Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
5h 3m
Distance
270.8 mi
436 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$62
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bakersfield, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Concord, CA
Wikimedia Commons
The drive from Bakersfield, CA to Concord, CA covers 270.8 miles and takes about 5h 3m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Westside Freeway, Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway, William Elton Brown Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 192.7 miles on Westside Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $62.24 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
135.4 miles from Bakersfield, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 32m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Westside Freeway | 192.7 mi | 3h 26m |
| Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway | 19.6 mi | 22m |
| William Elton Brown Freeway | 17 mi | 18m |
| Donald D Doyle Highway | 15.2 mi | 17m |
| Stockdale Highway | 8.9 mi | 12m |
| Westside Parkway | 6.6 mi | 8m |
| Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway | 5 mi | 5m |
| Truxtun Avenue | 2.3 mi | 4m |
Step-by-step road directions between Bakersfield, CA and Concord, CA.
Start on Truxtun Avenue
Continue on Truxtun Avenue
Take the ramp
Continue on Westside Parkway
Continue on Stockdale Highway
Enter roundabout onto CA 58
Continue on CA 58
Take the exit onto CA 58
Merge onto I 5; CA 58
Keep slight left at fork onto I 580
Keep slight right at fork onto I 580 Bypass
Merge onto I 580
Keep slight right at fork onto I 580
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto I 680
Continue on I 680
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 242
Take the exit
Turn left onto Market Street
Turn right onto Willow Pass Road
Arrive at destination
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 60 miles or 1h 11m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 135.4 miles or 2h 32m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 5m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Concord, CA than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Bakersfield, CA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Bakersfield, CA
This is one driving day of about 270.8 miles and 5h 3m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
135 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.
A short stop after about 60 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 135.4 miles from Bakersfield, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Westside Freeway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 192.7 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 211.6 and 269.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Keep slight left at fork onto I 580 / William Elton Brown Freeway toward I 580 West: Tracy, San Francisco
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward I 680 South, I 680 North: San Jose, Sacramento, Concord, Walnut Creek
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward I 680 North: Walnut Creek, Concord, Sacramento
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 242 toward CA 242 North: Concord, Pittsburg
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward Clayton Road, Concord
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$62.24 one way
$124.48 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $64.14 | $128.28 |
| premium | $6.18 | $65.86 | $131.71 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $59.79 | $119.58 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$62
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$87–$112
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 94.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $28 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 81.2 | 1 | $28.43 | $13.00 |
| Efficient EV | 67.7 | 0 | $23.70 | $10.83 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 108.3 | 1 | $37.91 | $17.33 |
Gas CO2
95 kg
EV CO2
32 kg (66% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Afternoon in Bakersfield on Saturday
Local time
12:59 PM
PDT
Current temp
49°F
Mostly Clear
Destination
Afternoon in Concord on Saturday
Local time
12:59 PM
PDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
National Memorial
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National Historical Park
Celebrate and honor the contributions and sacrifices of American civilians on the WWII home front. Discover how diverse communities lived, worked, and interacted. Many faces, many stories, many truths...
National Historical Park
Established in 1988, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park celebrates America’s maritime heritage on the Pacific Coast. Our 50-acre park has grown around Aquatic Park Cove, a protected area...
National Monument
Yes, we can! Widely recognized as the most important Latino leader in the United States during the twentieth century, Cesar Chavez led farm workers and supporters in the establishment of the country's...
National Monument
Walk among old growth coast redwoods, cooling their roots in the fresh water of Redwood Creek and lifting their crowns to reach the sun and fog. Federally protected as a National Monument since 1908,...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
270.8 mi in 5h 3m, mostly highway — 192.7 mi of that is on Westside Freeway.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Westside Freeway and Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 211.6 miles in near I 580 / William Elton Brown Freeway.
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 16 significant decision points across 270.8 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 211.6 miles (I 580 / William Elton Brown Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 248.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 248.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Bakersfield, CA and Concord, CA, road signs point toward San Francisco, Sacramento and Walnut Creek.
San Francisco
Sacramento
Walnut Creek
Founded 1869
Bakersfield is a city in Kern County in the San Joaquin Valley of California. Bakersfield is famous for being the home of country music singers Buck Owens and Merle Haggard, and has the nickname "the country music capital of the West Coast."
Concord is a residential and business city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area in the state of California.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 3m. Total distance: 270.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 3m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (88%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Compiled by the Trip.ovh 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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