h 6m
8 PM
0h 55m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Santa Clara, CA
Wikimedia Commons
San Francisco, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling from Santa Clara to San Francisco covers 45 miles of the Pacific Coast region, making it an efficient trip that typically takes about 57 minutes. Because this journey is designed as a single-day excursion, you won't need to worry about overnight accommodations. You can expect to spend roughly $10 on fuel for the entire drive, keeping your travel expenses low. The route relies heavily on major arteries like US 101 and the Bayshore Freeway to move you efficiently between these two California hubs. Since both the origin and destination are located within the Pacific Coast region, you will experience a consistent coastal climate throughout your transit.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 101 | 35.8 mi | 42m |
| Bayshore Freeway | 5.6 mi | 6m |
| Scott Boulevard | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| Octavia Boulevard | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Market Street | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| San Tomas Expressway | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Warburton Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Lincoln Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 101
— 35.8 mi, about 42m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Santa Clara, CA and San Francisco, CA.
1
Start on Lincoln Street
0.1 mi
·
28 sec
·
Lincoln Street
2
Turn left onto Warburton Avenue
0.2 mi
·
47 sec
·
Warburton Avenue
Use the left lane.
3
Turn right onto Scott Boulevard
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Scott Boulevard
4
Turn right onto CR G4
0.3 mi
·
28 sec
·
San Tomas Expressway
Use the right lane.
5
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Toward US 101 North: San Francisco
Use the slight right lane.
6
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
Merge onto US 101
5.6 mi
·
6 min
·
Bayshore Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto US 101
36 mi
·
42 min
·
US 101
Use the slight left lane.
9
Continue on Octavia Boulevard
0.5 mi
·
42 sec
·
Octavia Boulevard
Exit 434B
Toward Octavia Boulevard, Fell Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Turn right onto Market Street
0.1 mi
·
31 sec
·
Market Street
Use the right lane.
11
Keep slight right at fork onto Market Street
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
Market Street
12
Arrive at destination
Market Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
23 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 22.5 miles from Santa Clara, 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 105 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 8.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Warburton Avenue
Turn left onto Warburton Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
2.1 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
CR G4 / San Tomas Expressway
Turn right onto CR G4 / San Tomas Expressway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
7
2.4 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Take the exit toward US 101 North: San Francisco
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward US 101 North: San Francisco
7
2.6 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
8.5 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
US 101
Keep slight left at fork onto US 101
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.34 one way
$20.69 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $10.66 | $21.32 |
| premium | $6.18 | $10.94 | $21.89 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.94 | $19.87 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.5 | 0 | $4.73 | $2.16 |
| Efficient EV | 11.3 | 0 | $3.94 | $1.80 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18 | 0 | $6.30 | $2.88 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 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
Evening in San Francisco on Sunday
Local time
7:11 PM
PDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
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
3 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
57m 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 is a highway-focused drive where 93% of your time is spent on high-speed roads, allowing for a direct and streamlined experience. You will navigate a substantial 35.8-mile stretch on US 101, which serves as the primary backbone of the journey. While you start your trip on local streets like Scott Boulevard, the character of the road quickly shifts toward a fast-paced interstate environment. Expect a steady, predictable flow of traffic as you transition from the South Bay into the city. The route maintains a functional, no-nonsense personality that prioritizes speed and connectivity over winding backroads.
93% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 35.8 mi on US 101.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 101 and Bayshore Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Warburton Avenue.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 45 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 57m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Warburton Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.1 miles (CR G4 / San Tomas Expressway): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
74 ft
9 ft
Total Climb
75 ft
Total Descent
55 ft
Highest Point
74 ft
~41.8 mi in
Elevation Range
65 ft
About the Cities
Starting in Santa Clara, CA
Full guide →Santa Clara is a town in the South Bay, part of the San Francisco Bay Area, in 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 57m. Total distance: 45 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
57m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (93%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 35.8 miles on US 101. 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 0.1 miles (Warburton Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.1 miles (CR G4 / San Tomas Expressway): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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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