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Trip from Vallejo, CA to San Francisco, CA

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

43m

Distance

31.9 mi

51 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$7

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 11 min
4 AM
0h 40m ★
6 AM
0h 44m
8 AM
0h 51m
10 AM
0h 46m
12 PM
0h 46m
3 PM
0h 47m
5 PM
0h 51m
8 PM
0h 42m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

city in Solano County, California, United States

Vallejo, CA

Wikimedia Commons

consolidated city and county in California, United States

San Francisco, CA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Vallejo, CA to San Francisco, CA is 31.9 miles and takes about 43m via Eastshore Freeway, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a short, highway-focused trip connecting two points within the Pacific Coast region of California. You'll spend most of your time on major freeways, making it a quick and straightforward drive. Given its brevity, this route is ideal for a same-day excursion, allowing ample time for activities upon arrival in San Francisco. Plan for around 43 minutes of pure driving time, not including any potential traffic delays.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Eastshore Freeway 15.2 mi 17m
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway 6.9 mi 10m
Linus F. Claeys Freeway 3.4 mi 3m
Sonoma Boulevard 2.3 mi 4m
Route 80 1.4 mi 2m
Carquinez Bridge 1 mi 1m
Octavia Boulevard 0.5 mi <1m
Market Street 0.3 mi 1m
Longest stretch: Eastshore Freeway — 15.2 mi, about 17m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Vallejo, CA and San Francisco, CA.

1

Start on Carolina Street

510 ft · 24 sec · Carolina Street
2

Turn right onto CA 29

2.3 mi · 4 min · Sonoma Boulevard
3

Take the ramp onto CA 29

0.3 mi · 20 sec · CA 29
4

Merge onto I 80

0.6 mi · 53 sec · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
5

Continue on I 80

1.0 mi · 1 min · Carquinez Bridge
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Continue on I 80

0.3 mi · 24 sec · Eastshore Freeway
7

Continue on I 80

3.4 mi · 3 min · Linus F. Claeys Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Continue on I 80

14 mi · 16 min · Eastshore Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Take the exit onto Eastshore Freeway

0.8 mi · 1 min · Eastshore Freeway
Toward San Francisco Use the slight left lane.
10

Merge onto I 80

0.4 mi · 33 sec · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Turn slight left onto I 80

0.4 mi · 33 sec · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
12

Keep slight left at fork onto I 80

5.5 mi · 8 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the slight left lane.
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 12

5 decision points cluster between mile 2.6 and 30.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
2.6 mi into trip | ~5m in | I 80 / Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

Merge onto I 80 / Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight left lanes.
6
22.1 mi into trip | ~28m in | Eastshore Freeway

Take the exit onto Eastshore Freeway toward San Francisco

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane. Toward San Francisco
5
22.9 mi into trip | ~29m in | I 80 / Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

Merge onto I 80 / Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
23.6 mi into trip | ~30m in | I 80 / Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

Keep slight left at fork onto I 80 / Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane.
8
30.5 mi into trip | ~41m 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

$7.33 one way

$14.66 round trip

$5.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 11 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $6.02 $7.56 $15.11
premium $6.18 $7.76 $15.52
diesel $5.61 $7.04 $14.09

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$7

Estimated CO2 emission: 11.2 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 9.6 0 $3.35 $1.53
Efficient EV 8 0 $2.79 $1.28
EV Truck/SUV 12.8 0 $4.47 $2.04

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.

Forecast as of Apr 20, 2026

Origin

Vallejo, CA

Late night in Vallejo on Tuesday

Local time

2:09 AM

PDT

Current temp

62°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

San Francisco, CA

Late night in San Francisco on Tuesday

Local time

2:09 AM

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

16 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

43m 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 route is largely highway-focused, with 64% of the drive utilizing major freeways like the Eastshore Freeway, Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, and Linus F. Claeys Freeway. You'll experience a longest uninterrupted stretch of 15.2 miles on the Eastshore Freeway. The character of the drive is consistent, primarily involving multi-lane highway travel. Expect a smooth, albeit potentially busy, journey as you navigate these well-maintained state and interstate routes.

64% 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: 15.2 mi on Eastshore Freeway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Eastshore 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 2.6 miles in near I 80 / Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway.

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 12 decision points packed into just 31.9 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 2.6 miles (I 80 / Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 22.1 miles (Eastshore Freeway): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 22.9 miles (I 80 / Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

About the Cities

Starting in Vallejo, CA

Full guide →

Founded 1851

Vallejo is in Solano County in the San Francisco Bay Area of California.

Top landmarks

  • Mare Island Naval Shipyard — United States Navy shipyard located in Vallejo, California
  • Six Flags Discovery Kingdom — amusement park in California
  • USS LCS(L)(3)-102 — 1945 Landing Craft Support

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: 31.9 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 (64%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 15.2 miles on Eastshore 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 2.6 miles (I 80 / Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 22.1 miles (Eastshore Freeway): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 22.9 miles (I 80 / Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes — Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park, San Francisco Maritime 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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