Origin
Chinatown, CA
Evening in Chinatown on Thursday
Local time
5:58 PM
PDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Chinatown, CA to Fremont, CA
Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026
Drive Time
50m
Distance
36.8 mi
59 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 46m
★
6 AM
0h 50m
8 AM
0h 58m
10 AM
0h 53m
12 PM
0h 52m
3 PM
0h 54m
5 PM
0h 58m
8 PM
0h 48m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Chinatown, CA
Dominik Gryzbon
Trip Overview
The drive from Chinatown, CA to Fremont, CA covers 36.8 miles and takes about 50m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 880, Nimitz Freeway, Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 13.6 miles on I 880. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.46 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 50m. Total distance: 36.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
50m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (72%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 50m highway drive covering 36.8 miles, with most of the trip on I 880 and Nimitz Freeway. The longest continuous stretch is about 13.6 miles on I 880.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 22 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 880 is the longest continuous segment at about 13.6 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 880 and Nimitz Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.4 miles in near 1st Street.
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 15 decision points packed into just 36.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 50m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.4 miles (1st Street): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 15 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
1.4 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
1st Street
Keep slight left at fork onto 1st Street toward I 80 East: Bay Bridge, Oakland
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 80 East: Bay Bridge, Oakland
7
1.4 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Take the ramp toward I 80 East: Bay Bridge, Oakland
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight lane.
Toward I 80 East: Bay Bridge, Oakland
8
6.6 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Take the exit toward I 880 South: Alameda, San Jose
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 8A
Toward I 880 South: Alameda, San Jose
7
7.1 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 880 South
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 880 South
8
34.9 mi into trip
|
~46m in
Take the exit toward Mowry Avenue, Central Fremont
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 17
Toward Mowry Avenue, Central Fremont
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 Chinatown, CA to Fremont, CA, road signs begin pointing toward San Jose along the way.
San Jose
6.6 mi in
|
~12m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 880 | 13.6 mi | 14m |
| Nimitz Freeway | 13 mi | 16m |
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 5.1 mi | 7m |
| Mowry Avenue | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| 1st Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Montgomery Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Columbus Avenue | 0.2 mi | 1m |
| Bush Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 880
— 13.6 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Chinatown, CA and Fremont, CA.
1
Start on Pacific Avenue
80 ft
·
5 sec
·
Pacific Avenue
2
Turn right onto Cordelia Street
339 ft
·
16 sec
·
Cordelia Street
3
Turn right onto Broadway
0.1 mi
·
34 sec
·
Broadway
4
Turn right onto Columbus Avenue
0.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Columbus Avenue
Use the right lane.
5
Continue on Montgomery Street
0.3 mi
·
48 sec
·
Montgomery Street
Use the straight lane.
6
Turn left onto Bush Street
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
Bush Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
7
Continue on 1st Street
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
·
1st Street
Use the straight lane.
8
Continue on 1st Street
113 ft
·
5 sec
·
1st Street
Toward I 80 East: Bay Bridge, Oakland
9
Keep slight left at fork onto 1st Street
294 ft
·
14 sec
·
1st Street
Toward I 80 East: Bay Bridge, Oakland
10
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
9 sec
Toward I 80 East: Bay Bridge, Oakland
Use the straight lane.
11
Merge onto I 80
5.1 mi
·
7 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
42 sec
Exit 8A
Toward I 880 South: Alameda, San Jose
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork
1.2 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 880 South
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Merge onto I 880
13 mi
·
16 min
·
Nimitz Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight left at fork onto I 880
5.6 mi
·
6 min
·
I 880
Use the slight left lane.
16
Keep slight left at fork onto I 880
2.4 mi
·
2 min
·
I 880
Use the slight left lane.
17
Keep slight left at fork onto I 880
5.6 mi
·
6 min
·
I 880
Use the slight left lane.
18
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Exit 17
Toward Mowry Avenue, Central Fremont
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Turn left
116 ft
·
3 sec
Use the left lane.
20
Turn straight onto Mowry Avenue
0.1 mi
·
10 sec
·
Mowry Avenue
21
Continue on Mowry Avenue
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Mowry Avenue
22
Arrive at destination
Mowry Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 18.4 mi from Chinatown, CA · 27m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 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 36.8 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 18.4 miles from Chinatown, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Fremont, CA
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Fremont, CA if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.46 one way
$16.92 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $8.72 | $17.43 |
| premium | $6.18 | $8.95 | $17.90 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.12 | $16.25 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11 | 0 | $3.86 | $1.77 |
| Efficient EV | 9.2 | 0 | $3.22 | $1.47 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.7 | 0 | $5.15 | $2.36 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 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
Fremont, CA
Evening in Fremont on Thursday
Local time
5:58 PM
PDT
Current temp
67°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
50m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Chinatown, CA to Fremont, CA covers 36.8 miles and takes about 50m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 880, Nimitz Freeway, Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 18.4 miles from Chinatown, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.46 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This is a short but busy drive. With 15 decision points packed into just 36.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 50m.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.4 miles (1st Street): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Chinatown, CA to Fremont, CA, road signs begin pointing toward San Jose along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park and Golden Gate National Recreation Area. There are 5 parks within detour distance of this route.
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