Origin
Union City, CA
Late night in Union City on Tuesday
Local time
5:51 AM
PDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Union City, 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
43m
Distance
30.7 mi
49 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 39m
★
6 AM
0h 43m
8 AM
0h 50m
10 AM
0h 46m
12 PM
0h 45m
3 PM
0h 46m
5 PM
0h 50m
8 PM
0h 41m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Union City, CA
Wikimedia Commons
San Francisco, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning a trip from Union City to San Francisco, you are looking at a straightforward 30.7-mile journey that typically takes about 43 minutes. This route is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, as it does not require an overnight stay. Expect to spend roughly $7 on fuel, making it a budget-friendly option for a quick transit between these two Pacific Coast locations. You will primarily utilize the Nimitz Freeway, the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, and Hesperian Boulevard to complete the transit. Since the drive is short and efficient, it works best as a direct commute rather than a leisurely road trip, giving you plenty of time to explore your destination upon arrival.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Nimitz Freeway | 17.1 mi | 20m |
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 5.4 mi | 8m |
| Hesperian Boulevard | 2 mi | 4m |
| Route 80 | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Union City Boulevard | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Octavia Boulevard | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Market Street | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| Central Freeway | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Nimitz Freeway
— 17.1 mi, about 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Union City, CA and San Francisco, CA.
1
Start on Cambridge Way
193 ft
·
10 sec
·
Cambridge Way
2
Turn left onto Union City Boulevard
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Union City Boulevard
Use the left lane.
3
Continue on Hesperian Boulevard
2.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Hesperian Boulevard
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
4
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
35 sec
Toward CA 92 East, I 880: Hayward
Use the right lane.
5
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
14 sec
Exit 26B
Toward I 880 North, CA 92 East: Oakland, Downtown Hayward
6
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
21 sec
Toward I 880 North: Oakland
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
7
Merge onto I 880
15 mi
·
17 min
·
Nimitz Freeway
Use the slight right lane.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 880
2.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Nimitz Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
1.0 mi
·
1 min
Exit 46A
Toward I 80 Toll West: San Francisco, Bay Bridge
10
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
37 sec
Use the slight left lane.
11
Keep slight right at fork
220 ft
·
3 sec
Toward I 80
12
Merge onto I 80
5.4 mi
·
8 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
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
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 175 decision points cluster between mile 3 and 29.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
3 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Take the ramp toward CA 92 East, I 880: Hayward
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward CA 92 East, I 880: Hayward
7
3.4 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 880 North, CA 92 East: Oakland, Downtown Hayward
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 26B
Toward I 880 North, CA 92 East: Oakland, Downto...
8
3.6 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 880 North: Oakland
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 880 North: Oakland
6
18.7 mi into trip
|
~24m 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.
8
29.3 mi into trip
|
~40m 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
$7.06 one way
$14.11 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $7.27 | $14.54 |
| premium | $6.18 | $7.47 | $14.93 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.78 | $13.56 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.2 | 0 | $3.22 | $1.47 |
| Efficient EV | 7.7 | 0 | $2.69 | $1.23 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.3 | 0 | $4.30 | $1.96 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
5:51 AM
PDT
Current temp
61°F
Showers And Thunderstorms Likely
WSW 13 mph
68% chance
Live forecast
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued April 12 at 4:57PM PDT until April 12 at 5:15PM PDT by NWS Sacramento CA
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued April 12 at 2:16PM PDT until April 12 at 11:00PM PDT by NWS Hanford 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
9 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
43m 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 trip is heavily highway-focused, with 61% of your travel occurring on major thoroughfares. You will spend a significant portion of your time on the Nimitz Freeway, which features the route's longest uninterrupted stretch of 17.1 miles. While the drive starts with a mix of local roads like Hesperian Boulevard, the character shifts quickly into a high-speed interstate experience. It is a functional, no-nonsense drive designed for efficiency rather than winding, scenic exploration. Expect a consistent pace as you transition from the suburbs of the East Bay directly toward the city center.
61% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 17.1 mi on Nimitz Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Nimitz Freeway and Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 3 miles in.
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 17 decision points packed into just 30.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 43m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 3 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.6 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.
On the drive from Union City, CA to San Francisco, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Hayward along the way.
Hayward
3.4 mi in
|
~6m
About the Cities
Starting in Union City, CA
Full guide →Union City is a city of 70,000 people (in 2020) in the southern part of the East Bay portion of the San Francisco Bay Area region of California. It is bordered to the north by the city of Hayward and to the south by the city of Fremont. It is part of the Tri-Cities area, which consists of Union City, Fremont, and Newark.
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 43m. Total distance: 30.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
43m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (61%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 17.1 miles on Nimitz Freeway. 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 3 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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